LONDON (Reuters) – Gabriel Jesus scored his first goals for six months as Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race with a 4-1 defeat of relegation-threatened Leeds United on Saturday.
Jesus, starting his first league game since returning from a knee injury last month, converted a 35th-minute penalty after being caught in the box by Luke Ayling.
Ben White doubled Arsenal’s advantage from Gabriel Martinelli’s pass before Brazilian Jesus, signed from Manchester City last summer, struck again from close range in the 55th minute from Leandro Trossard’s assist.
Leeds had troubled Arsenal in the opening period but once Jesus put the hosts ahead it was relatively plain sailing as they restored their eight-point lead over champions Man City.
The visitors did raise a few jitters in the home crowd when Rasmus Kristensen’s deflected shot gave the visitors a 76th-minute lifeline but Granit Xhaka’s header secured another three points in Arsenal’s quest for a first title since 2004.
City had earlier ramped up the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side with a 4-1 thrashing of Liverpool.
Arsenal’s seventh successive league win moved them to 72 points from 29 games with City, who still have to play the London club at home, on 64 having played one game less.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
