Arsenal go seven points clear with statement win at Leeds

LEEDS,  England 

Arsenal got back to winning ways in the Premier League, opening up a seven-point lead at the top of the table with a 4-0 win over Leeds United.

Last week, Manchester City and Aston Villa took advantage of Arsenal’s three-game winless streak to close the gap at the top, but the Gunners regained some control at Elland Road.

Noni Madueke – brought in after Bukayo Saka was injured in the warm-up – starred in the first half, setting up Martin Zubimendi’s opener before forcing a Karl Darlow own goal from a corner.

Viktor Gyokeres then ended a run of six Premier League games without a goal with a finish midway through the second half, before Gabriel Jesus slotted in to add more gloss to the scoreline late on.

Leeds struggled to test the league leaders and remain 16th, six points above the relegation zone.

The hosts started brightly, with Ethan Ampadu skipping to the edge of the box before taking aim, but his rising shot sailed over the crossbar.

Arsenal grew into the game and, after recycling a corner, Madueke’s wonderful right-sided cross was turned past Darlow by Zubimendi's glancing header 27 minutes in.

Darlow then had a moment to forget 11 minutes later; Madueke swung a corner into the near post and the goalkeeper, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin in front of him, punched the ball off the woodwork and into his own net.

Arsenal made sure of the three points in the 69th minute. Gabriel Martinelli wrongfooted Pascal Struijk to curl a delightful cross in from the right, and Gyokeres got in front of Jayden Bogle to guide his first-time finish past Darlow.

Jesus caused problems off the bench, seeing a thumping header parried over by Darlow at point-blank range before he held off Struijk to turn and guide his shot into the bottom-right corner with four minutes remaining.

Arsenal put their recent Premier League wobble behind them in midweek by finishing the league phase of the UEFA Champions League with a perfect record thanks to their 3-2 win over Kairat Almaty.

Mikel Arteta will have been keen to get back on track in the top flight, too, though he was forced into a late change to the line-up through Saka’s injury, and it took them some time to settle.

Despite failing to trouble Darlow early on, Arsenal's set-piece prowess was at the heart of their first-half display.

Declan Rice – on his 300th Premier League appearance – recycled a corner to pick out Madueke in the build-up to the first goal before they benefited from an own goal for the fifth time this season for their second.

Gyokeres could have scored more, too, after being played in behind by Leandro Trossard’s flick shortly after the break, only for a stunning Joe Rodon block to deny him.

Jesus led Arsenal’s late charge, also seeing a low strike dribble wide before a header was cleared off the line from yet another corner in the closing stages, but the visitors had already done enough.

Back-to-back wins in all competitions set Arsenal up for another busy week, as they host Chelsea in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final before facing Sunderland in the Premier League.