Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta was full of praise for German goalkeeper, Bernd Leno who stopped two spot kicks to hand the Gunners a 5-4 shoot-out win over Liverpool in the League Cup on Thursday.
English youngster, Joe Willock netted the winning penalty for the North London side after Leno saved from Divock Origi and Harry Wilson, sending Arsenal to the quarter-final of the competition.
That feeling!
❤️ @JoeWillock
#CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/iPllNgasQP
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 1, 2020
“Bernd Leno was really good. When we needed him we had him. You need a top individual performance to win at Anfield,” said Arteta whose side won the Community Shield in August after seeing off the Reds via penalty shoot-out.
“I really have belief in Bernd. I know him really well. We didn’t want Emiliano Martinez to go but it was probably the right thing.
“To come here and play with the determination and courage is a big step forward for the team. They are on the right path.”
Who else could it have been?!
Congratulations, @Bernd_Leno
#CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/vknhqmZ7MY
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 2, 2020
Leno’s sterling show at Anfied underlined why the Gunners’ boss sold back-up stopper, Emiliano Martinez to Aston Villa and restoring the German to the side after a lengthy spell on the treatment table.
Before his penalty heroics, Leno had made series of spectacular saves to keep the FA Cup champions on course to winning the trophy that eluded former coach Arsene Wenger.
Leno’s performances, unsurprisingly, earned him the Man of the Match gong and the German will hope to continue his key role in a new Arsenal under Arteta.
