Arsenal Wenger lauds match-winner Olivier Giroud after breathless Premier League opener against Leicester City
Record signing Alexandre Lacazette, Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey also on target at the Emirates Stadium as Gunners edge out Foxes 4-3 in curtain-raiser
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger expressed “relief” over Olivier Giroud’s decision to stay after the France striker earned his side a breathless 4-3 win against Leicester City.
Giroud came off the bench with Arsenal trailing 3-2 in Friday’s Premier League curtain-raiser at the Emirates Stadium, and after fellow substitute Aaron Ramsey equalised, he headed in an 85th-minute winner.
Alexandre Lacazette’s arrival has bumped 30-year-old Giroud even further down the Arsenal pecking order.
“It’s fantastic. I opened the door for him at some stage because I know it’s important for him to play, but I don’t want to him to go,” Wenger said.
“He decided to stay and it was one of the great days of recent weeks for me. He’s a fantastic player, but as well he has a big weight in this squad. It was a relief for me he decided to stay.”
Giroud outmuscled Harry Maguire to meet Granit Xhaka’s corner with a strong header that hit the crossbar and bounced behind the line before Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel could clear the danger.