Arsenal's Premier League campaign continued with tremendous resilience as they secured a 2-0 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on February 15, 2025, pushing them closer to the league leaders, Liverpool.
This match was pivotal for Arsenal, who had to navigate significant injury setbacks. With key players like Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka sidelined, the team's attacking options were severely limited. Manager Mikel Arteta was forced to adopt a new strategy, deploying midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift striker.
Initially, both teams displayed cautious play during the first half, trying to find their footing. Arsenal controlled possession but struggled to convert it to meaningful scoring opportunities, often falling victim to Leicester’s well-organized defense.
Throughout the first half, Arsenal’s Raheem Sterling and Leandro Trossard aimed to penetrate the Leicester defense but met frustration. Their attempts frequently resulted in offsides as Leicester established itself firmly, limiting Arsenal's attacking prowess. The first 45 minutes ended without goals, as both sides confronted tactical challenges.
Leicester’s defense suffered misfortune when defender James Justin was forced to leave the pitch due to injury, but the home team remained cohesive, frustrating Arsenal's advances.
Returning from halftime, Arsenal increased its urgency. On the 60-minute mark, Merino, who had entered as a substitute, quickly made his mark. After a flurry of almost-goals and heart-stopping near-misses, such as Ethan Nwaneri’s shot bouncing off the crossbar, Merino connected beautifully.
Merino scored the opening goal in the 81st minute, executing a perfect header following Nwaneri’s cross from the right wing. The stadium echoed with cheers from the traveling Arsenal supporters as the ball hit the back of the net, igniting hope for the visiting side.
But Merino wasn’t done yet. With just minutes left to play, he displayed remarkable composure, netting his second goal at the 88-minute mark. This came off another well-timed cross from Trossard, who cut through the Leicester defense before delivering the ball onto Merino's waiting foot.
Leicester struggled desperately to respond but lacked the cutting edge, ending the match at 2-0. This victory marked Arsenal’s seventh consecutive league triumph against Leicester City, underlining their dominance.
Following the match, Mikel Arteta praised his squad and highlighted Merino's exceptional performance by saying, “Difficult conditions but we didn’t give up and got the win, especially impressive was Merino's finishing.” This win positioned Arsenal at 53 points with 15 victories, 8 draws, and 2 losses for the season, keeping them within reach of Liverpool, who is sitting comfortably at the top of the table with 57 points.
Meanwhile, Leicester City was left reeling at the low end of the table with this defeat, maintaining their position among the relegation spots. They now find themselves needing urgent changes to avoid dropping out of the league.
Looking forward, Arsenal hopes to build on this momentum as they pursue the title, demonstrating their ability to overcome adversity and adapt creatively amid challenging circumstances.