Leno reaches the benchmark
ARSENAL’S previous German goalkeeper, before Bernd Leno’s fingertips came to the rescue, was Jens Lehmann, one of the Invincibles.
And the Gunners are in safe hands again.
Leno’s superb save to deny Watford captain Troy Deeney was worth the wait after six weeks patiently warming the bench. Petr Cech’s hamstring injury, on the stroke of half-time, gave Arsenal a glimpse of the
ARSENAL WATFORD
future – and £19.3million summer recruit Leno rose to the challenge.
“It’s difficult to sit on the bench but the coach said to me, ‘Don’t be sad or disappointed, just train hard’,” he said.
“I was calm and worked hard every day and the coach gave me the time. It was a good start to save the first shot. It was important for the team not to concede the first goal and of course it was good for my confidence.”
Unai Emery’s side go into this week’s longhaul Europa League trip to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag off the back of seven wins in a row, decorated by 19 goals.
But Watford were unlucky to leave the Emirates empty-handed.
Aaron Ramsey was so anonymous for Arsenal that his performance underlined why Emery is prepared to let him go.
Watford looked the likelier winners until Ramsey’s replacement, Alex Iwobi, supplied the assists for Craig Cathcart’s own-goal and Mesut Ozil’s cool finish in the last 10 minutes.
Hornets coach Javi Gracia said: “My feelings are good about our performances and I am very, very proud of my players. They deserved more.”