A hard-fought win saw Arsenal go four points above their closest top-four rivals.
Arsenal defeated Leeds United 2-1 in their Premier League game on Sunday. The Gunners claimed their third victory in a row by beating the relegation-struggling Peacocks.
Arsenal increase top-four gap!
The hosts started the game by putting pressure on Leeds’ backline from both flanks. It took Mikel Arteta’s side only five minutes to open the scoring through Eddie Nketiah.
The Gunners kept attacking, with Nketiah doubling their lead in the tenth minute. Following a cutback from Gabriel Martinelli, the former Leeds star made it 2-0 with a precise low shot.
Leeds remained in their own half for most of the first period as Arsenal maintained their dominance. A straight red card for Luke Ayling then made it even harder for the Peacocks to get back into the game.
However, the hosts looked surprisingly improved after the interval. They managed to create more goalscoring chances before finally scoring their first goal of the evening through Diego Llorente.
The goal motivated the Peacocks to push for the equalizer. However, an impressive performance from Arsenal’s midfielders controlled the game until the final whistle to secure a crucial win at Emirates.
What’s next for Arsenal?
Arsenal go four points clear of Tottenham in their battle for a top-four finish while Leeds slip into the relegation zone.
The Gunners can secure their place in the next season’s Champions League by beating their arch-rivals in the North London derby on Thursday.
Player Ratings
Arsenal: Ramsdale (6); Tomiyasu (7), Holding (6), Gabriel (6), Soares (6); Elneny (6), Xhaka (7); Saka (7), Odegaard (8), Martinelli (8); Nketiah (6).
Bench: Pepe (5), Smith Rowe (6), Lacazette (6).
Leeds United: Meslier (5); Ayling (4), Llorente (7), Koch (6), Firpo (7); Phillips (6), Klich (5); Raphinha (5), James (6), Harrison (6); Gelhardt (5).
Bench: Bate (6), Rodrigo (6), Struijk (7).
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