The Japan Times - Gyokeres scores twice but injuries to Saka, Odegaard sour Arsenal rout of Leeds

However, victory came at a cost for Mikel Arteta as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard hobbled off injured just eight days before Arsenal's trip to Liverpool.

Arsenal edged ahead of north London rivals Tottenham at the top of the table on goal difference, as the only two sides so far with a 100 percent record from their opening two games.

Arteta has been backed to the tune of £260 million ($350 million) on seven new signings in a bid to deliver the club's first Premier League title since 2004 after finishing second for the past three years.

Arsenal's latest £60 million recruit Eberechi Eze was paraded before kick-off to a huge ovation after turning his back on a move to Spurs to return to his boyhood club.

Gyokeres also showed why he was signed from Sporting Lisbon as the solution to Arsenal's need for a killer number nine.

But Arteta said the injuries to Saka and Odegaard, just days after Kai Havertz was also ruled out by a knee injury, showed why he needs such a deep squad.

"We've learned the lesson from last season and the squad that you need right now," said Arteta.

"That is why we acted in the market the way that we have done because you have so many games, anything can happen.

"It happened to two of our most important players -- we already lost Kai -- so we are going to need everybody at his best and a lot of luck as well to not lose others."

- 15-year-old Dowman shines -

Arsenal had to rely on their threat from set-pieces to grind out a 1-0 win at Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season.

Despite a dominant start to the game, that was how the the Leeds defence was prised open.

Timber had scored just twice in 52 Arsenal appearances before Saturday.

The Dutch international doubled that tally as he firstly got his head to Rice's inviting delivery on 34 minutes.

Odegaard then made his departure after appearing to injure his shoulder falling heavily to the turf.

Saka soon had the Emirates crowd back on their feet when he drilled Timber's pass high past Lucas Perri with his supposedly weaker right foot.

Gyokeres had at one point been a target for Leeds during his days with Coventry in the Championship before making the move to Portugal.

The Swede's ability to succeed in the Premier League has been questioned despite his prolific record of 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting.

Arsenal's new £66 million signing quietened his doubters as he scampered onto Riccardo Calafiori's ball over the top and cut inside before firing in at the near post.

Saka missed nearly four months of last season with a hamstring injury.

Worryingly for Arteta, the England international was holding the back of his left leg when he was replaced on 53 minutes.

Arsenal added a fouth when Leeds failed to clear another Rice corner and Timber forced the ball over the line from close range.

Arteta could then afford the luxury of handing a Premier League debut to 15-year-old Max Dowman.

He became the second youngest ever player to play in the English top-flight after team-mate Ethan Nwaneri.

Dowman's trickery won a penalty deep into stoppage time that Gyokeres gratefully dispatched.

"That was special for sure," added Arteta on Dowman's cameo display. "It is great to be able to change the energy in the stadium by bringing him in and he had an impact."

H.Hayashi--JT