Pepe Sent-Off As Arsenal Play Goal Less Against Leeds
Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe was sent off for a headbutt as Leeds’ wasteful finishing cost them a Premier League victory.
Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds squandered a host of chances, both before and after Pepe was dismissed after video assistant referee consultation for sticking his head into Ezgjan Alioski’s face.
Substitute Rodrigo, Patrick Bamford and Raphinha – deep into injury time on his first Premier League start – struck the woodwork.
The Gunners were poor – yet again – and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s 60th-minute effort was their first of two shots on target.
They have scored one Premier League goal, an Aubameyang penalty against Manchester United, in five games since 4 October.
Both sides came into the game out of form – with three defeats in their previous four league games.
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa will be happy with his side’s performance, bar the finishing, with opposite number Mikel Arteta relieved to pick up a point.
Arsenal remain in the bottom half of the table, moving up to 11th, two points above Leeds in 14th.
Leeds were the first promoted Premier League team to score 14 goals in their opening eight matches since Charlton in 2000.
They could have used some of those goals at Elland Road, with only four of their 25 shots on target.
Their three efforts against the woodwork all came from the 79th minute onwards.
Rodrigo’s 18-yard shot hit the angle of bar and post, Bamford headed off the post and Raphinha crashed a shot off the same post late on.
Bamford had scored seven goals this season but did not look on song this time, with two shots straight at Bernd Leno in the first half.
Winger Raphinha, the first Brazilian to start a Premier League game for Leeds since Roque Junior in 2003, was lively and went close from the edge of the box, with Stuart Dallas forcing a good save from Leno.
On another day Leeds could have scored five, but they only have a point to show for their efforts and have only won once in their past six Premier League games.
