Preview: Arsenal vs Leeds United - prediction, team news, lineups

Separated by just three points and three positions in the early-season Premier League standings, Arsenal and Leeds United reconvene at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday lunchtime following the international break.

The reigning champions entered the hiatus shell-shocked owing to a 3-0 reverse to Brighton & Hove Albion, while the Whites still have zero losses on their top-flight record after five matches.

Match preview

Seagull-ed into submission by a mesmerising Brighton unit on September 19, Arsenal's 100% start to the campaign across all competitions ended prematurely and with a whimper at the Amex Stadium, where Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas and Chema Andres breached David Raya's backline.

Arteta lamented a lack of "respect" from his second-best charges on the South Coast, where Brighton's ruthless finishing, relentless pressing and set-piece mastery saw Fabian Hurzeler's men beat Arsenal at their own game.

The Gunners' three-goal loss was poetic in a neutral sense, as it marked their heaviest Premier League defeat since an identical result against none other than Brighton in May 2023, while also allowing Manchester City to enter the international break in top spot.

However, disappointment gave way to delight right at the end of the lengthy domestic pause, as Arsenal confirmed that Arteta had signed a new long-term contract, prolonging the partnership between the club and the manager with the best win rate in the history of the men's team - 61%.

The Spaniard has overseen five of those victories in Arsenal's last five Premier League home games, during which the holders have conceded just one goal while putting 10 away at the other end, and not since January 8 against Liverpool have they failed to score in a top-flight home contest.

One of Arsenal or Leeds still being unbeaten ahead of Saturday's meeting was a realistic scenario at the start of the season, but few could have envisaged the visitors heading to the Emirates with such a record still intact.

However, Daniel Farke's side have done what the Gunners could not - take a point off of Brighton - in addition to overcoming Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United while playing out further stalemates with London clubs Brentford and Palace.

The Whites did ride their luck a little against the Eagles, who were made to pay for missed chances at Elland Road in gameweek five, but their lack of a killer final strike ensured Leeds would post their best start to a top-flight season since 2001-02.

As well as taking nine points from a possible 15 to sit fifth in the table, Leeds possess the Premier League's joint-best defensive record with just three goals shipped, superior to Arsenal's four and level with Everton's own trio.

Farke's side let in a staggering nine against Arsenal last season, though - suffering a 5-0 Emirates loss and 4-0 home defeat - meaning that they have now lost each of their last eight matches against the wounded champions.

Arsenal Premier League form:

Arsenal form (all competitions):

Leeds United Premier League form:

Leeds United form (all competitions):

Team News

An all-too familiar tale for Arsenal, Arteta has been counting the cost of a casualty-heavy international break, one which saw all of Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, Kai Havertz, Max Dowman and Christos Tzolis withdraw from their countries due to injury.

The status of each member of the quintet is still unclear, although Rice and Konsa are not thought to be suffering from serious damage; Arteta will no doubt be pressed for an update when he faces the media.

Ben White (groin) and Cristhian Mosquera (thigh) are also on the hosts' touch-and-go list, while William Saliba (back) is the sole long-term absentee, but Arsenal have been handed a major boost over his recovery.

Leeds did not come out of the three-week hiatus unscathed either, but Farke is only managing the one international withdrawal in Jean-Matteo Bahoya, who sustained an ankle problem while with France's Under-21s.

The summer signing joins Mateo Joseph (ACL), Joe Rodon (thigh) and Harry Wilson (thigh) in the Leeds infirmary, but the latter has not been firmly ruled out of this contest just yet.

Following an underwhelming international break in which he featured for just 15 minutes in an England shirt, Dominic Calvert-Lewin seeks to end a nine-game goal drought vs. Arsenal, whom he last scored against in February 2020.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; Timber, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Odegaard, Eze; Gyokeres

Leeds United possible starting lineup:

Trafford; Justin, Muharemovic, Elvedi; Bogle, Tanaka, Ampadu, Stach, Gudmundsson; Okafor, Calvert-Lewin

We say: Arsenal 2-1 Leeds United

Arsenal's defensive might was non-existent at the Amex, but the Gunners now tackle a Leeds side who have not even netted half of Brighton's league-leading 16 goals this season.

The first game back after the international break brings with it many uncertainties, but even with a host of fitness concerns, Arsenal's squad depth should come to the fore at home as the Gunners return to triumphant ways.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.