Defiant Leeds add to Arsenal's woe

Arsenal's Wiltord skips a challenge from Woodgate

Leeds 1-0 Arsenal

Rio Ferdinand watched his new Leeds team-mates from the Elland Road stands and must have been impressed by their defiant performance.

The new £18m signing was introduced to a rapturous audience before kick-off and the party atmosphere continued through to the final whistle.

A deflected free-kick from Olivier Dacourt - his first goal for Leeds - proved enough forthe home side to take all three points.

The result continued a miserable month for Arsenal, who have lost five out of seven matches in November.

They are now eight points behind Premiership leaders Manchester United, who appear to be pulling away from the chasing pack.

The first-half was very keenly contested and four Arsenal players - Henry, Keown, Lauren and Luzhny - went into Dermot Gallagher's book for fouls.

Good chance

Leeds had the first good chance after six minutes when Bowyer hit a through ball that allowed Alan Smith to beat Arsenal's offside trap.

Alex Manninger advanced quickly off his line and the young striker chipped the ball over his head but wide of the post.

Jason Wilcox then had an even better opportunity for Leeds. Smith weakly met a corner and was lucky to see the ball fall to the unmarked Wilcox on the edge of the six-yard box.

It is a shame for the Premier League when you think in December that you must fight for second place.

  Arsene Wenger

But the experienced winger miscued his header and the ball fell into Manninger's arms.

Arsenal then started to get a grip on the game and were fast and threatening going forward.

They had their best opportunity to go ahead after 38 minutes following clever work by Silvinho.

The Brazilian left-back advanced into the box and, even though Robinson managed to get down and deflect the ball, he slipped a good pass to unmarked Wiltord.

The French striker had more time than he realised and scuffed the ball woefully wide of the unguarded goal from 12 yards.

Fortuitous opener

Woodgate then had a good chance close to the interval when he rose to beat Adams to a corner and was unlucky to see his powerful header go marginally wide of Manninger's right-hand post.

Dacourt then put Leeds ahead after 56 minutes, when his 25-yard free kick deflected off Lauren, who was lined up in Arsenal's wall, and sailed into the top corner.

We were tired, but we had a bit of luck. You need luck - you need a lucky manager as well.

  David O'Leary

Leeds were unfortunate not to double their advantage minutes later, when Harte thumped a shot against the post.

Minutes later Arsenal were lamenting their luck, with Wiltord striking a well-directed shot from an acute angle that beat Robinson and clipped the far post of the goal.

Then Silvinho struck a splendid, swerving shot from 25 yards that Robinson managed to parry to safety.

Leeds managed to withhold Arsenal's mounting pressure and actually had a great chance of their own to seal the points.

Viduka broke clear in the box after 80 minutes, but mystifyingly chose to pass rather than shoot and the opportunity was gone.

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Leeds: Robinson, Kelly, Harte, Woodgate, Radebe, Bowyer, Bakke, Dacourt, Wilcox, Viduka, Smith. Subs: Milosevic, Mills, Jones, Burns, Huckerby.

Arsenal: Manninger, Luzhny, Adams, Keown, Silvinho, Vieira, Parlour, Lauren, Pires, Henry, Wiltord. Subs: Lukic, Upson, Vivas, Dixon, Kanu.

Referee: Dermot Gallagher (Banbury).