Eddie Nketiah scored a stoppage-time winner to grab the 3 points for Arsenal in a scintillating game against Man United. With that, Arsenal now have 50 points at the halfway stage, more than any team ever had. And they are now ever closer to that first title since the Invincibles.
The game itself was a very watchable game, and perhaps the best game of the weekend in terms of the quality of the teams. In the build-up to it, both sets of fans were quite nervous. United were aware of the high quality of this Arsenal side, while Arsenal hadn't forgotten that United are the only team to have beaten them this season.
Right from the get-go, the match was played at a high tempo. Arsenal kept the majority of the possession, as they did at Old Trafford, while United patiently set up a mid-block and waited to counter, something they excel at and have given oppositions nightmares through it recently.
The scoring started from an unbelievable long ranger from Rashford in the 17th minute. He picked the ball, skipped past the challenge from Partey and then took a shot from way outside the box, into the bottom left corner to make it 1-0. This was Rashford's ninth goal in as many games. He is in red-hot form right now. Only Haaland has scored more goals than him post world cup.
Nketiah then equalised within 7 minutes, in the 24th minute, through a header. Wan Bissaka failed to defend a routine cross, and Nketiah pounced on it on the back post to make it 1-1. Earlier, De Gea's pouring passing decisions led to the corner that led to the goal. Clearly Man United need more back-ups and a better ball-playing goalkeeper. Nketiah too continues a great run of form, doing well to replace the injured Gabriel Jesus. Arteta has a good headache awaiting him when Jesus returns.
In the second half, Saka scored a worldie in almost the same fashion as Rashford, in the 53rd minute to give Arsenal the lead. With little pressure from Eriksen, Saka took the shot from a few yards outside the right side of the box. De Gea, being unsighted and surprised by the shot, couldn't react in time and the ball slid into the bottom left corner to make it 2-1. Saka has now scored 3 goals in 3 appearances against United.
In a similar fashion to the first equaliser by Arsenal, United scored an equaliser through Lisandro Martinez within 6 minutes. Martinez scored a beautiful diving header after Ramsdale had punched out a corner by Eriksen to make it 2-2. This was the first goal scored by the Argentine world cup winner in United colours.
Arsenal applied the pressure and tightened the screw from the 75th minute, relentlessly attacking the United goal, but the Red Devils held on, till the very last minute when a brilliant ball from Odegaard saw Nketiah score a tap-in to win the match for Arsenal, who are now well and truly leading the title race, if there even is one. Arsenal are now 5 points clear at the top with a game in hand.
The Arteta project has started to bear fruit in its third year. This young side, playing some brilliant football, has the whole of the football community applauding the work done to get here. The players were really good today in terms of mentality. Ten Hag got his tactics spot on and Arsenal weren't doing so well tactically. But they help their nerve, made the necessary changes and won a deserved win. Saka and Odegaard were especially good, running the United defence rugged with relentless attacks. And Nketiah also did really well to score his goals.
United missed Casemiro dearly in this game. There were so many moments in the game where you could pinpoint that Casemiro would have won the ball back at that position and started an attack. Individual errors cost United today, but there is no denying there is progress being made. Within 6 months, Ten Hag has gotten what was a lifeless team laying football that has them going toe-to-toe with the title leaders.
The whole football community rejoiced today as the old Arsenal-United rivalry seems to have been reborn again from today. One can only hope that the 2 teams that won the first 11 PL titles can rekindle that era and fight for the league once again in the coming years.
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