Arsenal took a massive step in their quest to win the title today, after the Gunners beat rivals Manchester United in a hugely entertaining game at the Emirates.
Premier League leaders Arsenal started in electric form, but after Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey failed to hit the target with half chances Manchester United began to find a foothold in the game.
In the 17th minute, Erik Ten Hag’s side went from working their way into the game to being in the lead. Man-of-the-moment Marcus Rashford brilliantly nutmegged Partey in the centre of the pitch before unleashing a ferocious strike that was past Aaron Ramsdale and into the bottom left-hand corner in an instant.
Arsenal continued to look dangerous every time they got into the final third though and seven minutes later they would level the scores. A neat team move ended with Granit Xhaka whipping in an inviting cross from the left which striker Eddie Nketiah gladly headed past David de Gea.
Eight minutes into the second the Emirates would explode when Arsenal took the lead and it would once again be a goal laced with real quality. Bukayo Saka skipped inside Christian Eriksen before curling a marvellous strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards out.
United reacted well to going behind with Rashford forcing his England colleague Ramsdale into a superb save with a close-range effort, a save that got even better after replays showed it had taken a deflection.
Just before the hour mark United would draw level with a looping header from diminutive centre-back Lisandro Martinez after Ramsdale had failed to properly deal with a Christian Eriksen cross.
On 83 minutes it was De Gea’s turn to pull off a world-class stop when the Spaniard showed razor-sharp reflexes to get down low and push away a Nketiah half-volley.
Mikel Arteta’s side piled the pressure on throughout the last 20 minutes and in the 90th minute Nketiah expertly guided home from a couple of yards out after Odegaard’s shot had been deflected into his path.
Your defence is in trouble!!! 🎶📞 #GodsPlan @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/Dw9ltLW7T7
— Eddie Nketiah 📞 (@EddieNketiah9) January 22, 2023
Arsenal remain in top spot – five points clear of Man City with a game in hand – after today’s game and speaking afterwards their manager was beaming with his side’s display.
“Emotional, a lot of passion, a lot of quality. It doesn’t get much better than that,” Arteta told Sky Sports.
”After the derby, to come here against this team and play the way we played. The second half especially, the performance was incredible.
“To win it in that way makes it even better.
“We were composed and determined at the same time. We managed the moments in the game. We never panicked.
”We always believed that we could win it. We showed the right composure in the box a lot of times but the ball didn’t go in. Thankfully at the end it did.”
