AN EARLY piece of opportunism by Rod Wallace, followed by inspired goalkeeping from Nigel Martyn, gave Leeds United a place in the last 16 of the English FA Cup at Highbury last night and George Graham the most satisfying victory of his five months in charge at Elland Road.
Graham, always a master of tactics when he managed Arsenal, showed Highbury he had not lost the touch. Arsenal had difficulty outwitting Leeds's tight marking and when they did, Martyn achieved a series of outstanding saves.
Last night's tie, the 12th FA Cup meeting between these clubs since the war, represented an old theme with recent variations. Four years earlier, at a similar stage of the competition, George Graham's Arsenal had, knocked out Howard Wilkinson's Leeds in a replay. Now Graham's Leeds faced Arsene Wenger's Arsenal three days after a turgid and scoreless draw in the Premiership.
In 1993 Arsenal were on their way to a unique League Cup and FA Cup double. Half of that ambition had already disappeared this time but they went into last night's match knowing that victory would bring them a fifth-round tie at home to First Division Portsmouth and a good chance of reaching the quarter-finals.
Last night Graham, greeted rapturously by his old fans in October, did not receive a second standing ovation and the way Leeds set out to play, with a man-marking sweeper system and a five-man midfield, it was clear their manager did not intend to suffer another 3-0 defeat. His team needed only 11 minutes to make the point.
Patrick Vieira, Paul Merson and Ian Wright had seen scoring attempts either blocked or miss the target before Leeds went ahead in their first serious attack. A lob forward from Ian Harte caught Arsenal's defenders square and Wallace just beat David Seaman to the ball.
Wallace did not so much produce a shot as a ricochet and Martin Keown looked as if he might hook the danger clear. But after the ball had rebounded gently from the foot of the right post Wallace, following up swiftly, thumped it into the roof of the net.
So Arsenal now had a problem. Gunnar Halle and Gary Kelly were getting tight on Wright and Merson, the midfield was being pressed for space and Leeds were still getting behind the defence. With Nigel Winterburn a flu victim, Steve Morrow was given the left wing-back's role and Brian Deane was keen to explore this whenever he could. Keown had to scramble the ball away after one of his crosses had evaded Seaman.
Nevertheless Arsenal would have drawn level around the half-hour but for Martyn's continuing excellence in goal for Leeds. After Keown had headed back a cross from Ray Parlour, the goalkeeper blocked Wright's firm close-range header.
Two minutes later Carlton Palmer's careless ball allowed Vieira to stride forward in midfield before sending Wright through for a shot which the advancing Martyn could not hold. The ball squirted to Merson, whose shot was true. Again Martyn was equal to it.
Wallace ended the half, however, by reminding Arsenal of where they were vulnerable, turning Tony Adams on the right before producing a centre which Keown, again alive to the danger, was forced to head behind.
The longer the match progressed the more Arsenal pined for the subtle skills of Dennis Bergkamp, who was completing a three-match suspension. For the second half Wenger replaced Stephen Hughes with John Hartson, which allowed Merson to go deeper.
Within three minutes the change had almost borne fruit as Hartson headed Merson's free-kick from the left against the outside of the right-hand post. Another four minutes and Vieira clipped the bar with a fierce rising shot.
Leeds's lead had again survived but they were not blocking off the opposition's channels as well as they had done earlier and Arsenal, with Lee Dixon and Morrow now in full attacking mode, were getting plenty of bodies into the goalmouth.
