Welbeck revels in ‘massive’ Arsenal goal

Down to 10 men following Danny Simpson’s 54th-minute dismissal, Leicester were clinging on at a tension-bound Emirates Stadium when Welbeck headed in a 95th-minute victor from Mesut Ozil’s free-kick on his return after 10 months out with a serious knee injury. “Eleven against eleven, I can tell you now, we can score a second goal”, Ranieri said.

“That’s clever management to refresh the squad while other teams around them have got to play Champions League and cup games”. It gave Arsenal the impetus to go all out attack and get the goals they were looking for.

Arsenal’s Theo Walcott cancelled out Jamie Vardy’s opener on 70 minutes and Danny Welbeck snatched a last-gasp victor. “That could be massive”.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, Leicester City’s Danny Simpson was sent off for a second yellow card, after he tugged the arm of Olivier Giroud. The Gunners now laid siege to the Leicester goal and only a brilliant one-handed save from Kasper Schmeichel prevented Giroud’s stinging shot putting Arsenal ahead.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who said the team chanted Welbeck’s name when he returned to the dressing room, said the win was crucial to their title hopes.

“We knew a draw was not good enough, and in the end it paid off, down to the mental desire of the team”, he said, explaining that the team had not seen Vardy’s penalty award coming in a first half they had dominated in terms of possession.

“If I think about the match I am very angry because I think maybe I make mistakes, but an worldwide referee gave two yellow cards for normal fouls and the match was full of fouls”.

“We had so many half chances where we could have scored more”. “It’s been a tough last three games so we’ll have some time off from football, and come back with a fresh mind raring to go., We’ll be back on it”.

“It was a good performance”, Ranieri said in the aftermath.

“We are still top of the table, we must carry on and smile”. Let’s not forget he has not played one minute for us, he has just played 45 minutes in the under-21s.

The win pushed Arsenal up to second for a few hours but Tottenham overtook them after a 2-1 win at fourth-placed Manchester City in the day’s late match.