Gunners beat Leeds 3-1 at Elland Road

Leeds United’s FA Cup dream was ended by Arsenal as the Premier League side won an enthralling third-round replay 3-1 at Elland Road

Goals from Samir Nasri and Bacary Sagna put the North Londoners 2-0 up but a wonder-goal from Bradley Johnson sent Leeds right back in it.

Both sides exchanged second-half chances - with Leeds almost equalising on two occasions - but Arsenal scored next, as Robin van Persie came off the bench to kill the game from a masterful Nicklas Bendtner cross.

The Gunners are now the only side in England who can win all four major tournaments, while Leeds go back to their Championship promotion campaign knowing they can mix it with the best sides in Europe.

Roared on by a packed and passionate home crowd, Leeds were bright and positive but clearly missed injured striker Luciano Becchio as much of their direct build-up play lacked a quality outlet.

Arsenal, meanwhile, played to their strengths - counter-attacking at will with Andrei Arshavin seeing more of the ball than in recent weeks and Nasri, as ever, pulling the strings.

They took the lead five minutes in when Nasri played a deft low finish past Kasper Schmeichel after a scintillating passing move involving Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh.

The Gunners were tearing Leeds apart at times, with Schmeichel making a remarkable save from a bullet Chamakh header and first Arshavin and then Bendtner failing to convert driven far-post centres from Chamakh and Sagna respectively.

They added a deserved second on 34 minutes when, after picking a loose ball up on the right wing, Sagna cut into the box and - from an angle - smashed a vicious drive into the top left, Schmeichel disappointed not to keep it out after getting a touch.

But three minutes later Leeds were back in it, and in some style.

Arsene Wenger was furious that Richard Snodgrass was not penalised for an apparent shove on Arshavin: the winger’s cross broke off Laurent Koscielny to Jonathan Howson, who fed Johnson on the edge of the box as he unleashed an unstoppable, brilliant left-foot strike that left Wojech Szczesny helpless as it fizzed into the top right.

The second half was seconds old when Arsenal almost restored their two-goal lead, Schmeichel atoning for the second goal with a smart, near-post stop from Alex Song after Nasri sent him bounding through.

Snodgrass then turned defender to deny poor Arshavin a simple tap-in, appearing from nowhere with a brilliant slide tackle after Arsenal carved Leeds’ defence apart, and that moment of heroism appeared to rejuvenate the hosts.

In quick succession Billy Paynter and his replacement Davide Somma both missed superb opportunities to level after brilliant balls from the right wing.

Paynter, Becchio’s hard-working stand-in, was unable to reach the ball after his super run off Johan Djourou made him a target for the excellent Max Gradel’s fizzing cross. He was soon substituted and, within seconds, South African striker Somma could only watch as Snodgrass’s excellent delivery spooned off a divet, on to his knee and out for a goal kick.

Wenger sensed danger and brought on the cavalry, introducing Cesc Fabregas to get a grip on possession and Van Persie to provide a more stable outlet up front.

And it worked a treat, the Gunners skipper at times glued to the ball and, with 14 minutes left, Van Persie rising unmarked at the far post to head home a quite superb cross from the otherwise hit-and-miss Bendtner.

Leeds refused to give up, hurling the kitchen sink and more at Arsenal with the sight of Schmeichel almost heading home an injury-time corner reminiscent of his more famous father.

But Arsenal were comfortable in truth and closed out a win that keeps alive narrow hopes of an unlikely but possible quadruple.