In a convincing victory over Leeds, the Gunners regained their eight-point advantage atop the Premier League with Gabriel Jesus scoring his first goals for Arsenal since October.
When second-placed Manchester City defeated Liverpool at home on Saturday afternoon, the margin was down to five points, but Jesus’ first-half penalty, which was given for Luke Ayling’s errant challenge on the Brazilian, gave Mikel Arteta’s team the lead just after the halfway point.
Rasmus Kristensen, Crysencio Summerville, and Jack Harrison all tested home goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale throughout the first phases of the game, indicating that Leeds had produced the better opportunities.
Yet two minutes into the second half, Ben White smashed home a low cross from Gabriel Martinelli , sending the opposition farther down.
From that point on, Arsenal took control. Jesus, who had been brought back into the game to replace Bukayo Saka, made it 3-0 with a precise first-time goal after a drilled cross from Leandro Trossard.
Kristensen restored Leeds’ lead with a goal that took a strong deflection off Oleksandr Zinchenko, but Granit Xhaka finished the scoring with a late header from Martin Odegaard’s cross with six minutes left on the clock.
With 10 games remaining, the loss puts Javi Gracia’s squad one point above the drop zone.
As the Gunners battled the visitors’ organized and disciplined rearguard for the whole of the first half hour, it appeared to be a miserable afternoon for them.
Kristensen restored Leeds’ lead with a goal that took a strong deflection off Oleksandr Zinchenko, but Granit Xhaka finished the scoring with a late header from Martin Odegaard’s cross with six minutes left on the clock.
With 10 games remaining, the loss puts Javi Gracia’s squad one point above the drop zone.
As the Gunners battled the visitors’ organized and disciplined rearguard for the whole of the first half hour, it appeared to be a miserable afternoon for them.
In the tense first minute of the game, Martinelli’s goal-bound shot was stopped at the opposite end while Kristensen’s furious effort from the corner of the area was parried by Aaron Ramsdale.
Nevertheless, the Premier League leaders struggled to maintain speed and rhythm in the early going and once more relied on Ramsdale in the minutes before Jesus’s goal.
After a slaloming run, Crysencio Summerville sent a low shot into the arms of the Arsenal goalkeeper. Afterwards, the 24-year-old Harrison palmed away a strong close-range strike.
However, Jesus’ assured penalty looked to calm the home team’s jitters as they finished the match with ease to give manager Arteta his 100th victory as Arsenal manager in all competitions.
Both sides honored David Rocastle, a former player for Leeds and Arsenal, before the game began. Rocastle died away slightly over 22 years ago.