Arsenal showcased their readiness for the upcoming Premier League season with a dominant 4-1 victory over Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen. Goals from Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus gave the Gunners a solid lead at half-time. Kai Havertz added another in the second half, while Adam Hlozek scored a late consolation for Leverkusen.A rapid start saw Zinchenko open the scoring in the eighth minute, converting Havertz's cutback from the edge of the area. Less than a minute later, Trossard capitalised on a defensive error to double Arsenal's lead. Another mistake by Leverkusen allowed Jesus to score from long range seven minutes before half-time.The result was sealed just after the hour mark when Bukayo Saka's cross deflected into Havertz's path for an easy finish. Despite a late goal from Hlozek, who chipped over David Raya following a fine move, Arsenal were deserved winners at the Emirates Stadium.Arteta's team outperformed their expected goals (xG) by 2.6, with six of their nine shots on target. They also had double the number of touches in the box compared to Leverkusen. Trossard was particularly impressive, recording seven touches in the opposition box and completing 19 passes in the final third.Trossard stood out with his performance, having more touches in the opposition box than any other player. He completed 19 passes in the final third, only surpassed by Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka (24) and Edmond Tapsoba (21). This performance indicates that Arsenal could be strong contenders this season.Xabi Alonso’s side displayed glimpses of their quality that led them to win 28 out of 34 league games last year. However, they were unable to match Arsenal’s intensity and precision throughout most of the match.Arsenal will face Lyon in their final pre-season fixture on Sunday before starting their Premier League campaign against Wolves six days later. This match will be crucial as they aim to build momentum ahead of their quest for the Premier League title.
A polished pre-season performance pic.twitter.com/UCHtB47jq1
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 7, 2024
