Arsenal and Manchester United renew hostilities in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon in a contest that could make or break both clubs’ top-four hopes.
Arsenal rekindled their Champions League hopes with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Chelsea in midweek, but Ralf Rangnick’s side succumbed to Liverpool in a 4-0 defeat.
On Wednesday night, Eddie Nketiah took just 50 minutes to equal Alexandre Lacazette’s Premier League open play goal count for the season, as the 22-year-old led the Arsenal charge in a spectacular display at Stamford Bridge to halt their three-game losing streak.
Following Lacazette’s COVID-19 recovery, Nketiah took advantage of Chelsea’s defensive lapses to score his first Premier League brace, along with goals from fellow Hale End graduates Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, the latter ending his Euro 2020 penalty woes with a confidently-taken spot-kick right at the death.
We’ll never know if Erik ten Hag was watching on Tuesday night, but the Manchester United manager-elect would have had a fair idea of the task ahead of him at Old Trafford as the Red Devils were ripped apart by Liverpool on Merseyside.
Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah (2), and Sadio Mane all carved their way through the United defenders in an awful showing from Ralf Rangnick’s side, and the German was the first to concede after the game that the squad is in desperate need of a major revamp.
Man United came to the Emirates with only two wins in their past seven Premier League games, having lost each of their last three away from home, while Rangnick’s side has yet to keep a Premier League clean sheet on the rival ground since the turn of the year.
The ideal start
The pressure applied by Arsenal in the first few minutes was telling. Arsenal appeared to be more dangerous on the left side of the field.
Granit Xhaka receives the ball and passes the play to Bukayo Saka. Raphael Varane and Alex Telles both miss the kick. Saka shoots, and David De Gea simply hands it into the path of Tavares, who scores an open goal.
Something isn’t quite right about Man United’s defense. Arsenal, on the other hand, maybe regarded to be in the same boat.
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Both teams benefited from long balls over the top.
Dalot’s long-range attempt loops around Ramsdale and lands on the bar. United is gaining ground.
Eddie Nketiah is one-on-one with De Gea thanks to Martin Odegaard’s brilliantly timed assist, but the youthful striker smacks it straight at the Spanish goalkeeper.
Telles is said to have taken out Saka before Nketiah, who was on the wrong side of the goal, scored. Saka converts the penalty kick to make it 2-0.
In the 34th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th goal, bringing Manchester United back into the game.
Manchester United has been spurred on by Ronaldo’s strike to find a way to level the score. Arsenal’s defense appears to be in a state of fear.
The second half starts with What appeared to be a straightforward path to three points has suddenly morphed into a completely different fixture.
WATCH THE PENALTY TODAY
Bruno Fernandes hits the goal pots. This is a terrible penalty. After the missed penalty, the Emirates has gone totally insane! Aaron Ramsdale is pounding the air, while Arteta is energizing the audience. In the fight for the top four, there’s a lot of money on the line!
After VAR checked for offside, Ronaldo scored again in the contest, but it was ruled out.
Granit Xhaka makes it 3-1 with a thunderous shot from outside the area that left David De Gea speechless with the ball in the net.
After missing a penalty and narrowly avoiding a red card, Bruno Fernandes was substituted by Juan Mata. He gave a poor performance.
Arsenal has gained three crucial points in the race for fourth place! Manchester United’s attempt to qualify for the Champions League appears to be a flop.
