It was an afternoon of total frustration for Arsenal. They hit the woodwork three times, had a goal disallowed for offside, then claimed that Viduka was offside before he finished Dominic Matteo's pass for the decisive goal.
Viduka admitted: "I had a look at the linesman because I was coming back. We got a bit of luck today, but the way we worked, we deserved it."
Viduka, Ian Harte and Harry Kewell took advantage of Arsenal's defensive frailties in the absence of the suspended Sol Campbell and the injured Lauren. The Gunners also desperately lacked the drive and imagination of injured skipper Patrick Vieira.
The signs were ominous for Arsenal in the opening minutes. Gilberto Silva slammed an early header against the bar before Kewell replied with Leeds' first after five minutes, a stunning first-time strike from 30 yards across David Seaman.
Arsenal levelled on the half hour. Paul Robinson turned Ray Parlour's shot against the junction and Thierry Henry headed in the rebound. Henry proceeded to fire against the post, only for Sylvain Wiltord to be flagged offside as he turned in the loose ball.
Harte then stunned the Gunners with a 48th-minute free kick that nicked off Gilberto and past the unsighted Seaman. That was the signal for an Arsenal assault.
Too often their intricate football foundered against Leeds' massed defence, although Dennis Bergkamp did flick home Robert Pires's centre for a 63rd-minute equaliser.
Twelve minutes later, the Dutchman fed Henry, who curled a low shot against the inside of an upright with Robinson beaten.
It was the story of the Gunners' afternoon. But they didn't just lose the championship today. Arsene Wenger will look back on a season littered with games when Arsenal led but failed to press home their advantage. Newcastle, Liverpool and Bolton spring immediately to mind.