The whole defence booked - Olivier Dacourt the Leeds United hero in most recent victory against Arsenal at Elland Road

By Lee Sobot
Published 21st Nov 2020, 16:45 BST
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LEEDS United had a particularly impressive record against Arsenal in the Don Revie era.

Twenty two fixtures against the Gunners under the legendary former Whites manager with 16 wins, three draws and just three defeats.

Jimmy Armfield fared even better statistically, eight games, five wins, two draws and just the one defeat.

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It was, though, largely a different story upon the two sides being reunited in the top division from 1990 onwards with 28 fixtures yielding 13 fixtures for the Gunners and seven draws.

HEATED: Leeds United match-winner Olivier Dacourt, left, grabs Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira who himself pulls the shirt of Whites striker Alan Smith in the Premier League clash of November 2000. Photo by Phil Noble/PA.HEATED: Leeds United match-winner Olivier Dacourt, left, grabs Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira who himself pulls the shirt of Whites striker Alan Smith in the Premier League clash of November 2000. Photo by Phil Noble/PA.
HEATED: Leeds United match-winner Olivier Dacourt, left, grabs Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira who himself pulls the shirt of Whites striker Alan Smith in the Premier League clash of November 2000. Photo by Phil Noble/PA.

Yet at the turn of the Millennium David O'Leary's Whites were more than capable of socking it to the Gunners with United's last top-flight victory against Arsenal at Elland Road coming 20 years ago almost to the day.

Back then, on Sunday, November 26, 2000, David O'Leary's Whites lined having sealed Champions League qualification the previous season by finishing third.

Arsenal, though, had finished four points ahead of United in second and recorded an emphatic 1999-2000 double against the Whites as a 2-0 win at Highbury in December 99 was followed by a 4-0 romp at Elland Road in April which Thierry Henry, Martin Keown, Nwankwo Kanu and Marc Overmars all bagged a goal apiece as Ian Harte was sent off.

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By the time United came to face Arsenal for the first time the following season, Leeds approached the contest following a 2-0 reverse at home to Champions League group stage visitors Real Madrid.

Yet this was a rapidly emerging Whites side that on their way were the real deal and ultimately on their way to the Champions League semi-finals and Olivier Dacourt struck the only goal of the game to sink the Gunners in November 2000.

Leeds actually approached the contest having savoured victory in just one of their last ten games in league and cup via Mark Viduka's sensational four-timer in the 4-3 win at home to Liverpool at the beginning of the month.

Two 1-1 draws followed at Champions League hosts AC Milan as Dom Matteo scored a great goal in the San Siro before Leeds again drew 1-1 against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and then suffered a 1-0 reverse at home to West Ham.

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