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ARSENAL v LEICESTER RECAP: Last-gasp Gunners bridge gap with Foxes

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Arsenal defeated Leicester City 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Arsene Wenger's Gunners cut the deficit with the Foxes from five points to two thanks to a late winner from the returning Danny Welbeck.

Leicester took the lead on the stroke of half-time through Jamie Vardy who converted from the penalty spot for his 19th of the season after being felled in the area by Nacho Monreal.

The Foxes were dealt a blow when Danny Simpson was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 54th minute which gave Arsenal the impetus to chase the game.

The North Londoners levelled on 70 minutes when Theo Walcott slotted home from close range following a clever knockdown header from Olivier Giroud.

Then in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Mesut Ozil sent a free-kick into the box which found Welbeck who produced a glancing header to mark his first appearance in 10 months with a dramatic match-winning goal.

Arsenal remain third on the table, equal on points with Tottenham, but behind Claudio Ranieri's Foxes who have no lost twice to the Gunners this season in their three league defeats.


MATCH OVERVIEW

Arsenal: 2 (Theo Walcott 70', Danny Welbeck 90+5')
Leicester City: 1 (Jamie Vardy (PEN) 45', red card: Danny Simpson 54')
Emirates Stadium, London - 60,009


TALKING POINTS

- Will this win for Arsenal strengthen their title belief? It may have been a touch lucky but to beat Leicester twice this season shows they could be good enough. How important could Welbeck be in the season run-in?

- Leicester played well but things went against them. Is this just a small blip or will they finally begin to fall away now the Gunners and Tottenham are breathing down their neck?



WHAT'S NEXT?

Arsenal meet Hull City in the FA Cup fifth round next weekend before their Champions League Round of16 first leg with Barcelona on February 23 and then a league trip to Msn Utd five days later.

Leicester will have a week off before hosting Norwich on February 27.



TWITTER INSIGHT


QUOTES CORNER

Arsenal boss Wenger on match-winner Welbeck:

"You know Danny Welbeck, he is a great guy, with a great mentality. He worked extremely hard. That is why he is fit.

"But everybody is extremely happy for him, because he has been out for 10 months, that is an eternity for a player. We work very hard, our medical team, our fitness team, to bring him back so strong. Let's not forget he has not played one minute for us."


Leicester's Ranieri on the disappointing nature of the defeat:

"My reaction is to laugh with you because I am strong and I want my players to follow me.

"If I think about the match I am very angry because I think maybe I make mistakes but an international referee gives two yellow cards for normal fouls and the match was full of fouls.

“But it's okay. It doesn't matter. We continue to fight."




STATS SPECIALS
*Thanks to Opta




TEAM LEADERS


Arsenal

Goals - Olivier Giroud 12
Assists - Mesut Ozil 17
Clean sheets - Petr Cech 12
Yellow cards - Francis Coquelin 5
Red cards - Per Mertesacker, Gabriel Paulista, Santi Cazorla 1


Leicester

Goals - Jamie Vardy 19
Assists - Riyad Mahrez 10
Clean sheets - Kasper Schmeichel 8
Yellow cards - Robert Huth 7
Red cards - Danny Simpson 1

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Andrew Slevison
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