Arsenal vs Manchester United Report

Scorers: Timber 54’, Saliba 73’

Arsenal celebrated their 500th match at the Emirates Stadium with a convincing 2-0 victory over rivals Manchester United, extending their unbeaten home run to 13 games across all competitions and closing the gap on Premier League (PL) leaders Liverpool to seven points.

Early Drama as Arsenal Dominate the First Half

Arsenal began the match on the front foot, and within four minutes, Gabriel Martinelli capitalised on a poor clearance from André Onana to fire home. However, the goal was swiftly ruled out for offside, keeping the scoreline level.

Moments later, Thomas Partey squandered a golden opportunity to head Arsenal in front from a corner, failing to make a clean connection.

Despite their slow start, Manchester United grew into the contest with spells of possession but failed to threaten Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya, as they didn’t register a single touch inside the Gunners’ box during the opening 30 minutes.

Arsenal remained the more dangerous side, particularly from set pieces, with Martinelli narrowly missing the target from a loose ball in the box.

Arsenal Break Through with Set-Piece Precision

Arsenal’s pressure finally paid off early in the second half. Declan Rice delivered a well-placed corner and Jurrien Timber flicked it in at the near post, scoring the Gunners’ 21st goal from a corner since the start of last season.

The goal prompted Ruben Amorim to make a triple substitution for United, introducing Leny Yoro, who was making his competitive debut.

The Gunners nearly extended their lead shortly after, as Manuel Ugarte was forced to clear a potential own goal from Joshua Zirkzee off the line.

United’s first shot on target came in the 67th minute when Matthijs de Ligt tested Raya with a powerful header, but the Spanish goalkeeper produced a stunning save to preserve Arsenal’s lead.

Saliba Seals the Victory

Arsenal continued to dominate and doubled their advantage in the 75th minute from another set piece.

Bukayo Saka’s corner delivery to the far post was headed back into the danger zone by Partey, and William Saliba was on hand to bundle the ball over the line, securing the win for the Gunners.

Kai Havertz had a chance to add a third late on but failed to convert when slipped through on goal. Arsenal comfortably saw out the remainder of the match, with United offering little threat as Amorim suffered his first defeat as Manchester United manager.

Arsenal Close in on Liverpool, United Struggle to Build Momentum

Arsenal’s fourth consecutive league victory over Manchester United is a historic achievement and moves them closer to the Premier League summit.

With their unbeaten home record now standing at 13 games (W11, D2), the Gunners are proving to be formidable contenders.

For Manchester United, it’s back to the drawing board for Ruben Amorim. While the Portuguese manager has shown promise, his side lacked attacking intent at the Emirates and remains inconsistent. They will look to bounce back when they host Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

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Arsenal v Man Utd, 2024/25 | Premier League