Arsenal consolidated their position in the Premier League’s top four with a 4-1 rout of Leeds in the only Premier League match on Saturday to survive a wave of coronavirus postponements.
Two goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka’s deflected strike put the Gunners 3-0 up before half-time.
Raphinha’s penalty pulled a goal back, but Emile Smith Rowe rounded off a miserable week for Leeds after their 7-0 thrashing at Manchester City on Tuesday.
“We were really lucky to play today with everything that’s happening,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. “I told the players to enjoy the game and give everything because I don’t know how this will develop.”
Arteta’s own positive case back in March 2020 accelerated the Premier League’s shutdown for three months at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Six of the 10 matches in the English top-flight scheduled for this weekend have been called off due to a surge in cases due to the new Omicron variant of the virus.
A meeting of the 20 Premier League clubs will take place on Monday to decide whether to go ahead with the Boxing Day fixtures next weekend or to halt the season temporarily
