Arsenal earned a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Manchester United at a rain-soaked Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, extending their impressive run of form. The win showcased Arsenal’s dominance in set-piece situations and raised further questions for United’s new head coach Ruben Amorim, who suffered his first defeat in four matches.
Key Moments
The Gunners were the stronger side overall, but it took a well-executed corner in the second half for Jurrien Timber to head them into the lead. Once the breakthrough came, Arsenal exploited their set-piece prowess further, with William Saliba doubling the advantage in a similar fashion.
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Arsenal had the ball in the net early when Andre Onana’s poor pass was intercepted, leading to Gabriel Martinelli’s finish. However, the goal was ruled out for offside against Kai Havertz. The Gunners kept up the pressure, with Thomas Partey squandering a close-range header and Martinelli firing wide after a corner.
United, adjusting to Amorim’s system, were compact defensively but offered little in attack during the first half. Their only notable chance came late in the half when Diogo Dalot’s drilled shot narrowly missed the target.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Arsenal probing and United holding firm until Rice’s corner found Timber, whose glancing header beat Onana. A near-identical corner soon after almost resulted in another goal, with United’s Joshua Zirkzee narrowly avoiding an own goal.
United’s best chance to equalize came when Matthijs de Ligt’s header was acrobatically saved by David Raya. However, Arsenal sealed the win with another corner, as Bukayo Saka’s delivery was nodded across by Partey, allowing Saliba to bundle the ball home.
Substitute Mikel Merino nearly added a third for Arsenal, narrowly missing with another header, as the Gunners comfortably saw out the game.
Takeaways
Arsenal’s ability to exploit set-pieces proved decisive, while United’s lack of offensive threat highlighted the challenges Amorim faces in reshaping the team. Mikel Arteta’s side continue to build momentum, with their tactical execution and resilience on display yet again.