Chris Macrae reports

Robert Pires' eighth goal of the season on the stroke of half-time cancelled out Robbie Fowler's seventh for Leeds as the two title pretenders battled out a scrappy draw at Elland Road.

A combination of a vicious swirling wind and a fussy referee made for a match short on quality - the Frenchman's equaliser notwithstanding - and high on frustration for both sets of supporters.

In light of the recent disciplinary problems surrounding these two teams - 48 yellow and four red cards in the last seven meetings - the fact that there were only three bookings was a rare plus point to be taken from a sterile afternoon in West Yorkshire. 

Arsenal, who will be delighted to have maintained their unbeaten away record, began brightly with Dennis Bergkamp, making only his ninth league start of the campaign, to the fore.

However despite the Dutchman's clever movement his touch failed him on two occasions when he had a half-sight of goal in the opening minutes.

Leeds, with the wind at their backs, promptly scored with their first meaningful attack.

Jason Wilcox skipped round Oleg Luzhny with ease before lofting in a cross which floated over Ashley Cole to leave Fowler - so often the tormentor of The Gunners - to plant his header in the bottom corner unchallenged from six yards.

Wilcox then combined with Matteo to set up Bowyer but his right-foot shot from 12 yards was well wide, before Ashley Cole and Pires' slick passing set up Thierry Henry, who ballooned his effort spectacularily into the Kop.

Arsenal, like Leeds, were concentrating their attacking effort down the left flank, but the end product did not match the build-up play, and, as if to illustrate the point, Henry miscued horribly once more after nutmegging Rio Ferdinand.

The first yellow arrived after 25 minutes as Cole clipped David Batty, but then on 30 minutes, Keown lay prostrate after an off-the-ball tangle with his old sparring partner Viduka which produced no card but will undoubtedly have the FA video panel reaching for the remote before the month is out.

Arsenal had a let off when Keown's sliced clearance fell to Fowler, but his snap shot from 10 yards flew wide of Richard Wright's left-hand post, before the 'keeper was quick to smother a deflected drive from the former Liverpool man.

Then right on the half-time whistle, Bergkamp's through ball was dummied by Henry, and Pires, who had initiated the move, burst clear as Jonathon Woodgate was caught on his heels. The left-footed finish more than matched the build-up, arrowed high into the net at the near post.

After a quiet opening to the second period, Patrick Vieira had the first clear sight of goal, but he could not keep down his header from Henry's left-wing corner.

Cole and Pires then sliced open Leeds down the left but the England full-back shot from the edge of the area when Vieira, in splendid isolation, was begging for a square pass.

Ljungberg departed the fray shortly after the hour, having seemingly turned his ankle when challenged by Wilcox, to be replaced by Gio van Bronckhorst who saw his deflected drive from the edge area creep inches wide of the post within seconds of his arrival.

With ten minutes left, and the match stubbornly refusing to ignite, the home fans were roused from their torpor, appealing in vain for a penalty after Viduka's header struck Vieira's elbow, but the match official saw nothing untoward.

The home side's clearest opening fell to the Australian striker moments later, but as he burst into space on the right of the area, Keown slid in to snuff out the danger.

All that was left was a misdirected header from Vieira and Wright clutching a hooked cross from Ferdinand to his chest before the referee put everyone - bar Sir Alex Ferguson - out of their misery.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Martin Keown: (Arsenal) Not many contenders today but the Arsenal man was his usual industrious self - giving the recalled Richard Wright a comfortable afternoon

Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Woodgate, Ferdinand, Matteo, Bowyer, Johnson, Batty, Wilcox, Fowler, Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Robinson, Kelly, Harte, Keane, Kewell.
Booked: Johnson.

Arsenal: Wright, Luzhny (Dixon 81), Campbell, Keown, Cole, Parlour, Ljungberg (van Bronckhorst 66), Vieira, Pires, Bergkamp (Wiltord 70), Henry.
Subs Not Used: Stack, Upson.
Booked: Cole, Pires.

Gunners in - with a shout

 
Att: 40,143
Ref: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City)

Minute-by-minute

FULL-TIME
90min Dixon handles 40 yards out - Wright claims
90min Vieira nods wastefully wide from Pires corner
89min Mills robs Wiltord to concede corner
89min Wright claims confidently again
87min Parlour misses Cole cross completely
84min Cole blocks Bowyer effort for corner
83min OOH! Great tackle from Keown with Viduka clean through
81min SUB! Dixon on for Luzhny
80min Wright out quickly to head clear
78min OUCH! Wilcox runs into Parlour
77min Wright holds cross under pressure
71min Campbell penalised 25 yards out - Mills hits wall
70min Henry free-kick clears bar comfortably
70min SUB! Wiltord on for Bergkamp
69min Mills bundles Pires over on angle of box
67min OOH! van Bronckhorst drive deflects inches wide
66min SUB! van Bronckhorst on for Ljungberg
64min OUCH! Ljungberg hurts ankle in challenge with Wilcox
61min Fowler slices wide from 20 yards
60min NO! Cole skews wide with Vieira completely unmarked
59min BOOKING! Johnson cautioned for foul on Vieira
57min Pires steps across Mills
56min NO! Vieira heads well over in acres of space
55min Parlour wins corner off Matteo
54min Luzhny seems to obstruct Fowler
52min Parlour penalised for foul on Johnson
51min Fowler catches Pires late
49min Henry runs the ball out of play
48min Scrappy start to half
46min We're off again

HALF-TIME Everything to play for at Elland Road
45min Fowler fires over after poor Keown clearance
45min GOAL! Pires finishes coolly after Henry dummies Bergkamp pass
40min BOOKING! Pires booked for leaving a foot in on Batty
39min Wright out quickly to smother
36min Woodgate concedes corner under pressure from Henry - comes to nothing
35min OOH! Fowler fires wide after Keown miskick
34min Leeds throw near corner flag
30min OUCH! Keown left in a heap by Viduka elbow
28min Pires meander earns corner - headed behind again
26min BOOKING! Mark Halsey gets his card out after late Cole tackle on Batty
25min Parlour drive well off target
23min NO! Henry skins Ferdinand but produces woeful cross
21min Campbell adjudged to have fouled Fowler
20min Great run and cross from Pires
18mins Henry bender high, wide and handsome
17min Arsenal win free-kick 40 yards from Leeds goal - comes to nothing
15min Fowler wins corner off Campbell
13min Bowyer toe-punt finishes well wide
12min Flag comes a cropper as Keown concedes corner
10min Strong wind blowing rubbish across Elland Road
6min GOAL! Luzhny and Cole allow Fowler to nod in Wilcox cross
5min Great Henry work comes to nothing
4min Henry prominent in the opening exchanges
2min OOH! Bergkamp fluffs great chance from Henry pass
1min Early touch for the returning Richard Wright
0mins We're under way in Yorkshire

Opta Index (Match Stats)

Leeds	Team	Arsenal
48%	Possession %	52%
1	Goals	1
1	Shots On Target (inc Goals)	3
5	Shots Off Target	6
7	Blocked Shots	2
3	Corners	6
18	Fouls	16
1	Offsides	0
1	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0