Daniel Farke hails ‘unbelievable’ Arsenal star after Leeds defeat and makes ‘best in Europe’ claim

Daniel Farke hailed Arsenal as the ‘best team in Europe’ after Leeds United’s 4-0 defeat on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta’s side have moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League following an impressive performance at Elland Road.

Martin Zubimendi headed in Noni Madueke’s cross to put Arsenal in front before an own goal from goalkeeper Karl Darlow from Madueke’s corner doubled the Gunners’ lead.

Viktor Gyokeres then found the net for the second successive game in the second half before a neat finish from Gabriel Jesus wrapped up Arsenal’s victory.

‘First of all, congratulations to Arsenal,’ Farke said after Leeds’ loss.

‘A deserved win today so I have to say we have to accept that the better team won this game.

‘Of course we were realistic before we faced today the best side currently in Europe. There are reasons why this team is sitting on top of the table in the Premier League, why this team is the best team currently in Europe, eight wins out of eight Champions League games.

‘And of course, you need a perfect day in order to give yourself a chance and also a bit of luck that this side is perhaps not there with their best day and not super effective.

‘But today, sadly, we didn’t have our very best day. They were on it from the first to the last second. For that, they deserved to win this game.

‘We have to accept their quality today. We have to say congratulations, they were better. For that, there is not too much to over-interpret into this game. Of course, they should take the disappointment from today.

‘This type of game is not season-defining. We will put this game pretty quick to bed and from tomorrow on we concentrate only on Nottingham Forest here on Friday evening.’

Farke also singled out Gabriel Jesus for special praise, describing the Brazilian’s movement as ‘unbelievable’.

‘I think in general the key was today that we didn’t find the solution to create chances against them, to score goals,’ Farke said.

‘Whatever we did today, in the first half, against our processes they always found an answer so we changed the base formation in the second half, we brought different type of offensive players on, we brought many offensive thinking players on as well but whatever we did they always had an answer.

‘We were not able to really create chances and this was the first part of our game.

‘The second part, against the ball, in the first half out of the game I can’t really remember a chance for them but obviously set pieces are also a big topic for them. I think we gave a few too many away.

‘Additionally, we defended the corners pretty spot on but the problem was if you then clear sometimes a corner and there is a second phase and to concede out of this situation that was tricky.

‘Of course it is a crossing situation and we are then in the centre over-shifting to the first post and had an underload and they had a relatively easy 1-0.

‘The second was more or less an own goal probably, at least there was not really one Arsenal player close to it. Of course we should defend this situation better, if you concede two goals like this and you are 2-0 down against the best side in Europe then it was always clear it would be a long afternoon.

‘Again, one death you have to die, we decided to go for it in the second half and to try with one goal to have a foot back into the door.

‘I think we had 20, 25 good minutes but we were not able really to create good chances in these moments and take advantage of it and, of course, to change back to a back four.

‘The gaps were then more or less a bit bigger for their offensive players and then Viktor Gyokeres and especially Gabriel Jesus was unbelievable with movement for the fourth goal, they showed then their quality and what they can do if they have a bit more space.

‘For that, again their offensive quality was better today. Of course, we could have defended the situation in the first half better, to be 2-0 down was of course the key because otherwise we wouldn’t have had to take more risks and could have stayed a bit more solid.

‘But once you are 2-0 down in a home game, it’s not like we wanted to just accept a 2-0, we still wanted to go for it and for that not too many hard feelings and just congratulations for the quality Arsenal have shown today.’

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