Leeds stun Arsenal

Jeff Winter sends Danny Mills for an early bath

Arsenal 1-2 Leeds

Goals from Ian Harte and Mark Viduka gave Leeds an excellent victory against Arsenal at Highbury.

David O'Leary's men proved that they will be real contenders for the Premiership title this season with a gritty performance.

Sylvain Wiltord equalised for Arsenal but the Gunners were unable to break down Leeds, who produced a superb second half display marred only by the sendings off of Lee Bowyer and Danny Mills.

Arsenal made an explosive start to the game and, buoyed by a noisy home crowd, could have been 1-0 up after barely a minute.

Wiltord struck a fierce shot from the edge of the area which Nigel Martyn did well to turn around his post for a corner.

  Key moments

28 mins: Ian Harte's well-placed free-kick eludes David Seaman

31 mins: Sylvain Wiltord equalises for Arsenal with a reflex header

52 mins: Mark Viduka fires Leeds back in front

Given the recent history between the two sides, it did not take long for Jeff Winter to brandish his yellow card.

Leeds' Eirik Bakke was the first to be cautioned, followed in quick succession by team-mates Olivier Dacourt, Bowyer and Mills all for clumsy challenges.

Arsenal contained O'Leary's side well, restricting Leeds to the odd attack down the right.

Wiltord and Thierry Henry looked sharp in attack for Arsenal, and the former was unlucky not to give Arsenal the lead, Martyn once again coming to Leeds' rescue.

Viduka on target for Leeds

Despite Arsenal's dominance, it was Leeds who went ahead in somewhat controversial circumstances on 28 minutes.

The visitors were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Arsenal area after Mills was bundled over.

With David Seaman still organising his wall, Harte fired the free-kick past the Arsenal keeper to stun the Highbury crowd into silence.

But Arsenal's response was immediate, Wiltord's reflex diving header providing a spectacular finish to Ashley Cole's cross.

The first half was an excellent advert for the Premiership - in spite of the yellow cards - and both teams came out after the interval probing for more goals.

Just as Arsenal had started with all guns blazing, Leeds took the game to the home side.

Kewell set up Leeds' second

Henry went close, but Viduka - who had squandered two good chances before the break - went closer and scored Leeds' second on 52 minutes.

Harry Kewell, a largely peripheral figure in the first half, instigated the move which Viduka finished off with a powerfully-struck shot.

With the game slipping away from Arsenal, Arsene Wenger made a triple substitution, including the star of Saturday's win over Middlesbrough, Dennis Bergkamp.

Bergkamp sent a thunderous shot flying over Martyn's goal late on, while Giovanni van Bronckhorst saw his goal-bound shot deflected away for a corner.

But Arsenal were unable to break down a resolute Leeds, reduced to nine men after the dismissal of Bowyer and Mills, who just managed to hold on for all three points.

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Arsenal: Seaman, Lauren, Campbell, Adams, Cole, Ljungberg, Vieira, Parlour, Pires, Henry, Wiltord. Subs: Jeffers, Bergkamp, van Bronckhorst, Grimandi, Wright.

Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte, Bowyer, Bakke, Dacourt, Kewell, Viduka, Smith. Subs: Kelly, Woodgate, Keane, Batty, Milosevic.

Referee: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).