May 09, (THEWILL) – With a 2-1 win over Leeds at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal moved four points clear of Tottenham in fourth place and put one foot in the door of reaching the UEFA Champions League for next season.
Illan Meslier made a terrible error at the back and the Gunners had the ball in the back of the net inside four minutes. The Frenchman received the ball in his own six-yard area from Luke Ayling, but he took a stronger touch than necessary too long in allowing Eddie Nketiah to sneak and put Arsenal in the lead.
Six minutes later, Mikel Arteta’s team had increased their advantage. On the left side, Gabriel Martinelli sped by Leeds, dragging the pass back to the onrushing Nketiah, who swept his left-footed strike into the bottom corner.
Leeds’ bad luck continued in the 22nd minute when Luke Ayling was sent off for a reckless challenge on Martinelli on the byline, which was made clearer by VAR after referee Chris Kavanaugh had issued only a cautionary yellow before the review.
Another caution came Leeds’ way when Mateusz Klich was penalised for a cynical kick on Granit Xhaka, before Martinelli drew a fantastic save from Meslier.
The tireless Martinelli burst through the Leeds backline after collecting a loose ball on the edge of the area and Arsenal should have extended their lead before the hour mark. But, the Brazilian went for power rather than direction and the chance was missed.
Leeds then cut the deficit in half with their first corner of the afternoon. Diego Llorente ghosted around the opposite post after Junior Firpo’s near-post flick, before slamming his volley past Aaron Ramsdale.
Just minutes later, Martin Odegaard had the chance to put the game out of reach. Before firing, the Norwegian glided into space on the edge of the penalty box, but his shot went wide.
Arteta’s players were more nervous than they should have been with the likelihood of an equaliser in the air, but they held on to earn a crucial three points ahead of Thursday’s North London Derby with Tottenham.
While Arsenal’s fate may probably be decided by Thursday’s North London derby, in which they can clinch Champions League qualifying with a win over arch-rivals Tottenham, Leeds will host third-placed Chelsea at Elland Road, facing the very real prospect of relegation.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
