Leeds United took the lead in the 55th minute when James Justin finished a move created by Gabriel Gudmundsson, putting pressure on an Arsenal side keen to restore confidence after their previous performance. The visitors’ organisation and physical commitment had made them difficult opponents, just as Arteta had anticipated.
“They are extremely well organised, they have very physical players, they are committed in everything they do,” the Arsenal manager told TNT Sports.
The hosts answered seven minutes later. Ben White’s knock-down from Noni Madueke’s cross fell for Riccardo Calafiori, who converted to level the score and immediately lift the atmosphere inside the stadium. Arsenal then completed the turnaround in the 70th minute, when substitute Bruno Guimarães struck from the edge of the area to secure all three points.
“We weren't pleased against Brighton and today was an opportunity to put that right. We certainly reacted in the manner we expected,” Arteta said.
The manager felt the response after falling behind was important in a lunchtime home fixture.
“When you play 12:30 at home and you go 1-0 down, you have to restore a lot of things. The energy is one of them. We had an incredible response, you could sense the crowd, the energy changed immediately.”
Arteta’s triple substitution brought leadership, attacking threat and greater ability to play forward against Leeds’ high press. He praised the impact of the players introduced, saying the finishers had made a huge difference to the result.
Guimarães, making his first official home appearance for Arsenal, described the winning goal as an unforgettable moment.
“It feels unbelievable. I felt in the last game against Brighton we were not at the level. Today the mentality was bouncing back.”
The Brazilian said scoring at the Emirates made the victory particularly meaningful, while also giving him a chance to press his case for a regular place.
“For me it is important to give my best and give a little bit of a headache to the manager,” he said. “I'm just happy to score my first goal here, an important goal.”
Arteta was equally impressed by the finish, describing the timing, connection and execution as “a beauty”.