Leeds United were minutes away from ousting Arsenal from the FA Cup on Saturday, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw and a replay in the end.
Robert Snodgrass’s penalty early in the second half at the Emirates Stadium had Simon Grayson’s side on course for a third round shock for the second successive year, 12 months after they beat Manchester United at Old Trafford. However, Cesc Fabregas emerged from the bench to keep Arsenal in the Cup with a 90th-minute spot kick of his own.
Wojciech Szczesny, Kieran Gibbs and Nicklas Bendtner were among those handed a start for a much-changed Arsenal as the likes of Fabregas and Theo Walcott joined Aaron Ramsey, back after a broken leg and a loan spell at Nottingham Forest, on the bench. The Championship side included Sanchez Watt, who Arsene Wenger allowed to play despite the fact that he is on loan to Leeds from the Gunners.
Leeds approached the game with confidence and top scorer Luciano Becchio dragged an early shot wide before they were opened up at the other end and Andrey Arshavin raced clear onto Tomas Rosicky's clipped pass. Kasper Schmeichel was fast off his line though to deny the Russian.
The clever Snodgrass then slipped Becchio in and Szczesny was called on to deny the Argentine as Grayson’s men gave very much as good as they got.
Arshavin tested Schmeichel again with a half volley and Jonny Howson had to clear a Sebastien Squillaci attempt off the line, a feat repeated by Becchio minutes later as Arsenal looked to up it. Denilson and Bendtner were also denied by Schmeichel as the promotion chasers made it to the break at 0-0.
Bendtner looked to make more of an impact after the restart and made life hard for the Leeds defence, but it was in the Arsenal area that the next major action of note came as, nine minutes after the resumption, Denilson felled Max Gradel with his trailing leg and referee Phil Dowd rightly gave Leeds a penalty.
To the delight of the vocal away support, Snodgrass stepped up and found the net with power despite Szczesny getting a slight touch.
Wenger took action straight away as Fabregas was introduced for Alex Song and Leeds needed Andy O’Brien to make a great headed clearance when Marouane Chamakh looked certain to head home an equaliser from Rosicky’s cross.
Leeds then came close to doubling their shock advantage when Bradley Johnson’s cross was turned behind Szczesny and, from Snodgrass’s subsequent corner, the young Pole brilliantly pushed away a goalbound Becchio header.
Walcott replaced Chamakh next and Carlos Vela came on for Rosicky, yet it was Leeds, if anyone, who looked more like scoring a second, Snodgrass again threatening with a free-kick that swerved and nearly deceived Szczesny, before the Scot tried to play in Gradel but the Gunners defence cleared.
An Arsenal chance finally came from a Fabregas free, but Bendtner headed over after rising above everyone and Walcott then failed to beat Schmeichel when a great Arshavin pass put him clean through.
Late on, the Gunners thought they had a penalty when Walcott went down in the area under an Alex Bruce challenge but, after what seemed an eternity, it was Leeds who had a free for offside. The reprieve though was a short one.
Just moments later Walcott raced through again and this time was hauled back by Ben Parker. The spot kick was awarded and Fabregas smashed it to Schmeichel’s left to save the ten-time winners.
Indeed, Arsenal had several chances to win it over five minutes of stoppage-time. However, Walcott and Bendtner could not find the target and Schmeichel made a stunning save from Denilson's 20-yard shot, leaving the sides needing to do it all again at Elland Road in ten days’ time.