Arsenal will take a four-point gap to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when they face Tottenham on Thursday, live on Sky Sports, after securing a nervy 2-1 win over 10-man Leeds United, who dropped into the bottom three.
2021/2022 Premier League
2-1
Match Report
Following Spurs' 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Saturday night, the Gunners knew a win would see them solidify fourth place ahead of a crunch north London derby and they got the perfect start as Eddie Nketiah's double inside the first 10 minutes set them on the path to victory.
Leeds struggled to get any foothold in the game and their fate was sealed when Luke Ayling was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Gabriel Martinelli, after a VAR intervention saw his initial booking upgraded to red card.
After the break, Leeds grabbed a lifeline from out of nowhere as Diego Llorente squeezed his strike in at the far post to set up a tense finish, but the Gunners, who were hanging on at the end, clung on for what eventually was a very nervy victory.
It sets up a huge game on Thursday (kick off 7.45pm) when the Gunners, who are now just one point behind third-placed Chelsea, could seal Champions League football with a victory over rivals Spurs.
Meanwhile, a disappointing day for Leeds - who put in a spirited second-half display - ends with them in the relegation zone with three games to go after Everton's 2-1 victory at Leicester.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
4' GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Leeds United (Nketiah)
9' GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Leeds United (Nketiah)
15' Yellow Card! Gabriel booked
26' Red Card! Ayling sent off
39' CLOSE! Llorente makes goal-line clearance
55' CHANCE! Martinelli's shot denied
60' MISS! Martinelli's shot over the bar
65' GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Leeds United (Llorente)
75' CLOSE! Odegaard's shot inches wide
Line-ups
Arsenal XI: Xhaka, Cedric, M.Elneny, Martin Odegaard, Holding, Tomiyasu, Gabriel, Ramsdale, Nketiah, Martinelli, Saka
Subs: Lacazette, Leno, Pepe, Smith Rowe, A. Lokonga, Nuno Tavares, Z. Swanson, C. Patino, Salah Oulad M'Hand
Leeds United XI: M. Klich, Ayling, D.Llorente, Daniel James, Koch, K. Phillips, Firpo, Raphinha, J. Harrison, Illan Meslier, Joe Gelhardt
Subs: Rodrigo, P. Struijk, K. Klaesson, Sam Greenwood, Jamie Shackleton, L. Bate, L. Hjelde, C. Cresswell, A. Gray