Leeds boss Daniel Farke reveals plan to 'scare' Arsenal as Premier League new-boys look to upset title hopefuls after opening victory

Leeds began life back in the Premier League with a positive 1-0 victory over Everton. That result lifted confidence within the squad ahead of their trip to north London. Now, Farke’s men face a significantly tougher task against last season’s runners-up and one of the favourites for the league title in Arsenal. However, the German manager isn't ready to bow down to the Gunners at the Emirates.

Speaking to the media, Farke said: “We won’t sell our DNA in the Premier League this season and park the bus. If you just try to defend for 96 minutes or whatever, you have no chance to survive there.

"You have to make sure you have as many periods as possible where you also control the ball and can recover with possession, and let them shift and waste some energy against the ball.

“It’s important to try to create chances, to scare them and try to play positive football, but there will be periods where we suffer and we have to be well structured and compact.

“They have the highest ambitions, the highest demands. They want to play for every title; they’re one of the strongest opponents you can meet. You would wish to have this fixture on a different date, but sometimes you can’t choose, and it’s our toughest test so far.”

Arsenal have strengthened their squad with big summer signings as they aim to go one step further in the Premier League title race having ended as runners-up for the last three years. Leeds, meanwhile, are still finding their feet but remain committed to Farke’s proactive style of play. This clash will provide an early measure of whether Leeds’ attacking approach can hold up against elite opposition in the English top-tier and potentially avoid yet another demotion to the Championship.

Leeds will hope to frustrate Arsenal and take inspiration from their opening win to produce another shock result on Saturday. Arsenal, however, are keen to start strong at the Emirates and underline their title credentials. The outcome could serve as an early indicator of both teams’ trajectories this season.