ARSENAL and Leeds played out an entertaining draw at Elland Road as Nicolas Pepe was sent off for the away side for a head butt on Ezgjan Alioski.
Leeds dominated the possession and hit the woodwork on three occasions but failed to capitalise on the personnel advantage as both sides struggled to end their winless streaks.
- Score: Leeds 0-0 Arsenal
- TV/Live stream: Sky Sports Football/Premier League
- Leeds XI: Meslier, Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Dallas, Phillips, Alioski, Raphinha, Klich, Harrison, Bamford.
- Arsenal XI: Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Ceballos, Xhaka, Willian, Willock, Pepe, Aubameyang
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THAT’S ALL FROM ELLAND ROAD
Twenty-five shots, 66% possession, the woodwork struck three times but ultimately no goals and just one point for Leeds United.
The West Yorkshire outfit dominated Arsenal for the entirety of their meeting this afternoon, but just couldn’t find a way through the Gunners rearguard despite having a man advantage for most of the second half.
Bernd Leno and his goalframe denied the hosts a deserved win with Patrick Bamford, Rodrigo and Raphinha all going ever so close to breaking the deadlock.
Despite the disappointment, Marcelo Bielsa and his team can take heart from a performance that ended their recent run of successive defeats.
A first draw for Arsenal this season may have been fortuitous, but Mikel Arteta’s team did at least organise themselves well after Pepe’s 50th minute sending off for a petulant headbutt on Ezgjan Alioski.
However, their defensive exploits shouldn’t cover up their problems at the other end; it’s now almost eight hours since the north London side scored a Premier League goal from open play.
The draw keeps both clubs in the bottom half of the table, but on the evidence of this performance, only one of those is on the up.
There’s more Premier League football to come tonight so why not hop over to Anfield for our live coverage of Liverpool against Leicester City.
Thanks for reading and goodnight.
BIELSA REACTION
Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa has been speaking to the press after this afternoon’s game, and has declared himself pleased with his side despite failing to break down Arsenal’s ten men.
KALVIN FINE
The return of Kalvin Phillips was most welcome for Leeds United this afternoon, and the midfielder certainly covered a lot of ground after a month out with injury as his heat map shows.
ARTETA’S REACTION
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been chatting to Sky Sports after their goalless draw and labelled the actions of Pepe as “unacceptable.”
“Considering how early Pepe was sent off, we have to take it. I never like a draw but considering the circumstances, it’s a point.
“The first half was two different periods. The first 25 minutes we were dominant and created a lot of issues, and then the game broke.
“We started to give balls away in difficult areas which leads to them having the space to break and they’re good at it.
“With ten men, it was a matter of defending well, staying patient and using the pace of our players in the spaces they were leaving.
“[Saka’s] was the best chance of the game. The keeper did really well but, on another day, we could have won the game.
“I really liked the personality of our team. When Pepe let the team down, we suffered together, we stuck to what we had to do and still believed that we could win the game.”
GUNNERS MISFIRING
It’s almost eight hours since Arsenal scored a goal in the Premier League from open play.
LEEDS IN NEED
Has anyone got the number of a goalscorer?
FT: LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
It ends goalless, but your guess as to how is as good as mine. Leeds battered Arsenal, but couldn’t find the breakthrough as they hit the woodwork three times and were kept out by a string of fine saves by Bernd Leno. The visitors, unadventurous throughout, were not helped by the sending off of Pepe early in the second half for a petulant headbutt.
Kieran Tierney is clearly frustrated by his side’s performance and clashes with Ezgjan Alioski as the players make their way off the field.
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
IT’S ALL OVER AT ELLAND ROAD!
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
90+7. Leeds win a corner. Is there time?
The home side take it short and the whistle blows.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
90+5. Post! Leeds hit the woodwork for the third time in this half!
A cross from the right travels all the way through to Raphinha, who is off balance.
Falling back, the Brazilian manages to dig a sliced shot out that clatters the near post as Leno watches on.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
90+3. He’s back! Kalvin Phillips is booked for a poor challenge on Ceballos.
The Leeds midfielder catches the Real Madrid loanee on the ankle with his studs.
“Any higher and he would have been in real trouble,” suggests Gary Neville on commentary.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
90+2. Saka has been a lively contributor since his introduction, but he’s not going to make it until the end.
The young substitute has taken an unintentional whack on the knee from Alioski, and won’t be able to continue.
He’s replaced by Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
90. The clock strikes 90 minutes as Arsenal smuggle away a Leeds corner, but there is going to be a minimum of five added minutes.
Can the home side find a deserved winner?
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
87. Bamford heads against the post!
The forward gets up highest to meet Poveda’s cross from the right, and can only watch in anguish as his downward header clips the base of the post and comes back into play.
Rodrigo is sniffing around for the rebound but he is unable to connect with the loose ball.
Perhaps it just isn’t going to be Leeds’ day.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
86. Liam Cooper is yellow carded for a foul on Ceballos.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
84. Was that the chance for Arsenal?!
The Gunners nearly claim a classic smash and grab after Bellerin’s brilliant run and through ball for Saka.
The substitute outstrips the Leeds defence to go one-on-one with Meslier, but takes the ball too wide as he attempts to go around the goalkeeper.
Recovering, the French stopper manages to get up and block the eventual shot. Leeds breathe a huge sigh of relief.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
81. Arsenal ask for a penalty after Aubameyang’s shot is blocked by the elbow of Cooper at close quarters.
VAR take a look at it but aren’t interested.
If that had been given, we may as well have all packed up and gone home.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
79. Rodrigo crashes a shot against the crossbar!
The substitute had fired a warning to the Gunners moments earlier with a long range effort that bent wide and now he’s gone even closer.
Receiving a slick pass from Koch, the Spaniard took a touch on the edge of the box before unleashing a brilliant curler that beat Leno but cracked the woodwork.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
78. Yet again Kieran Tierney has been one of Arsenal’s most admirable contributors.
After a long period of defending, the Scot somehow finds the energy to burst forward from the back and win his side a corner.
He needn’t have bothered though, the delivery from Nelson is awful, failing to beat the first man.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
75. A rare opportunity for Arsenal as Xhaka is unnecessarily bundled over by Cooper 25 yards from goal.
The Swiss international opts to take it himself and blasts the free-kick over the crossbar.
A let off for the Leeds skipper.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
73. Another chance, this time for Bamford.
The striker is well challenged by Tierney as they compete for a lofted cross, and the Leeds man heads over.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
72. Raphinha goes for goal himself, but his blast on the turn is blocked by one of Arsenal’s many defenders.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
70. Right place. Right time. Wrong man.
Leeds patiently work the opportunity after a lengthy spell of possession when Raphinha slips a ball back from the touchline to an unmarked teammate ten yards from goal.
Unfortunately for Leeds that teammate is Ayling, who miscontrols and allows the chance to run away.
It’s the defender’s last contribution as he is replaced by record signing Rodrigo.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
68. Hector Bellerin foul throws.
Again.
LEEDS 0-0 ARSENAL
67. Leeds have had close to 80% of the possession since Pepe’s sending off, but Arsenal are holding firm.
The visitors have dropped deep in numbers and you feel as though the remainder of this game will be played in much the same fashion as a 11 v 10 training game.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
