Leeds United face a hot-and-cold Arsenal side at Elland Road this weekend, but must be wary of the Gunners' individual threats. The hosts are currently on a two-game losing streak after heavy defeats to Leicester City and Crystal Palace before the international break.
Arsenal suffered defeat by the same three-goal margin to Aston Villa prior to the latest round of international fixtures and will be aiming to bounce back at the home of Leeds United on Sunday.
Delving into the statistics behind both teams' start to the season has thrown up an interesting observation. While Sunday's visitors tend to start fast, scoring early in games and taking plenty of shots, they do seem to tire in later periods.
Arsenal have conceded proportionately more shots in the final half hour of games under Mikel Arteta this season.
This could be music to Leeds United's ears who are without question one of the fittest sides in the Premier League. Clearly, staying in the game for the duration will be key to the Whites ending their poor run of form.
According to Understat, Arsenal have allowed their opponents 35 shots in the first half of Premier League matches this season, and 54 in the second half. Rather pertinently though, 38 of their shots faced have came after the 60th minute, suggesting a weakness at defending their goal as games draw to a close.
If Leeds United can apply enough pressure late on, they might be rewarded with a breakthrough. That said, the game promises to play host to plenty of goals with neither side performing too well defensively.
Leeds have conceded 17 times in the league while Arsenal have shipped 10 themselves. Reassuringly though, Leeds have taken the second-most shots from inside the penalty area this season, as per WhoScored, suggesting that Arsenal will have to deal with sufficient spells of sustained attacking from the hosts.
There is concern that given Leeds' inability to break down the likes of Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers so far this season, that if Arsenal sit back and intend to counter-attack, they could punish Marcelo Bielsa's team. However, after two weeks on the training ground with the majority of his squad, Bielsa will no doubt have drilled his players in the best way to defeat Arsenal regardless of how they intend to set up.
Key to that will be stemming an early tide of Gunners attacks and nullifying their misfiring talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Once the game turns in Leeds' favour, they must be clinical and intense with their pressure, aiming to exploit something of a soft underbelly in Bernd Leno.
The German goalkeeper has a tendency to make the occasional error and sustained pressure will test his concentration and preparedness. Arsenal can be shaky at the back and depending on who lines up in their rearguard, they will be looking to improve on their current record of two clean sheets in eight league games.
Norwegian side Molde FK and Austrian outfit SK Rapid Wien had no trouble finding the Gunners' net in the Europa League, and nor should a Leeds side who have taken the Premier League by storm with their pressing and relentless attacking.
The fixture is poised delicately, but if Arsenal's tendency to concede shots - and goals - late on is kept in mind, Leeds may earn something from what could be an eventful crescendo.
