Mikel Arteta turns attention to ‘defining’ Tottenham game after Arsenal see off Leeds

Mikel Arteta is ready to lead Arsenal into what could be the “defining moment” of their season when they travel to Tottenham on Thursday knowing victory will seal a return to the Champions League.

A brace from Eddie Nketiah was just about enough to secure a 2-1 victory over 10-man Leeds on Sunday to leave the Gunners on the cusp of ending a five-year wait for top-tier European football.

Leeds rallied despite having Luke Ayling sent off before the half-hour and pulled one back through Diego Llorente but have slipped into the Premier League bottom three.

Arsenal now sit four points clear of their neighbours in fourth place and move to within just a single point of Chelsea ahead of them.

Victory in Thursday’s rearranged north London derby would be enough to seal a Champions League berth for the first time since 2017 and Arteta is excited by the prospect.

“We are going to go for that match with the same enthusiasm that we always do but knowing that this can be a defining moment,” he said.

“It can be another layer of motivation for us to really go for it. I can’t wait for the game.

“We have earned the right to play that game in that context. We started the season with nine or 10 players out and playing the best two teams in Europe.”

Arsenal appeared to be coasting to another win as Nketiah struck twice in the opening 10 minutes, first stealing the ball off the toe of Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier before turning home a Gabriel Martinelli cross.

That was as good as it got despite Ayling’s dismissal but Arteta refuted the suggestion his players eased up in the second half.

“It wasn’t taking our foot off the gas,” he added.

“It was just to try to play the game that we have to in that phase. We showed a lot of maturity not to