Daniel Farke looking Pensive with 2003 Mark Viduka in circular inset
Credit: Imago/ Leeds United YouTube channel
Joe Elvin
Fri 22 August 2025 15:40, UK
Leeds United travel to Arsenal on Saturday aiming for their first victory over the Gunners since May 2003.
The Whites haven’t beaten Arsenal in 14 games since a 3-2 victory at Highbury handed the Premier League title to Manchester United.
This was an unforgettable victory for Leeds, not just because of the quality of all three goals, but also because it confirmed their Premier League safety for that season.
It was arguably one of the last classic Premier League performances from a famous era of Leeds United, as the club were relegated the following season and wouldn’t return for 17 years.
Leeds’ famous victory encapsulated the spirit of the club
Leeds financial meltdown began to take effect in 2002-03.
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They missed out on Champions League revenue after finishing 5th the previous season, and the club’s debts began to spiral.
Over £100million was owed to various creditors. Star players had to be sold. David O’Leary was sacked before the season started.
Terry Venables took over, but the team was sleepwalking toward relegation under him. Peter Reid was appointed in March in a bid to steer Leeds away from the bottom three.
It wasn’t an easy task. Leeds had no momentum. But on a famous afternoon, the players deservedly overturned an Arsenal side featuring the likes of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.
Arsenal needed to win to keep the title race alive. Leeds had their own ideas.
Screamers from Ian Harte, Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka handed Leeds the victory and granted them mathematical safety.
If only for one game, the spirit of Leeds was resurrected. A club being torn apart off the field, resurrected its soul on it. Through all the off-field chaos, they provided a performance that would have made Don Revie or Howard Wilkinson proud.
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Mark Viduka would be sold at the end of the 2003-04 season
Farke to end two-decade-plus wait vs Arsenal?
Daniel Farke brings his team to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, and he could do a lot worse than try to recapture the spirit of that famous match in 2003.
Leeds will go into this match as the underdogs, just as they were on that warm Sunday afternoon 22 years ago.
But rather than play like a relegation-threatened team, they brought the game to Arsenal that day.
They weren’t intimidated by the Gunners’ star players. Instead, they focused on their own attacking prowess.
Rather than sit back and hope for a draw, they took an early lead and were brave enough to regain it twice afterwards.
Farke spent this week talking about how the Leeds’ DNA involves attack-minded football. That could be the key to picking up a long-awaited victory in North London this weekend.
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