Arsenal torture the fans in painful 2-1 win over Leeds

Is it too much to ask to have one football match where you don’t need to be strapped up to a heart monitor? Arsenal, in classic style, made what should have been the most routine victory over Leeds imaginable instead unbearably brutal to watch.

Prior to kick-off there were already nerves aplenty. Everyone associated to the club knew boasting a four point advantage over Tottenham would completely alter the dynamic of Thursday’s Premier League north London derby, with the task laid ahead therefore a simple one: win.

With just ten minutes on the clock it seemed like that buffer would be sewn up early.

Eddie Nketiah pounced on some slack goalkeeping from Illan Meslier to nip in front of the Frenchman and fire home from close range, with his tally doubled five minutes later when he stroked home from Gabriel Martinelli’s neat cutback.

Arsenal torture their fans in painful 2-1 win over Leeds with nerves cranked up to the maximum in the pursuit of a Premier League top four spot

Just before the half-hour mark Arsenal found themselves in dreamland, albeit in circumstances that have no place on the football pitch. Luke Ayling’s horrific two-footed lunge on Martinelli deservedly saw him sent off, even if the referee had a shocker not dishing out the red card in real time.

And that should have been that. Arsenal were 2-0 up at home, had a man advantage, and Leeds’ players had totally lost their heads and shape. It should have been a canter. And, it pretty much was. Until it wasn’t.

There have been some horrific viewing experiences this season. Recent examples include away wins over Wolves, Aston Villa and West Ham, where the final few minutes are barely distinguishable with two hands are covering your eyes. But in those such instances, being away from home against decent sides, against 11 men, makes it understandable. It wasn’t self-inflicted, unlike this.

Some abysmal defending from a corner from a side who’ve been the best in the business let Diego Llorente in on 66 minutes, and even with the Gunners having the lion’s share of the ball the final minutes were torturous.

Being in a position more commanding than anyone could have hoped for, the lack of cutting edge in the final third to tuck away the goal that would have sealed the win proved to be Arsenal’s undoing. The build-up play was delectable, the interchanging fluid, the tactical plan carried out. and chances were being generated. Everything but the goal.

It resulted in a desperately tense finale, one that must have knocked about 100 years of the average viewer. From total comfort came borderline despair. There is only so much of this that a fragile football supporting human being can bear.

But, Arsenal won. They got the three points. Who cares how broken this record is, that is the only thing that matters right now.

Everything about the north London derby has shifted entirely. Whatever the outcome is on Thursday, Arsenal will still be above Tottenham. Beat them and the whole thing is sewn up. That’s right, go to the Lane and secure a first league win there since 2014 and Arsenal will be playing Champions League football while Spurs rot in the Europa League.

This didn’t turn out to be a pleasant viewing experience at the end. One daren’t imagine how the emotions will be in a few days’ time.

And breathe. Bring on the derby.