Arsenal reaffirmed their Premier League title credentials with a comfortable 4-0 win at Leeds to lift them seven points clear at the top of the table.
Martin Zubimendi and Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow’s own goal put Arsenal 2-0 up at the interval before second-half efforts from Viktor Gyokeres and substitute Gabriel Jesus got Mikel Arteta’s side back on track.
The Gunners made it eight straight wins against Leeds and remain unbeaten against them in 16 matches, stretching back to 2003, while they have not lost at Elland Road since November 2000.
Arsenal followed up goalless league draws against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest with last week’s home defeat to Manchester United, prompting suggestions they were feeling the pressure in pursuit of their first domestic title since 2004.
But they made it eight straight Champions League wins in midweek to reach the last 16, beating Kairat 3-2, and there was no sign of any nerves in West Yorkshire.
The Gunners, who made it seven straight wins against Leeds when they thrashed them 5-0 in August at the Emirates Stadium, were dealt an early blow when Buyako Saka limped out of the warm-up with a hip injury.
But the Londoners made light of the England winger’s withdrawal as his replacement Noni Madueke played a key role in both opening goals to give his side a 2-0 half-time lead.
Zubimendi saw a tame low effort easily gathered by Darlow, but the Spain midfielder’s next effort gave Arsenal a 27th-minute lead as he stole in at the near post to guide home Madueke’s excellent cross.
Leeds had lost only one of their previous 10 league games to put daylight between themselves and the bottom three and they had made a promising start, with skipper Ethan Ampadu firing over in the 11th minute.
But once Arsenal got their noses in front, they took control. Gyokeres headed back across the six-yard box and the visitors mounted further pressure before they were gifted a second goal in the 38th minute.
Madueke whipped in a corner to the near post and Darlow, impeded by team-mate Dominic Calvert-Lewin, was only able to punch the ball down and into his own net.
Leeds replaced Ilia Gruev and James Justin with Sean Longstaff and Noah Okafor at half-time and lifted their fans at the start of the second half.
Arsenal defender Gabriel lunged in front of Calvert-Lewin to divert Gabriel Gudmundsson’s cross for a corner and after Jayden Bogle’s shot was also deflected wide, Pascal Struijk’s header from the resulting corner forced David Raya into a low save.
After a fine covering tackle from Joe Rodon to deny Gyokeres, Leeds enjoyed another spell of possession and a fervent home crowd did their best to help them build some momentum.
But hopes of an unlikely comeback were snuffed out in the 69th minute when Gyokeres got in front of Bogle to dispatch Gunners substitute Gabriel Martinelli’s cross from in front of goal for his sixth league goal of the season.
Jesus saw his header brilliantly saved by Darlow before he latched on to Martin Odegaard’s pass into the box and turned inside Struijk to steer a shot into the bottom corner as Leeds slipped to their 10th league defeat of the season.
