Reiss goal sees Arsenal edge past Leeds in FA Cup

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Reiss Nelson celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

Arsenal's Reiss Nelson scored early in the second half to secure a 1-0 win over battling Championship leaders Leeds United in the FA Cup third round at The Emirates on Monday.

Nelson put a near full-strength home side ahead in the 55th minute, scrappily side-footing the ball into the net after the Leeds defence was caught out by an Alexandre Lacazette cross.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Joe Willock clashes with Leeds United's Jack Harrison Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

Arsenal, who have won the world's oldest cup competition a record 13 times -- but lost to Leeds in the 1972 final -- visit fellow Premier League side Bournemouth in the fourth round.

Leeds had taken the game to Arsenal straight from the whistle, pushing forward and blasting 11 shots on goal to the hosts' one in the first 25 minutes alone.

They dominated possession and striker Patrick Bamford was unlucky not to score after 15 minutes when he collected the ball from Jack Harrison but curled his close-range shot onto the bar.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Mesut Ozil in action with Leeds United's Stuart Dallas Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

Arsenal by contrast looked a shadow of the side who beat Manchester United 2-0 in the Premier League on New Year's Day.

But Mikel Arteta's side looked a different team in the second half, with Lacazette whipping an early free-kick off the bar and David Luiz going close before Nelson struck.

"Leeds are a great team and they pressed us, we didn't expect it. We got the goal in the end and that is the most important thing," said Nelson.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Reiss Nelson celebrates scoring their first goal with Alexandre Lacazette, Matteo Guendouzi and Sead Kolasinac REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

"This will give us confidence to go forward."

Lacazette said Arteta gave the players a firm talking to at halftime, although the manager made it sound less daunting.

"Now I'm really pleased but we saw two different teams from the first to second half. I tried to tell them exactly what they were going to face and after 32 minutes we'd won one duel," he said.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Reiss Nelson scores their first goal REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

"We changed our attitude, desire and organisation at halftime and then we were completely different. It was good for my players to learn and to suffer on the pitch."

Both sides fielded second-string keepers -- with Emiliano Martinez coming in for Arsenal and Illan Meslier for leeds -- and the home side were missing striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang due to illness, but otherwise they fielded strong lineups.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette in action with Leeds United's Gaetano Berardi and Barry Douglas in the penalty area REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

(Reporting by Hugh Lawson; editing by Ken Ferris)

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli in action with Leeds United's Luke Ayling REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Joe Willock in action with Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Mesut Ozil with manager Mikel Arteta as he is substituted REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Matteo Guendouzi in action with Leeds United's Stuart Dallas Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Sokratis Papastathopoulos reacts after missing a chance to score REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Sead Kolasinac in action REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Granit Xhaka in action with Leeds United's Jordan Stevens Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Arsenal v Leeds United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - January 6, 2020 Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe with manager Mikel Arteta as he is substituted REUTERS/Eddie Keogh