As my father always used to say about Leeds United: 'Leeds are weeds!' Even at the time in the early 1970s when they weren't. And, whilst they weren't quite weeds this time round, they were dispatched in a grand enough manner to enable the Arsenal bandwagon to continue on its merry way. I won't be sorry to see the back of them (and their obnoxious fans) should they go down this season.
Team news, and the shock of seeing Starboy relegated to the bench. Precautionary, we were told, due to illness. And Ben White had to rush off during the warm-up to deal with a similar issue, but soldiered through and had a typical Ben White game.
The only change, then - with Thomas Partey fit enough to start - was Jesus for Saka, with the flexible Trossard filling in on the right hand side of the front three. In the continued - and thus far unquantifiable - absence of William Saliba, Holdinio kept his place. Curiously for Holding, he's started two matches, but has yet to come up against an actual centre forward - neither Palace nor Leeds can be accused of having had one on the field to start with. But next up are Liverpool, and that's a different matter; whilst they are really poor defensively, they have a potent forward line. Not that I'd want to worry you...
Before the game, there was a lovely moment as both sets of supporters joined in a minute's applause for David Rocastle, who passed away no less than 22 years ago this week. Super player. Lovely man. Much missed...
And then we were off. And despite one or two first half scares - the first, Bournemouth-like, in the first 10 seconds - Arsenal dominated. But, as we've seen often recently, they had little to show for their efforts for the bulk of the first half. Jesus looked pretty sharp, and Trossard and Martinelli buzzed around - Gabigoal also doing some excellent defensive work - but it wasn't until in the 35th minute when Jesus drew a horribly clumsy and mis-timed challenge from Ayling (100% a penalty) that they finally took the lead.
Odegaard held the ball in his hands throughout the obligatory VAR check as if he was going to take the spot kick in the absence of Saka (thereby costing my Fantasy League team points on two counts), but he handed it over to Jesus, who despatched it down the middle; an area of goal that Meslier was no longer guarding... Some would say 'cool penalty'. But I'd disagree. I thought it was poor. But, there again, who cares at this point. 1-0, and you could feel the relief coursing through the crowd.
Fairly comfortable until half time, and then a crucial second early in the second half that relieved any enduring tension; Ben White crashing home Martinelli's cross via the underside of the crossbar for his second goal in a month. That's two more Premier League goals than Brazilian centre forward and 'bargain' £60m signing Richarlison, by the way...
When the third goal went in just a few minutes later - Trossard and Jesus combining cleverly in the penalty area for the latter to notch his second - everyone visibly relaxed. That was Trossard's 7th assist since joining the club in January, by the way. A spectacular contribution.
From there on things played out much as one might have expected. A massive tranche of changes on both sides - Jesus and Partey being whipped off almost immediately after the third went in - and little sign of anything upsetting the applecart. Although... a slight lapse in concentration, and Kristensen's shot from the edge of the area took a big deflection off of Zinchenko (who'd turned his back on it; not the cleverest thing to do) to leave Ramsdale helpless.
But order was soon restored as Granit Xhaka met Martin Odegaard's sumptuous cross with a perfectly timed run and header to match City's 4-1 scoreline from earlier in the day, as they mauled a hapless Liverpool. Anybody who suggested at the beginning of the season that the Swiss international would get 7 goals (and counting, of course...) this season may have had his mates reaching for a straitjacket! Nonetheless, here we are...
And so we continue to count down, and the permutations continue to shrink. The gap remains at 8 (albeit that City have a game in hand), and the goal difference at a meagre 2, with a mere 9 games left in the season - almost twice as many for City, by the way, should they stay in all competitions.
And look; there's no doubt that we've got some tough games left. Away to City themselves, as well as Liverpool and Newcastle. And Brighton won't be pushovers either. And whilst we have to assume - if only to keep our feet on the ground - that City will win all their remaining matches - they've still got to go to Brighton and Brentford. All interspersed with the Champions League. Not that easy.
I'm trying to stay grounded, but the prize is getting closer and closer now. People are now starting to ask if I'd be disappointed at finishing second from here, bearing in mind what our ambitions were before the season started. My answer is that second would be great, of course, considering where they've come from. But to fail to get over the line from here would be soul-destroying, and may take me weeks or months to recover.
Don't let us down now, boys. It's been a fantastic response to losing to City a couple of months ago. 7 wins on the bounce, no less. And it's not as if Anfield - the next port of call - is as daunting a place this season as it's been recently. They're there for the taking, and take we must.
COYG!
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