Welbeck had played just 45 minutes for the Arsenal under-21s, had been scheduled to make his first-team return in the FA Cup against Hull City next week but was thrown on after 82 minutes to try and win this. And did so.
From effectively being eight points behind Leicester at half-time, to then still being five points behind the league leaders going into that injury time, Arsenal came away with the gap reduced to just two points. “We knew a draw was not good enough,” Arsene Wenger said afterwards and it was a taut and revealing comment.
The Arsenal manager knew that the atmosphere inside the stadium, febrile and angry and desperate at times, passionate and willing at others, would have turned nasty had his team lost this encounter as looked likely when the irrepressible Jamie Vardy scored a penalty dipped in controversy.
Instead it was the sweetest of sweet moments for one Mancunian, one former Manchester United player, and the bitterest of bitter memories for another. For Welbeck’s joy there was Danny Simpson’s despair as the Leicester defender – and the England international’s friend and former team-mate - collected two yellow cards inside six second-half minutes to reduce his side to 10-men with just 54 minutes played. It was a long, long time to hold out. Too long it proved.
What did this defeat say about Leicester’s title challenge? Time, as ever, will tell but in the performance there was deep encouragement that they have the belief and character, the ability and organisation to stay the course.
They also now have a week off with manager Claudio Ranieri giving his players free rein to fly out on holiday which is an interesting tactic. They are not involved in the FA Cup but a full week off is a long time to be away from each other at this stage.
But then how can anyone question Ranieri’s tactics? Again he got his approach spot-on here. Leicester were clinical and, yes, a little cynical. Clinical in that they took their chance and cynical in that there was unmistakeable mark of game management: a few tactical fouls here, a bit of time-wasting there, perhaps. But that is what winning teams do.
Who dominated at Emirates?
There was the smiling assassin act from Ranieri, also, as he played for laughs in the post-match press conference while also skewering referee Martin Atkinson who he accused of having been influenced by the baying Arsenal crowd with the red card.
Ranieri was asked whether he had seen a heavy challenge by Danny Drinkwater on Aaron Ramsey that went unpunished and shot back that maybe his inquisitor should consider an elbow on one of his players instead?
Ranieri was defiant and so were Leicester. They have 12 games left and they are still top of this table – and they have players all over the pitch who are performing well. From Kasper Schmeichel in goal, who was immense here, not least in parrying, one-handed a powerful drive from Olivier Giroud, through to captain Wes Morgan, who put his body on the line, not least in blocking another goal-bound shot, by Alexis Sanchez, to Vardy and, in midfield, the astonishingly industrious N’golo Kante who, in defeat, was still the man-of-the-match.
The 24-year-old midfield gem is the king of the interceptions and he was too quick for Laurent Koscielny, poking the ball past the defender who up-ended him. It broke to Vardy who ran into the penalty area with, inexplicably, Nacho Monreal leading with his right leg as he tried to block. The left-back caught Vardy who cleverly (cynically?) pushed his left leg against the defender and went down. Atkinson pointed to the penalty spot and Vardy drove the ball powerfully past Petr Cech who had, earlier, brilliantly parried the striker’s close-range header.
Arsenal attacking stats
Arsenal felt aggrieved – by the penalty but also that Mesut Ozil was fouled by Morgan in the build-up. That grievance grew; the sense that things were conspiring against them with Giroud appealing frantically for every decision. But then a big one went his way. Soon after being cautioned Simpson grabbled with Giroud, who once again appealed, and Atkinson, who had waved away Riyad Mahrez’s claims for a second penalty after another Monreal challenge, showed a second yellow and a red.
Could Leicester hold out? Wenger’s substitutions, a show of formidable strength of what he can draw on from his squad, made the difference. The pressure grew. First there was Theo Walcott who ran onto Giroud’s smart header, which was guided into his path, to beat Schmeichel. It was also Arsenal’s first effort on target.
Leicester attacking stats
Then there was Welbeck, of course. Leicester substitute Marcin Wasilewski clumsily conceded a free-kick, which was delivered by Ozil for Welbeck to steal in and direct his header beyond Schmeichel.
For Arsenal it was the first league match, at the 31st attempt, that they had come from behind at half-time to win. It was a show of character but there was plenty of character, also, from Leicester. This race is on.
- Telegraph