BBC pundit Alan Shearer had some compliments for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after witnessing how much he affected the game as the Gunners defeated Leeds United in the FA Cup.

Arsenal were facing Leeds United in London on Monday night, eight years after the two sides clashed at this same stage of the FA Cup as Thierry Henry scored the memorable winning goal in a narrow victory.

With the visitors still in contention for promotion to the Premier League next season, there was no question about the fact that the hosts were coming up against a potentially dangerous opponent in Leeds.

For much of the first half, the away side tested the Gunners, who went into the half time break in need of serious improvement to avoid an upset in the world’s oldest cup competition.

Much to the delight and relief of the Emirates stadium crowd, Arsenal came out fighting after the break as a goal from young attacker Reiss Nelson saw them secure a 1-0 win.

It was a match which witnessed Mikel Arteta get rewarded for his team talk during half time and BBC pundit Alan Shearer has praised the Arsenal manager for the significant impact he made on Monday evening.

“You said it was a big test for Arteta and it is a test he has passed,” the former Newcastle star said, as per Football.London

“He got his players 10 or 15 yards further up the park. He got his players to be brave in possession and he got his players to be confident on the ball and actually go past the Leeds player and into the final third.

“Then they started to win second balls which they didn’t in the first half.

“It forced that little bit of quality in the final third that Leeds lacked in the first half. Arsenal managed to have that in the second half.”

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