Tim Hobbs reporting

Arsenal booked their place in next year's Champions League and all but ended Leeds' hopes of joining them with an ill-tempered win.

Freddie Ljungberg set Arsene Wenger's men on the way with a simple finish in the first half before Sylvain Wiltord doubled the tally after the break.

Ian Harte's curling 25-yard free-kick offered Leeds a glimmer of hope shortly after, but former Highbury favourite David O'Leary must surely cling on to the hope of winning this year's competition if they are to join the Gunners among Europe's elite.

That was clearly of equal concern to today's scrap as O'Leary left out Alan Smith and Danny Mills and saw some of his players perform well below their best in light of the do-or-die trip to Valencia on Tuesday.

Arsenal in contrast, were out to prove a point. Beaten by the Spaniards and at Elland Road earlier in the season, they came out firing and before Leeds could settle, Thierry Henry had stung Nigel Martyn's palms from 20 yards.

Ljungberg should have opened the scoring on nine minutes after Wiltord's left-wing cross, but three yards out and completely unmarked he contrived to head over with the goal gaping.

It was a miss that did linger long and within another eight minutes the Swede had made amends, exchanging passes with Henry and rounding Martyn and Dominic Matteo before trickling an acute finish over the line.

Even the prospect of losing their 13-match unbeaten run did not altogether stir Leeds from their pre-semi-final slumbers and Martin Keown could have added a second, but completely missed the ball where at least Ljungberg had connected.

Only Lee Bowyer - who was the subject of several crude challenges - managed a shot on target for the visitors, but the save he brought of David Seaman was soon overshadowed by Martyn, who did brilliantly to keep out a Lee Dixon volley right on half time.

There was still time for Robbie Keane to limp off, leaving Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka to form an all-Aussie attack force in the second half, yet fail to pose a physical threat to Wenger's all-English rearguard.

The sharper end of the Gunners game comes from abroad though, and on 56 minutes they were celebrating another Champions League crack as Wiltord drilled across Martyn and in after more forceful thrusting from Patrick Vieira.

It was a rare break from the minor battles breaking out all over the pitch, with Ashley Cole and Tony Adams joining Vieira and Gilles Grimandi in the book as the Gunners seemed as happy to kick Leeds out of contention this year as well as next.

For once Bowyer was often on the receiving end and after Adams had taken him out at knee height, Leeds exacted revenge as Harte stepped up to send a superb curling effort into the top right-hand corner from 20 yards.

He could have snatched a fortunate equaliser minutes later as his touchline free-kick cleared everyone inside the six-yard box only to bounce off the far post with Seaman struggling.

It would have been harsh on Arsenal had they not got the three points needed, but life will be even tougher on Leeds if they can't beat Valencia or catch Liverpool in third.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Patrick Vieira (Arsenal)
Rose above the tetchiness and completely overshadowed his close pal Dacourt with another midfield masterclass.

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Adams, Cole, Ljungberg, Vieira, Grimandi, Pires, Wiltord (Parlour 84), Henry.
Subs Not Used: Bergkamp, Manninger, Silvinho, Upson.
Booked: Vieira, Grimandi, Cole.

Leeds: Martyn, Kelly, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte, Bowyer, Bakke (McPhail 75), Dacourt, Kewell, Keane (Wilcox 45), Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Woodgate, Robinson, Burns.
Booked: Dacourt, Kewell, Viduka.

Att: 38,142
Ref: P Jones (Loughborough).