Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta praised Noni Madueke’s professionalism after he delivered a sterling performance at Leeds United despite being a last-minute addition to the Gooners’ line-up.
The winger came on for Bukayo Saka after a warm-up injury, and even with barely any time to get ready, Noni played a key role by setting up the Gooners’ opener and netting the second as North London claimed a fifth away victory of 2026.
Although Mikel was thrilled with the winger’s influence, it came as no shock considering the consistent standards he sees from the Gooners’ forward every day, rising to the occasion when North London faced an unexpected setback, while the scoring form of Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus now with seven goals between them in the last six games left the boss beaming at full-time.
“We keep telling them to be ready because the most unexpected moments are going to be thrown in the battle, and it happened in the warm-up,” he said after the game. “[Noni] was certainly ready. The way he prepares every day is fantastic, and he made a difference for the team”.
“You talk about the strikers and their goals, but the work rate and the strength that they showed today, again both the starters and the finishers. When you talk about that combination, how we share the minutes and the impact that each player can have in his role, I think it was the perfect example today.”
Heading to Elland Road after three straight league matches without a win and with the hosts suffering just one defeat in their last 10, the fixture appeared a tough test on paper, yet the Gooners controlled proceedings from start to finish and produced an emphatic scoreline.
That was another boost for the boss, who is eager for the Gooners to carry that momentum into Tuesday’s clash with Chelsea as North London chase a place in the Carabao Cup final, while also hailing the fans’ unwavering support and urging them to bring the same energy back to the Emirates Stadium for the showdown with the Blues.
“It was a really impressive performance and really impressive result against a team that is very difficult to beat at the moment, and at a stadium that puts a lot of pressure and energy on them, so a big congratulations to the team,” he added”.
“It’s very difficult to [win 4-0 at Leeds], let’s see who is the next team that does it, but we did it in a moment when we needed it. We really wanted to enjoy this venue, the stadium, the challenge and the team played with unbelievable conviction”.
“Now we have great energy to go [to the semi-final], we’re going to need our people. Thank you to all our supporters who travelled here today, because they were immense from the beginning, especially at 0-0. That’s the energy we need in the stadium in a few days’ time.”