David Hytner was at the Emirates, and his report is in. Off you click! Thanks for reading this MBM.
Ralf Rangnick gives BT his verdict. “We showed an improved performance, but in the end, it’s a disappointing result. We bounced back well from the early goal and had numerous chances to score more goals. The only weak side of our performance was that we didn’t defend well inside and around box. For me there were also three unlucky VAR decisions. The third goal of Arsenal was clearly offside, David [de Gea] said to me he couldn’t see the ball. The second goal of Cristiano was definitely not offside. There was another handball decision in the first half. We were not happy with those VAR decisions, but it was an improved performance. It would have helped us a lot if [the missed penalty] was the equaliser and would have changed the whole game. But we didn’t, we hit the post, we hit the post twice, plus the crossbar. So in the end, very unlucky for us. There is nothing about the attitude of the players that we should fault today.” And are the chances of a top-four finish kaput? “Pretty sure. Even before this game it was not very likely, but after this result top four is gone, yes.”
Mikel Arteta speaks to BT. “It’s a big performance in a game that had everything. We created chances, we had to suffer, there were moments when we lacked energy and they were on top, we were really efficient in the boxes, we had luck. They have exceptional players, and I am so happy to win the game. This [the fight for fourth place] is going to be a rollercoaster. Today it went in our favour.”
Granit Xhaka talks to BT. “I’m very happy I helped the team with the goal. It’s a long time since I scored. It’s always good to score at home with the fans. With the family I had here today as well. But the most important thing is the points. I like to score against United. To win 3-1 against United is very important. It is not the first time we score and concede straight away, we did it twice against Chelsea. We have to be more clever and strong mentally. They missed a penalty which helped us a lot, and after 3-1 the game was finished.”
That’s a huge result for Arsenal. They’ve jumped ahead of Spurs into fourth place, putting pressure on Antonio Conte’s side to get all three points at Brentford later today. For United, six points shy now of Arsenal having played one more match, dreams of Champions League involvement next season appear solely of the pipe variety. This is their fourth consecutive away defeat in the top flight, the first time that’s happened since a dismal six-game stretch at the tail end of the not-particularly-fondly remembered Dave Sexton era. Erik ten Hag has a job to do, all right.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Chelsea | 31 | 39 | 62 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 33 | 12 | 60 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 32 | 18 | 57 |
| 6 | Man Utd | 34 | 2 | 54 |
| 7 | West Ham | 33 | 9 | 52 |
FULL TIME: Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United
It’s three precious points for Arsenal in the race for fourth place! Manchester United’s bid for Champions League qualification looks a bust.
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90 min +3: Mata tries to launch a desperate attack, but the Xhaka goal took the wind out of United’s sail. They’ve done nothing since.
90 min +2: BT Sport co-commentators Steve McManaman and Glenn Hoddle name Martin Odegaard as their man of the match. Meanwhile Ronaldo goes into the book for a cynical trip on an in-flight Tomiyasu.
90 min +1: The first of four additional minutes ticks by without incident.
90 min: Tomiyasu comes on for Cedric. “I think the ref let Bruno off with a yellow because he knew there was no way he’d try and injure Tavares deliberately,” suggests Tom Atkins. “Tavares was United’s best chance of getting back into the game.”
88 min: Arsenal take their turn, to a chorus of wound-salting olés.
86 min: Some sterile midfield possession for United, which is no good to them really.
84 min: Fernandes, one poor challenge away from a (slightly) early bath, is replaced by Mata.
82 min: Lindelof comes through the back of Nketiah, and he’s the latest player to go into the referee’s notebook.
81 min: McTominay tries to release Ronaldo with a long rake down the inside-left channel. Ronaldo can’t bring the pass down, Ramsdale gathers, and turns out the flag went up for offside anyway.
80 min: Elneny is booked for standing on McTominay’s foot. This is getting feisty. A fair chance the game won’t end with 22 players on the pitch.
78 min: United make a double change, replacing Matic and Elanga with Rashford and Lingard.
76 min: Fernandes, red mist down and dander up, goes in studs showing on Tavares. He’s caught his man on the ankle, and is lucky just to see yellow. VAR has a check, but doesn’t escalate matters.
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74 min: Saka has pulled something, and can’t continue. He’s replaced by Holding, as Arsenal look to shore things up.
73 min: Incidentally, when Fernandes missed his penalty kick, Ramsdale got all up in his grille, bringing to mind the infamous Martin Keown / Ruud van Nistelrooy incident of all those years ago. “I’m not sure if I believe in the church of Ramsdale,” writes Ciarán Brennan. “I personally don’t like my goalkeeper to be so occupied with his banter levels at all times. De Gea is a bit of a recluse, think he likes Slipknot, that’s more what I’m looking for.”
71 min: VAR checks whether Nketiah, standing in an offside position, was obstructing De Gea’s view. Nope. The goal stands!
GOAL! Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United (Xhaka 70)
Arsenal claim a penalty kick for handball, Saka flicking onto the arm of Telles. They’re not getting one. Never mind! The ball’s recycled back to Xhaka, who pearls one into the bottom right from 25 yards.
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68 min: Tavares, increasingly all over the place, tugs at Elanga’s shirt, and he goes into the book. One exasperated fan can be clearly heard screaming at Mikel Arteta: “We can all see it! Get him off!” Everyone’s a critic.
67 min: Xhaka is booked for deliberately hoicking a dead ball into the stand.
66 min: Gabriel and McTominay enjoy some rough-house on the floor. An absurd wrestling match that seemingly sprang out of nothing, one of those incidents in which neither player did too much wrong, only for both to misinterpret the other’s actions. It all calms down quickly enough.
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64 min: Martinelli comes on for Smith Rowe. Then Tavares, seemingly hell bent on letting United back into this match, bundles into the back of Elanga, who was making towards the box from the right wing. Absurdly, no foul is given. It happened just outside the box, so as it isn’t a potential penalty, VAR can’t get involved.
63 min: For the second time in the game, Dalot rattles the woodwork! He bombs down the right and pearls a shot towards the top right. Ramsdale tips the ball onto the post, the ball twanging away. This continues to be one of the daftest games played in the Premier League in a long while.
61 min: Ronaldo looked miles off ... but VAR shows that he wasn’t. Just a couple of inches in it, White’s trailing leg nearly playing him on. So close.
60 min: United keep the pressure on, though. Elanga threads a shot towards the bottom-left corner. Ramsdale tips away. McTominay shoots from a tight angle on the right. Tavares blocks. Fernandes then flicks a header down the inside-right channel. Ronaldo, his back to goal, swivels and sweeps a majestic shot into the bottom left. The flag goes up for offside, though.
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58 min: A huge let-off for Tavares there. Penny for the thoughts of Ronaldo.
Fernandes misses the penalty!
57 min: A skip and a stutter. He sends Ramsdale one way ... but clips the base of the left-hand post! Ramsdale celebrates wildly as Fernandes hangs his head.
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56 min: VAR spends an age checking it. Why? It’s as obvious as they come. Anyway, the decision’s eventually rubberstamped. Fernandes to take.
PENALTY for United!
55 min: The corner’s hit long. Matic challenges for a header at the far stick. He heads the ball against the arm of Tavares. The referee instantly points to the spot. Why on earth was Tavares holding his arm high in the sky?
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54 min: Sancho, Matic and Elanga take turns to run at White down the left. They win a corner. From which ...
52 min: Saka has a go from distance. Another wild effort. Arsenal are seeking out the third goal that should seal the deal.
51 min: The ball trundles slowly towards Matic. He takes his eye off the ball and lets it roll apologetically out of play. So careless. From the resulting throw, Arsenal stream forward, switching the play to the left, where Tavares drops a shoulder to send Dalot sliding hysterically out of the game, cuts into the box ... and skies an awful shot miles high and even further wide right.
49 min: Sancho goes on a dribble down the left touchline. He takes four men with him. He eventually runs out of road, but that was an exciting cameo.
47 min: Arsenal are on the front foot. United haven’t seen much of the ball since the restart.
Arsenal get the second half underway. “Before you linked Eno I’d already stuck this on, former Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla’s tape loops album,” writes Vince Ives. “A constant source of respite for me whenever Arsenal are defending a one-goal lead. I don’t think the inside of Nuno’s brain sounds like this. I think it sounds like white noise and thunderstorms and F1 cars. United would be having a better time if they could decide which full back to target.”
Half-time chill-out zone. Relax and float downstream. You’ll need all of your energy for the second half.
HALF TIME: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United
Fifty minutes of high-octane fun comes to an end. Just the three goals. It could have been 5-1, 2-6, or anything in between.
45 min +3: The corner nearly results in a goal ... up the other end, as Arsenal counter, Odegaard powering a shot through a crowded box. De Gea saves well.
45 min +2: Ramsdale’s distribution has been comically poor this afternoon. He shanks one out of play under no pressure whatsoever. From the resulting throw, Dalot aims for the top left from distance. Ramsdale redeems himself with a fine save. He goes to gather ... only for Cedric, again under no pressure, to hack out for a corner! A total lack of communication and a whole load of panic.
45 min: ... but they’ll have to wait for it. There will be five added minutes.
44 min: The first drop in energy. Both teams perhaps dreaming of their half-time cup of tea.
42 min: A United corner leads to Odegaard taking a whack upside the head. A brief pause in play. Odegaard is checked and good to go.
40 min: Elneny steers a diagonal shot from the edge of the box towards the bottom left. De Gea extends to save brilliantly. From the resulting corner, Saka’s shot from the middle of a melee is blocked. There is no way this match will end 2-1.
38 min: Incidentally, when Ronaldo scored - his 100th Premier League goal, by the way - there was no ostentatious celebration. Instead, he quietly and discreetly crossed himself before sending a kiss to the heavens.
36 min: Telles goes down, taking an accidental whack in the mush. An opportunity for everyone to calm down? Arsenal don’t take it. Ramsdale and White exchange risky passes that very nearly let Sancho in on goal. They eventually clear. This game is absurd.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United (Ronaldo 34)
United are back in it! Sancho feeds Matic down the right. Matic curls to the far post, where Ronaldo sticks out a telescopic leg to thrash home. Simple as that! Tavares and Gabriel were standing around doing nothing, mind, making things very easy for Ronaldo there.
Updated
33 min: Fernandes has a long list of grievances, and he’s reading them out to the referee. It’s fair to say United aren’t happy with the penalty decision.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Manchester United (Saka 32 pen)
Saka gives De Gea the eyes, sends the keeper one way, and slots into the bottom left. What a cool penalty, after such a lengthy VAR kerfuffle.
Updated
31 min: Telles is booked for the foul. Saka, fresh from penalty success at Chelsea, will take the spot kick.
NO GOAL ... Arsenal 1-0 Manchester United ... but PENALTY!
29 min: VAR is checking for offside. Yep, Nketiah was an inch or two off. But they’re also going to check for a penalty, Telles having shoved Saka in the back as he received the ball. The referee goes over to the monitor, and ...
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Manchester United (Nketiah 27)
It’s fair to say a goal has been coming. But at what end? Here we go. Odegaard pings another ball down the inside-right channel. Saka, his back to goal, tries to shield the ball from Telles. The ball pings left to Nketiah, who takes a touch and slams home.
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25 min: Arsenal go up the other end and nearly make it two. Odegaard flicks a ball down the inside-right to release Nketiah into the box. He’s one on one with De Gea, and lashes hard. Straight at the keeper, though, who parries.
24 min: United hit the bar! Dalot arcs a full-blooded effort over Ramsdale and towards the top left. It’s really travelling but hits the woodwork and twangs out. Ronaldo tries to recycle the ball but no dice.
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23 min: Sancho dribbles down the left and into the Arsenal box. Cedric falls to the floor, and the ball deflects off his arm. You’ve seen penalties given for less, but neither referee nor VAR shows any interest.
21 min: A bit of space for Elanga out on the right. An exchange of passes with Dalot, who cuts back for Ronaldo. From the right-hand edge of the D, Ronaldo sends a screamer inches over the bar. Neither defence looks exactly watertight.
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19 min: Odegaard sends a weak effort high over the bar.
18 min: Nketiah busies himself down the inside-left channel and is shoved over from behind by Elanga. Free kick, just to the left of the D. Odegaard’s eyes light up.
16 min: Sancho wriggles out of a tight spot on the left and wins a corner. A lovely dribble. Nothing comes of the set piece, but United have responded pretty well to the early blow of the goal ... in attack, anyway. The defence still looks a shambles.
15 min: Elanga zips into the Arsenal box from the right and goes over in the environs of Tavares. He’s looking for the penalty, and though VAR takes a look, he isn’t going to get one.
14 min: Nketiah once again nearly springs the United defence, scuttling down the left this time. Dalot and Varane, attempting a pincer movement on Nketiah, nearly clatter into each other, but somehow avoid catastrophe and clear.
13 min: Odegaard is this close to releasing Nketiah down the inside right with a forensic wedge. Varane gets in the way, just in time.
12 min: From the corner, McTominay wins another header, though stretching at full capacity, he’s got little chance of getting this one on target. It sails high over the bar.
11 min: United should be level. Ramsdale plays a ludicrous pass straight to McTominay, who slips Fernandes into space on the edge of the box. Fernandes tries to chip the keeper, but Gabriel hares in to deflect the shot out for a corner.
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10 min: Saka goes down and requires a little bit of treatment. After some running repairs, he’s good to continue.
8 min: The clock turns to seven, and Arsenal’s fans applaud in a show of sympathy for Cristiano Ronaldo and his family. A lovely gesture.
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7 min: McTominay rises to meet the corner, six yards out. He should hit the target at least, but heads harmlessly wide. That little burst of activity might give United some much-needed succour.
6 min: Ronaldo springs United into action with a clever backflick and a one-two with Fernandes. Suddenly the ball’s rolled down the inside-right channel for Elanga, who tears into the box but shoots straight at Ramsdale, who turns away for a corner.
4 min: That was a fine Arsenal move, though Telles should surely have cut out Xhaka’s cross. He was all over the shop.
Updated
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Manchester United (Tavares 3)
Arsenal certainly are! Xhaka swings a couple of balls into the United box. United half clear. Xhaka has a third go, from the left. The ball drops to Saka, on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. Saka aims for the bottom left. De Gea fingertips it out, but only to Tavares, who bundles in from a couple of yards. Oh United.
Scott McTominay (centre) and Bruno Fernandes look dejected after Arsenal took an early lead. Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters
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2 min: A brisk, if uneventful, start to the game. Both teams seem full of energy.
Before kick off, a moment of applause in memory of former Arsenal chief scout Steve Rowley. The man who spotted Tony Adams, Ray Parlour and Cesc Fabregas. RIP. Then the knee. There’s no room for racism. Manchester United get the ball rolling.
The teams are out! Arsenal are in their Herbert Chapman-approved red tops with white sleeves, while Manchester United are blue in both shirt and spirit. A lovely sunny day in north London, if a little blustery. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes!
Ralf Rangnick speaks to BT. Should the announcement of Erik ten Hag’s impending arrival give the players a boost? “I don’t know, to be honest. It shouldn’t, actually. We owe that to ourselves, to our supporters, to everybody at the club, that we show the best of us today and get a good result.” He also says that the bomb threat made to Harry Maguire “is not the only reason” the world’s most expensive defender has been benched.
Mikel Arteta also talks. Are Arsenal going into this match on a high after the Chelsea result? “That game is gone. Now it’s Manchester United and this is our focus. We know how important this is for us.”
Some retro pre-match fun.
Just the one change for Arsenal after the 4-2 win at Chelsea. Cedric returns at right back, allowing stand-in Ben White to move back to central defence. Rob Holding drops to the bench.
Manchester United make five changes in the wake of the 4-0 fiasco at Anfield. Cristiano Ronaldo returns from compassionate leave. Raphael Varane, Scott McTominay, Alex Telles and Jadon Sancho also start. They replace the injured Paul Pogba, and the benched Marcus Rashford, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Maguire has been rested after his bomb-scare ordeal earlier in the week.
The teams
Arsenal: Ramsdale, Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tavares, Elneny, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Nketiah.
Subs: Leno, Lacazette, Holding, Tomiyasu, Pepe, Sambi Lokonga, Martinelli, Azeez, Swanson.
Manchester United: de Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Varane, Alex Telles, McTominay, Matic, Elanga, Bruno Fernandes, Sancho, Ronaldo.
Subs: Bailly, Jones, Maguire, Mata, Rashford, Lingard, Henderson, Wan-Bissaka, Garnacho.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire).
Preamble
Once upon a time, this was the Premier League rivalry. The fixture that would decide the title. It will surely come around again some time, too. But for now, here we all are. And to be fair, it’s not as though today’s meet-up isn’t a biggie in its own right. Arsenal sit fifth, Manchester United sixth, and both harbour hopes of nicking fourth spot and making it to the Champions League next season. This might not decide the destination of the Premier League, but there’s plenty riding on it nevertheless.
Only problem is, both teams blow hot and cold to a preposterous degree. Arsenal won five in a row not so long ago. They followed up that sequence with four losses in five, then last Wednesday rocked up at Chelsea and routed their London rivals 4-2. Good luck guessing which Arsenal turns up today. United are similarly unpredictable, in so much as they’re completely all over the shop. Can they respond to Tuesday’s humiliation at Anfield? We’ll soon find out. Kick off at the Emirates is at 12.30pm BST. It’s on!
