Arsenal beats Leeds 1-0 to reach FA Cup fourth round

LONDON (AP) — Reiss Nelson secured Arsenal’s passage to the FA Cup fourth round by sealing a 1-0 victory over Leeds after the English Premier League side was initially outplayed by the second-tier opponent on Monday.

Nelson’s close-range finish from Alexandre Lacazette’s cross came 10 minutes into the second half. It was the 20-year-old striker’s second goal on his 29th appearance for Arsenal after being among four changes from the side that beat Manchester United last week.

Leeds out-shot Arsenal 15-3 and dominated possession in the first half and demonstrated why Marcelo Bielsa’s side is well placed to end a 16-year exile from the Premier League.

Leeds’ priority is clinching one of the two automatic promotion spots in the Championship, which the northern club leads with a nine-point cushion on third place.

The draw for the fourth round was made before the game at the Emirates Stadium and sees Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal go to Bournemouth next in the cup on the weekend of Jan. 25-26.

Arsenal is enduring a lackluster Premier League, sitting in 10th place after struggles that prompted the firing of Unai Emery.