Leeds United v Arsenal predictions: Gunners can maintain top four charge

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Leeds United v Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Arsenal
3pts 19-20 Betfair

Team news

Leeds
Robin Koch could return from illness but Junior Firpo is suspended while Jamie Shackleton and Dan James have joined Pascal Struijk, Kalvin Phillips, Patrick Bamford, Liam Cooper and Rodrigo on the sidelines.

Arsenal
Sead Kolasinac and Bernd Leno remain sidelined while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang misses a third successive game for disciplinary reasons.

Match preview

Arsenal have stolen a march in the battle for Champions League qualification as rivals Manchester United and Tottenham have had games called off and they can strengthen their grip on fourth place with a victory at injury-ravaged Leeds.

The Gunners overtook West Ham with a confident 2-0 success on Wednesday and are heading to Yorkshire at a good time because their opponents are severely depleted.

Marcelo Bielsa's side were hammered 7-0 at Manchester City on Wednesday – keeping them five points above the relegation zone – and their miserable evening was compounded by injuries to Jamie Shackleton and Dan James plus a fifth yellow card of the season for Junior Firpo, resulting in a one-game ban for the left-back.

There was a sliver of good news to come out of the pre-match press conference as Bielsa confirmed that Robin Koch is fully recovered from illness and ready to rejoin the squad.

But Bielsa is without at least eight senior players and could struggle to forge a cohesive unit from those he has left.

Nineteen-year-old attacker Joe Gelhardt is in line for his second start of the season and some of Leeds's more senior pros will have to play in unfamiliar roles, but it will be a weaker startling line up than the one which faced City and that could spell trouble against a confident Arsenal side.

While Bielsa is forced to use every available senior player, Mikel Arteta has plenty of options and continues to banish his former captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, to the naughty step.

The Gabon international will sit out a third successive game but Arsenal flourished without him on the last two occasions – winning at home to Southampton and West Ham - and they look solid favourites this weekend.

Alexandre Lacazette is back in favour and making a decent fist of leading the line, and there is an abundance of quality and movement either side of him with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli playing with plenty of confidence.

Arsenal have waited patiently for their talented crop of youngsters to come of age and they have a nice solid base with midfielders Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey forging an effective partnership.

The Gunners were heavily criticised after losing their first three league matches but they have amassed 29 points from 14 games since the end of August - only the top three have done better - and they should be the better side at Elland Road.

Key stat

Arsenal have won seven of their last ten matches.

Inside info

Leeds

Penalty taker Raphinha
Free-kick wizard Raphinha
Set-piece aerial threat Diego Llorente
Card magnet Diego Llorente

Arsenal

Penalty taker Alexandre Lacazette
Free-kick wizardMartin Odegaard
Set-piece aerial threatGabriel
Card magnetGranit Xhaka

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