Parade and Power: Arsenal’s five-star show wrapped in set‑piece steel and teenage spark

North London revelled. Eberechi Eze strode out in a No 10 shirt to a roar, the cameras found him throughout, and the team matched the theatre with a commanding 5-0 dismantling of Leeds. Jurrien Timber delivered a rare defender’s brace from Declan Rice corners, Bukayo Saka exploded a finish before departing injured, and Viktor Gyökeres found the net twice—his first Arsenal goals—bookending a performance that announced both depth and danger.

It should have been perfection. Instead, the party carried an ache: Martin Ødegaard, on his 200th appearance for the club, left before the break with a shoulder issue and Saka followed in the second half with a hamstring concern. Even so, Arsenal’s patterns, pressure and set‑piece sequencing overwhelmed Leeds, and a fearless 15‑year‑old debutant, Max Dowman, turned applause into awe with a cameo that won the late penalty for 5-0.

North London on parade: Eze unveiled, five goals follow

The afternoon began with a statement of intent. Eze, secured ahead of fierce market competition, pressed the crest to his chest and soaked up a welcome fit for a game‑changer. Arteta’s summer refit has produced what he calls his most complete squad; the immediate return was a team stepping onto the front foot and pinning a newly promoted opponent in.

Around Eze’s introduction, Arsenal’s control was near total. Even with Ben White, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus unavailable, and Noni Madueke making his first start, the red shirts rotated cleanly through the lines. That authority would translate at dead balls, where Rice’s precision and Timber’s timing proved decisive.

Pain amid the party: Ødegaard and Saka hobble off

Ødegaard’s withdrawal was the day’s first chill. He had required treatment after falling awkwardly and could not shake his shoulder discomfort. Later, Saka—minutes removed from smashing in the second—sat down mid-sprint and gestured toward the back of his left leg. Arteta was candid about the concern, noting Saka’s familiarity with such feelings and the need for scans on his captain.

Context matters: Arsenal have already lost Havertz and could not select White. The squad’s depth cushioned the blows here, with Cristhian Mosquera introduced and Martín Zubimendi and Riccardo Calafiori prominent in key sequences, but Anfield next Sunday will demand swift solutions. Eze’s immediate readiness is suddenly a live question.

A set‑piece clinic: Rice to Timber, twice

The opener arrived on 34 minutes and felt rehearsed. Rice’s corner arced perfectly and Timber, ghosting in from beyond the far post, glanced a header past Lucas Perri. The Emirates has grown accustomed to Arsenal’s schemed routines; Leeds were the latest to discover why.

After the interval, more of the same. A second Rice delivery created chaos, Leeds failed to clear, and Timber jabbed in his brace amid a scramble that featured a possible handball in the buildup. Farke would later rue the mechanics of the concessions; Arsenal will simply log another afternoon where the details of their set‑piece work carried the day.

Gyökeres gets lift‑off

Gyökeres’ first half mixed heavy touches with a snatched effort after Zubimendi had pressed Anton Stach into trouble. But give him grass to attack and the picture changes. Calafiori’s high pass early in the second half unleashed the Swede; he sliced inside Struijk and buried a low finish at the near post—relief and joy etched across the mask celebration.

From there, confidence surged. Dowman’s late burst drew the faint contact from Stach and Gyökeres took the responsibility, smashing the penalty to complete his brace. Arteta put it simply: running in behind is the striker’s “superpower.” This felt like the moment that power connected with Arsenal’s patterns.

The kid who lit the right wing

On 64 minutes, Dowman replaced Madueke and immediately carried the ball with poise and purpose. Twice he fashioned efforts at goal, demanded possession, and injected tempo into the right side after Saka’s departure.

Already a pre-season talking point for winning penalties against Newcastle and Villarreal, he did it again here—drawing the late spot-kick that sealed the scoreline. At 15, Arsenal’s second-youngest ever looks ready for patience rather than pressure, but the crowd’s serenade told its own story.

What it means for the chase ahead

Two wins from two—Old Trafford away and now a five-goal home statement—have Arsenal top of the table. The display reaffirmed set‑piece superiority and unveiled Gyökeres’ cutting edge, even as it raised fresh fitness puzzles before Liverpool. Eze’s debut may come sooner than planned.

Leeds offered one true scare through Struijk’s header that Raya pawed away; otherwise Arsenal’s control was comprehensive. If there was a cloud, it was the sight of Ødegaard and Saka departing. Everything else hinted that Arteta’s most complete squad is beginning to look the part.