Arsenal would have crumbled in past seasons but this version of the Gunners looks too strong to fail, writes OLIVER HOLT, as they defied those who think they will ‘bottle’ the title

Sensing vulnerability, smelling uncertainty and glimpsing opportunity, chaos and fortune did their best to wrap Arsenal in their embrace before their ordeal by atmosphere had even begun at Elland Road on Saturday.

A few minutes before a match that Mikel Arteta and his team knew they had to win to end a run of three league games without victory and quiet the narrative that they simply do not possess the courage to win the title, Bukayo Saka walked disconsolately off the pitch.

Arsenal’s talisman and best player had developed a muscle problem in the warm-up and knew something was wrong. It was soon announced that he would not be able to take any part in the game and that he would be replaced by Noni Madueke.

Martin Odegaard, Arsenal’s usual skipper, had been left on the bench by Arteta and Saka was to have been his replacement. Now the armband was passed on again, this time to Gabriel. It felt like another symbol of an unravelling.

The Leeds fans sensed it, too. Elland Road was a bear-pit on Saturday. Their team had only lost once in the last 10 league game and had climbed six points clear of the relegation zone. 

The home supporters knew that the league leaders were wobbling and that they had a history of surrendering an advantage. ‘You’ll f*** it up,’ the stadium roared at the Arsenal players over and over again and with gleeful delight.

Viktor Gyokeres was on the scoresheet having prodded home from a Gabriel Martinelli cross

It was an afternoon when the Gunners steadied the ship in impressive fashion 

In other seasons, in other title pursuits, maybe Arsenal would have crumbled. Maybe they would have been beaten before a ball had been kicked. Maybe they would have succumbed to the narrative and felt sorry for themselves about Saka. Maybe their winless run would have been stretching to four by now.

But this Arsenal did not crumble. This time, they defied the narrative that they are about to ‘bottle’ their attempt to win the title for the first time in 22 years. No Saka, no problem. Rather than being overwhelmed by his task, Madueke created Arsenal’s first two goals and produced a man-of-the-match performance.

Madueke, signed from Chelsea in the summer, has been one of many excellent additions to the Arsenal squad, additions that have built quality upon quality and made the club impervious to injuries, even to their best players. That has never been the case before but it is the case now. There are no gaps in their ranks.

In the cold and the rain of a drab Yorkshire day, this 4-0 victory was a perfect afternoon for Arsenal. Viktor Gyokeres, their much-maligned striker, scored Arsenal’s third, Kai Havertz added a different layer to their game in midfield, Odegaard orchestrated play impressively when he came off the bench and Arsenal even scored three goals from open play. Panic over.

Manchester City and Aston Villa, Arsenal’s closest challengers, both play on Sunday but for now Arteta’s side has a seven-point lead at the top. They proved something to their doubters here, too. The title race may be far from over but the emphatic nature of this victory only reinforced the view of those who think this Arsenal team is too strong, too deep, too good, to fail this time.

After the disruption of Saka’s injury, the Arsenal players gathered in a tight huddle before kick-off as the capacity crowd at Elland Road belted out a rousing rendition of Marching on Together. 

They knew how freighted with importance this game was. The Leeds fans regaled them with a song suggesting they were going to blow the title, put rather more succinctly and brutally. The atmosphere was deafening and hostile. When Gyokeres sidefooted an attempted pass straight into touch, his mistake was met with a deafening jeer from the crowd.

Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow put one into his own net from an Arsenal set piece 

Martin Zubimendi scored the opening goal for the Gunners to silence the home crowd 

Arsenal started well enough without being able to force a chance. Midway through the half, just when the visitors were starting to show the first signs of frustration, they took the lead. Leeds failed to clear a corner and Declan Rice spread the ball to the right, where Madueke was waiting.

Madueke has faced some criticism for the inconsistency of his end-product but this time, he was beyond censure. He stepped inside his marker and curled a delicious cross to the edge of the six-yard-box where Martin Zubimendi rose unchallenged to glance it past Karl Darlow.

Arsenal nearly added a second when Gyokeres nodded a ball across goal from a back-post Madueke corner and, a minute after that escape, Leeds were lucky to keep 11 players on the pitch. Dominic Calvert-Lewin raked his studs down Gabriel’s shin but bizarrely, referee Stuart Attwell did not even book him.

Seven minutes before half time, Arsenal doubled their advantage. Madueke had found his range from corners by now and he curled a vicious inswinger in to the near post. Darlow tried to punch it clear but he was inadvertently impeded by Calvert-Lewin and the goalkeeper punched the ball into his own net.

Arsenal should have put the game out of reach five minutes after the interval when Leandro Trossard swept a superb first-time pass behind the Leeds defence for Gyokeres to run on to. Gyokeres was clean through on Darlow but hesitated long enough to allow Joe Rodon to recover his ground and make a goal-saving block.

Declan Rice roars to the travelling supporters who watched their side pick up three big points

Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the table before Manchester City’s game 

It took 20 minutes for Gyokeres to make amends. Odegaard found Gabriel Martinelli on the right, Martinelli skipped past his marker and crossed for Gyokeres. Gyokeres wrestled his way in front of James Justin and volleyed the ball past Darlow’s attempt to keep it out.

It was such a good afternoon for Arsenal that, not content with one of their strikers scoring, a second added to the tally, too. Odegaard was the provider, sliding a ball into the feet of Gabriel Jesus, who had his back to goal.

Jesus twisted and turned away from Pascal Struijk, made a yard of space and then curled a shot beyond the despairing left hand of Darlow. When the final whistle went, there was barely a murmur from the Leeds fans. They had been silenced. Arsenal’s job was done. They were back in control.