25 February 2023 , 18:05
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Arsenal extended the lead at the top of the Premier League to five points as Gabriel Martinelli 's goal proved to be enough to find a route past Leicester .
The Brazilian scored just seconds after the restart at the King Power Stadium to secure what was a hard-fought yet deserved victory in the Midlands. Mikel Arteta 's side had somewhat of a different complexion to it with in-form Eddie Nketiah benched and Leandro Trossard leading the line in his absence.
It was an alteration that certainly paid dividends for the Gunners as they pile more pressure on Manchester City in the race for the Premier League crown. Here are who shone vs Leicester and who could potentially do slightly more over the coming week:
Winners
Gabriel Martinelli
The matchwinner for the Gunners, the Brazilian had an intriguing role having initially been stationed out on the left and rotating with Trossard It was that combination that secured victory for the Gunners. Martinelli latched onto his Belgian teammate's clever through-ball into the Leicester box and expertly guided a low effort beyond Danny Ward for his ninth goal of the campaign in all competitions.
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In tucking the ball away, he quite literally put his body on the line after feeling the full force of Wilfred Ndidi on his ankle. The forward thankfully recovered though and was a bright spark in an otherwise drab game.
Gabriel Magalhaes
From one Brazilian to another, the clean sheet will certainly be an element that will satisfy Arteta. Key to that was Gabriel. The centre-back was a calm and composed presence at the heart of the Arsenal defence.
He used his speed well to deal with the nippy Harvey Barnes, whilst his understanding with William Saliba saw the likes of Kelechi Iheanacho and Patson Daka quiet - not to mention Arsenal's nemesis Jamie Vardy who was introduced as a second-half substitute.
Gabriel Magalhaes performed very well against Leicester (Getty Images)Who was your man-of-the-match in Arsenal's win over Leicester? Share your thoughts in the comments below
Jorginho
Following the dramatic way in which the Italian sealed victory against Villa last time out, Jorginho's contributions in the centre of the park were slightly more understated this time around - but certainly as appreciated. He represented an ever-available option in midfield as Arsenal attempted to keep control of the game.
The former Chelsea man's range of passing - one particular pass to Bukayo Saka in the first-half garnering purrs from the Arsenal faithful in the away end - was a particularly potent weapon. His calming presence was also key for the Gunners late on as he gestured to his teammates even when receiving treatment for an injury.
Jorginho's arrival at the Emirates could prove key to Arsenal lifting the Premier League title between now and the end of the campaign.
Oleksandr Zinchenko
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It would certainly have been easy for the ex-Man City star to become overawed considering the emotion around the game. The clash at the King Power Stadium fell close to the anniversary of the Russian invasion of his homeland Ukraine.
When the teamsheets were announced, he was confirmed to have been bestowed with the armband in what was a fantastic move from Arteta. Zinchenko certainly lived up to the added responsibility too having never wavered from his task of shutting down Leicester's Brazilian wideman Tete.
The fact that he was hauled after midway through the second-half is certainly a mark of how well Zinchenko played at the King Power Stadium.
Oleksandr Zinchenko captained Arsenal against Leicester (Getty Images)Losers
Leandro Trossard
It's tough to select a player on the Arsenal side who disappointed considering the victory. Although, Trossard might have felt he could have had more of an impact.
At the heart of an experiment from Arteta, the Belgian started in a somewhat unconventional role as striker. It always looked like a tough task with the diminutive forward facing up against Australian giant Harry Souttar - the centre-back at least one foot taller.
Initially, the former Brighton man struggled with the physicality. He began to shine later in the game after seeing his rocket of a strike ruled out by VAR, whilst his pass for Martinelli for Arsenal's winning goal was weighted to perfection.
He eventually came off with 20 minutes of the clash remaining. By no means did Trossard play badly but his performance was not as sparkling for Arteta to persevere with him as a central attacker - something that could potentially see his game time drop.
Youri Tielemans
The Belgian might be left to reflect on what might have been - or alternatively what could be. Tielemans, so often Leicester's talisman in the past, started on the bench after recently recovering from injury. He was introduced shortly after the break but struggled to make an impact with Jorginho and Granit Xhaka really limiting his contributions.
Following a heavy challenge, Tielemans appeared to be struggling with a knock and was taken off the pitch to receive lengthy treatment.
At one point in the past, he might have been donning an Arsenal shirt and still could be - although whether Arteta remains interested given his midfielders' form and current options remains to be seen.