Bukayo Saka continued his fine form to keep Arsenal on top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win at Leeds – but the visitors were lucky to escape with victory as Patrick Bamford missed a second-half penalty.
In a bizarre start to the game, a power cut after 60 seconds forced a 40-minute suspension – but no spark was lost in a thrilling Elland Road encounter.
In an even first half where Leeds went toe-to-toe with the league leaders, Saka took advantage of Rodrigo’s needless crossfield ball to crash the Gunners into the lead with an emphatic finish.
Patrick Bamford came on for Rodrigo at halftime and changed the complexion of the contest, rifling home within a minute, only to be penalised for a foul on Gunners centre-back Gabriel.
Bamford then missed a penalty after William Saliba’s 60th-minute handball. He thought he would have a chance to atone amid a dramatic stoppage-time conclusion, grasping the ball to take another kick from 12 yards before both a red card and penalty decision against Gabriel were overturned on a VAR review by referee Chris Kavanagh.
The result moves Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal four points clear of Manchester City at the summit, ahead of the champions’ trip to Liverpool.
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