Pepe sent off as Arsenal hold Leeds

Nicolas Pepe's red card was the first of his career

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.

Follow reaction here

Entertainers Leeds forget their finishing boots

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.

Concerning times for Arsenal

The good vibes around Arsenal when they won the FA Cup and started this season with three wins in all competitions are starting to feel like a distant memory.

Arteta has helped to solidify their defence, but they have only scored nine goals in nine league games this season. That is their lowest tally at this stage since 1986-87.

Aubameyang got a rare chance to play as their main striker, with Alexandre Lacazette left on the bench - but Arsenal struggled to create many clear-cut chances.

He took an hour to test Illan Meslier, whose only other save was to deny substitute Bukayo Saka late on.

The Gunners did have a penalty appeal when Liam Cooper blocked an Aubameyang shot with his elbow but the VAR team ruled it was not handball.

Arsenal - who only had 33.7% of the ball - were hanging on, especially after Pepe's red card.

The Ivorian, who has rarely justified his £75m fee, had a running battle with Alioski and eventually lost his patience with a 'football headbutt'.

Alioski threw himself to the ground and Pepe was sent off for the first time in his career.

Arsenal are red card kings under Arteta - match stats

This was only Leeds' third goalless draw in 101 league matches under Bielsa.Since Bielsa took charge of Leeds in 2018, they have kept 41 clean sheets in 101 league games (excluding play-offs), more than any other side in the top four tiers of English league football in this time.Arsenal have failed to score in four of their last five league games, this after having only done so in three of Arteta's first 24 Premier League matches in charge.Leeds' 25 shots is the most by any side without scoring in the Premier League since Manchester City's 26 against Southampton in July. They are only the third side to have so many shots in the league this season.Since Arteta joined Arsenal in December 2019, the Gunners have received five Premier League red cards, at least two more than any other club in this time.

What's next?

Leeds visit Everton next Saturday (17:30 GMT). Arsenal visit Molde in the Europa League on Thursday (17:55) and host Wolves on Sunday (19:55 GMT).

Player of the match

RodrigoRodrigo Moreno

with an average of 6.94

LeedsLeeds UnitedLeeds UnitedArsenalArsenalArsenal

Leeds UnitedAvgSquad number20Player nameRodrigoAverage rating

6.94

Squad number23Player namePhillipsAverage rating

6.82

Squad number18Player nameRaphinhaAverage rating

6.80

Squad number1Player nameMeslierAverage rating

6.79

Squad number15Player nameDallasAverage rating

6.71

Squad number43Player nameKlichAverage rating

6.57

Squad number9Player nameBamfordAverage rating

6.51

Squad number10Player nameAlioskiAverage rating

6.51

Squad number7Player namePoveda-OcampoAverage rating

6.48

Squad number22Player nameHarrisonAverage rating

6.47

Squad number2Player nameAylingAverage rating

6.40

Squad number6Player nameCooperAverage rating

6.25

Squad number5Player nameKochAverage rating

6.04

ArsenalAvgSquad number1Player nameLenoAverage rating

6.23

Squad number3Player nameTierneyAverage rating

5.55

Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating

5.45

Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating

5.13

Squad number2Player nameBellerínAverage rating

4.88

Squad number16Player nameHoldingAverage rating

4.77

Squad number8Player nameDani CeballosAverage rating

4.72

Squad number24Player nameNelsonAverage rating

4.32

Squad number34Player nameXhakaAverage rating

4.30

Squad number15Player nameMaitland-NilesAverage rating

4.29

Squad number14Player nameAubameyangAverage rating

4.11

Squad number28Player nameWillockAverage rating

3.93

Squad number12Player nameWillianAverage rating

3.55

Squad number19Player namePépéAverage rating

2.93

Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text

Line-upsLeeds

1Meslier2AylingSubstituted forRodrigoat 70'minutes5Koch6CooperBooked at 86mins10Alioski23PhillipsBooked at 90mins18Dias Belloli43Klich15DallasBooked at 15mins22HarrisonSubstituted forPoveda-Ocampoat 80'minutes9Bamford

Substitutes

7Poveda-Ocampo11Roberts13Casilla17Hélder Costa20Rodrigo21Struijk24Davis

Arsenal

1Leno2Bellerín16Holding6dos Santos Magalhães3Tierney8Ceballos34Xhaka19PépéBooked at 51mins28WillockSubstituted forSakaat 57'minutesSubstituted forMaitland-Nilesat 90+3'minutes12WillianSubstituted forNelsonat 45'minutes14Aubameyang

Substitutes

7Saka9Lacazette13Rúnarsson15Maitland-Niles20Mustafi24Nelson30Nketiah

Referee:Anthony TaylorMatch StatsHome TeamLeedsAway TeamArsenalPossessionHome66%Away34%ShotsHome25Away9Shots on TargetHome4Away2CornersHome5Away3FoulsHome9Away8Live TextPost update

Match ends, Leeds United 0, Arsenal 0.

90'+7'Full Time

Second Half ends, Leeds United 0, Arsenal 0.

90'+7'Post update

Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Gabriel Magalhães.

90'+5'Post update

Raphinha (Leeds United) hits the left post with a left footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Rodrigo.

90'+5'Post update

Attempt missed. Rodrigo (Leeds United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Stuart Dallas with a cross.

90'+3'Booking

Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

90'+3'Post update

Foul by Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United).

90'+3'Post update

Dani Ceballos (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

90'+3'Substitution

Substitution, Arsenal. Ainsley Maitland-Niles replaces Bukayo Saka because of an injury.

90'+1'Post update

Attempt missed. Mateusz Klich (Leeds United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left.

90'Post update

Attempt blocked. Robin Koch (Leeds United) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mateusz Klich with a cross.

88'Post update

Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Granit Xhaka.

87'Post update

Patrick Bamford (Leeds United) hits the left post with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Ian Poveda-Ocampo with a cross.

86'Booking

Liam Cooper (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

85'Post update

Foul by Liam Cooper (Leeds United).

85'Post update

Dani Ceballos (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.

84'Post update

Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Illan Meslier.

84'Post update

Attempt saved. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Héctor Bellerín.

83'Post update

Attempt saved. Ian Poveda-Ocampo (Leeds United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Robin Koch.

82'Post update

Attempt blocked. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bukayo Saka.

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Source: bbc.com