Europa League

PIERRE-EMILE HOJBJERG was left with blood pouring from his face after a nasty collision against LASK in the Europa League.
The combative Spurs midfielder is never shy to put himself about on the pitch.

Hojbjerg was left with blood streaming down his face

Dane Hojbjerg was subsequently bandaged upCredit: Reuters

And he was left with a cut above his eye after clashing heads with an opposition player.
Hojbjerg, 25, shrugged it off in trademark style, however, standing tall despite the streaming cut.
And fans online were absolutely loving his ‘hard man’ status.
One wrote: “Højbjerg is a warrior playing like this losing blood”.

While another added: “Pierre-Emile Højbjerg just is that guy isn’t he.. and that’s why I love him. Absolute brute.”
A third wrote: “Hojbjerg didn’t even flinch”.
To which another responded: “He is wired differently than the rest”.
Spurs’ comfortable win was the Dane’s ninth appearance for his new side after transferring from Southampton in the summer.

The midfielder has slotted straight in since joining from SouthamptonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

And fans appear to have immediately taken to him.
One opined: “Anything successful Spurs do this season will have Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at the centre. He’s so effective at what he does. Top, top midfielder.”
While another added: “This is the beauty of getting PL proven players – Hojbjerg has slotted in SO well”.

Tottenham vs LASK FREE – Live stream, TV channel and kick-off time for Europa League match More

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG spared Arsenal’s blushes as they snatched an unlikely victory in what should be the toughest game of their Europa League group.
The Gunners skipper was supposed to be having a well-earned night off until Bernd Leno gifted a 51st minute goal to their Austrian opponents.

Aubameyang tapped home to grab all three points for ArsenalCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Rapid had taken the lead through danger man FountasCredit: EPA

A costly defensive mistake from Arsenal 😳Bernd Leno loses the ball in his own area and Fountas makes no mistake for Rapid Vienna!Work to do for the Gunners… pic.twitter.com/V2h0eSQmZW
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 22, 2020

But Leno’s blunder forced Mikel Arteta to turn to Plan B and send on top scorer Auba to save the day.
And the veteran striker did exactly what was required, tapping home from Hector Bellerin’s 74th minute cross to secure all three points.
Yet Arteta knows his team got away one after a desperately unconvincing first hour.

They fell behind when Leno insisted on trying to play out from the back despite finding himself under pressure from David Luiz’s back pass.
But the German’s short pass was intercepted by Ecan Kera to leave Rapid dangerman Taxiardis Fountas with a golden opportunity which he was never going to miss.
It was not the first time Leno had looked shaky in possession – and it certainly wasn’t going to be the last.
He almost repeated the error when he inexplicably sprinted from his penalty area to hammer the ball straight into Luiz.

Fortunately for Arsenal, Fountas was unable to cash in on Leno’s generosity a second time and shot over from distance with the keeper nowhere to be seen.

Bernd Leno had fans up in arms with his poor mistake early in the second halfCredit: Reuters

Luiz equalised for the GunnersCredit: AP:Associated Press

Thomas Partey impressed on his first start for ArsenalCredit: Reuters

Arsenal had only just hauled their way back into contention at the time thanks to Luiz glancing in Nicolas Pepe’s free-kick to celebrate his 50th Arsenal appearance in style.
And within a minute of Leno’s great escape, Aubameyang twisted the knife on the 32-times Austrian Champions with the winning goal.
Elsewhere in the group, Irish side Dundalk fell to a 2-1 defeat against Molde at Tallaght Stadium.

Mikel Arteta bullish over Mesut Ozil axe and insists Arsenal outcast has no-one to blame but himself More

BERND LENO was left red-faced after gifting Rapid Vienna a horrific opener against Arsenal with an unfortunate gaffe.
With the Gunners toiling after a lifeless first half, the German passed straight to the Austrians’ danger man Taxiarchis Fountas.

German Leno endured a horror moment against the AustriansCredit: Reuters

Bernd Leno was under pressure in his own box before he gave the ball awayCredit: BT Sport

Bernd Leno gifts the ball to Rapid Vienna star Taxiarchis FountasCredit: BT Sport

Bernd Leno watches on as Rapid Vienna take the leadCredit: BT Sport

And the striker made no mistake from a tight angle, sending the 3,000 fans in attendance into delirium with the 51st-minute opener.
Leno was then lucky not to concede another from a SECOND howler as he rushed off his line and blasted the ball against David Luiz’s back.
This time the hosts had a shot at an open goal, but couldn’t find the target from a difficult angle.

A costly defensive mistake from Arsenal 😳Bernd Leno loses the ball in his own area and Fountas makes no mistake for Rapid Vienna!Work to do for the Gunners… pic.twitter.com/V2h0eSQmZW
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 22, 2020

Leno, 28, has returned as Arteta’s No1 this season, having missed much of last term’s resumption through injury.
Emi Martinez excelled in his place, before being sold to Aston Villa last month.
But following Leno’s mistake, some Gunners fans have been bemoaning the decision to let their popular Argentine go.

LENO… what the **** were you doing? 😡😡😡
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 22, 2020

All that defending Leno and now he is playing like he has been on a bender.
— Shannon (@ShanoG14) October 22, 2020

Is leno wearing clown shoes. Surely for someone paid as much as he can pass to someone on his own team. It is worse then school football
— neil briars (@neilbriars) October 22, 2020

Leno treating the Europa Legaue group stage with the disrespect it deserves, we are too big for this
— Paddy (@PaddyArsenal) October 22, 2020

One wrote: “Biggest and most underrated mistake of the summer, Leno isn’t a number 1”.

While another said: “Arsenal should have kept Martinez, he’s the better keeper”.
A third scathingly questioned: “Why does everyone associated with football know we sold the wrong keeper apart from the idiots at the club?”

Other supporters online have been critical of their boss’ style of play, with one angry fan questioning: “Who do so many clubs insist on playing out from the back? Although it is wonderful to watch when things like this happen”
One fan joked Leno was wearing ‘clown shoes’ while another claimed he was ‘playing like he has been on a bender’.
Piers Morgan fumed: “LENO… what the **** were you doing?”
But Mesut Ozil, who was offered a role as BT Sport pundit after admitting to watching the game on TV following his axing, tweeted: “Chin up Bro @Bernd_Leno!
“We still have enough time to turn this around guys! Come on Gunners!! #COYG #M1Ö #YaGunnersYa @Arsenal”
Ozil was right as David Luiz and super sub Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both scored to spare Len’s blushed and earn an opening win in this season’s Europa League.

Arteta refused to blame Leno for his gaffe and insisted HE was at fault.
He said: “If anything it’s my fault because I demand to do those things.
“We knew it was going to be a difficult match and we made it a bit harder for ourselves with a few of our decisions and obviously with the goal we conceded.
“But even though we conceded another late chance with a second misunderstanding at the back, I will keep encouraging Bernd to play it out in the right moments.
“It’s part of our game model but we need to understand when we can pass it out and when we should kick the ball into the stand.
“That’s a big part of what we are trying to do but to recognise that from the outside is much easier than to do it from the inside.
“We need a better understanding of where the pressure is coming from because you have a split second to make a decision and to make the right pass when the opponents are waiting for that.
“But Bernd has the courage to do it and we have been very successful doing it with the amount of goals we have scored in important games.
“So we will keep working on that because it’s necessary that the goalkeeper is involved in our build-up to play the way I want.” More