Jamie Vardy's brace appeared to have Leicester on course for victory at Arsenal but Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud stole the points. Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud came off the bench snatch victory from the jaws of defeat for Arsenal, who opened the 2017-18 Premier League season with a topsy-turvy 4-3 thriller against Leicester City.

Record signing Alexandre Lacazette handed the ideal start to boss Arsene Wenger, back at Emirates Stadium for the first time since signing his much-debated two-year contract extension, by opening the scoring after 94 seconds, but matters quickly threatened to unravel.




Wenger's gamble to field a back three featuring one recognised centre-back collapsed in a display of complete defensive incompetence. Shinji Okazaki was the initial beneficiary with a fifth-minute equaliser.
But it was a different story at the other end as Wenger called upon additional firepower in the form of Aaron Ramsey and Giroud to turn the match around inside the final seven minutes and ward off a return to last season's febrile atmosphere of protest on home turf – at least for the time being.
Lacazette went into the match having scored six times on the past four opening days in Ligue 1 with Lyon and he quickly improved an impressive record by dispatching Mohamed Elneny's inviting cross beyond Kasper Schmeichel.
Any notion of an untroubled statement of Arsenal's Premier League title intentions was disabused 160 seconds later when Petr Cech made a horrible hash of pursuing Vardy's cross to the far post from a short corner, an unmarked Harry Maguire nodded back across goal and Okazaki headed in.
Debutant Maguire was making his presence felt in both boxes and the centre-back made a brave block when Welbeck tried to convert Mesut Ozil's 22nd-minute cutback.
Welbeck's effort at the end of a jinking run was hacked out of the Leicester goalmouth but the visitors went ahead against the run of play before the half hour.
Marc Albrighton pounced on a loose ball and centred for Vardy to punish more comical Arsenal defending - Okazaki might then have doubled his tally when he headed narrowly wide in the 33rd minute.
With murmurs of discontent growing, Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac combined to present Welbeck with a welcome tap-in during first-half stoppage time.
Cech was at full stretch to tip Riyad Mahrez's 56th minute strike over but Vardy was allowed a free run at the Algeria international's resulting corner and glanced in to restore Leicester's lead.
Arsenal's sustained excellent attacking play made their defensive frailties all the more galling. Welbeck bewitched the Leicester backline to delicately play in Hector Bellerin, who was brilliantly denied by Schmeichel.
Fuchs did enough to distract Ramsey when the Wales international powered wide from Lacazette's cross and tensions from the stands seemed to have spilled on to the pitch when Ozil lashed into the side netting with 16 minutes remaining.
It was left to Ramsey to drag the masses back in Arsenal's favour.
Handball claims against Ozil went unpunished before an 83rd-minute corner that was worked out to Xhaka, whose raking ball found Ramsey stealing around Wilfred Ndidi for a clinical finish.
Schmeichel then suffered the same cruel fortune as Cech before him – saving superbly after Lacazette zig-zagged through a defence that allowed Giroud to head in the corner via the crossbar for the FA Cup and Community Shield holders.
De_Dean
99
Fantastic football. Almost a game of 4 halves .
Congrats to Arsenal, though Leicester really played well
Xcr7machineX
80
First epl game was so wonderful and exciting to watch,congrats arsenal bad luck Leicester, great comeback tho!
NateG123
75
What a thriller!!! Both teams played so well, but we all felt it in our bones that the gunners would win. Congratulations!!!
SmartAlec62
68
First game of the season already looks like one of the best!
Dreamville
61
OMG what a thriller.that's the beauty of the EPL.congratulations arsenal it was well desearve 3 points.
biccilnstz
47
its really refreshing to see arsenal showing some bit of character, though porous at the back bt the front line quite promising.
pbwoii
44
oh my God, I'm on holidays in a very fucken poor village internet problem, what a start for Gunners lol but they suffered from Leicester #Kings. Congratulations to their new player
stenco2017
43
The first EPL game produced 7 goals what a way to begin the season. There will be many goals to come
str9kercj
42
we waited for months but today before arsenal vs Leicester game took forever.now one can anticipate and know there are loads of goodies to watch. nice game... a chelsea fan but love the team morale. gentlemen this is just the beginning more to come. peace to the world
Bodily
40
Bloody hell, Arsenal nailed it. Superb season opener.
Afolabi
39
Arsenal Fans: 2nd minute: Were gonna win the league 4th minute: Top 4 gonna be a struggle 29th minute: Wenger Out 86th minute: Wenger in arsenal fans clap? for your self
Hipcm
38
Another crappy start of the season for the Gunners, when exactly will Wenger get it right at the start? Well, I hope things will get better as the season progressed. Up Gunners anyway.
yemo
35
what a match tonight, EPL is the real deal. who can tell me this match will bring up to seven fantastic goal. both team did well but gunners finished it all.