While Mikel Arteta might have fancied winning this tie from a strong subs’ bench, he would not have expected Calum Chambers to strike the telling blow. But it was Chambers, firmly on the periphery of his thoughts since August, who breached Leeds straight after coming on and pointed the way to an ultimately comfortable win.
Eddie Nketiah squeezed in a second to offer a reminder that his more familiar predatory instincts remain sharp; it means Arsenal are unbeaten in eight and the only possible concern was the reason for Chambers’ introduction. He was sent on because Ben White could not continue and Arteta will hope that, in the long run, the decision to start his first-choice centre-back did not backfire.
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