Arsenal took advantage of Premier League leaders Liverpool dropping points with a 2-0 win at home to Manchester United on Wednesday. Arne Slot’s Reds were held to a dramatic 3-3 draw by Newcastle earlier in the evening, allowing their rivals to make up ground in the title race.
The Gunners had the ball in the net inside four minutes when a poor pass from the back by Andre Onana was intercepted by Oleksandr Zinchenko, whose pass was bounced back by Kai Havertz to Gabriel Martinelli to finish, but an offside flag went up against the German and the goal was chalked off.
The hosts should have had the lead with their first corner of the night after Declan Rice’s delivery picked out Thomas Partey at the near post, but the ball bounced off his shoulder and behind.
United’s first opportunity came when Mason Mount’s second delivery from a quick free-kick was swiped back into the box by Harry Maguire. The defender’s low delivery was cleared by Jakub Kiwior but only as far as Diogo Dalot, who flashed a shot narrowly past the far post.
Mikel Arteta’s side upped the ante after the break in search of an opening goal, and they got their reward when Rice’s teasing corner was glanced up and in by Jurrien Timber on 54 minutes – his first in Arsenal colours since his 2023 move from Ajax.
Another in-swinger was cleared off the line by Ugarte moments later when Joshua Zirkzee diverted the ball towards his own net, while David Raya was at full stretch to claw away a Matthijs de Ligt header down the other end.
To the surprise of nobody, Arsenal found their second goal from a corner once more. Bukayo Saka’s delivery travelled all the way to the back post for Partey to head back across the six-yard box, and the ball bobbled in off the ribs of William Saliba.
A third ought to have followed when Mikel Merino found himself completely unmarked for Saka’s next cross, only for his header to drop wide.
GOAL rates Arsenal’s players from the Emirates Stadium…