Arsenal showcased the stark contrast in quality between the upper and lower echelons of the Premier League, securing another emphatic away victory, this time against Sheffield United on Monday night.
Eager to respond to victories from title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City over the weekend, the Gunners exhibited devastating attacking prowess, capitalizing on porous home defending to establish a commanding 5-0 lead at Bramall Lane by halftime.
The opening 45 minutes saw Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Declan Rice finding the net, alongside Jayden Bogle’s unfortunate own goal. Ben White added the finishing touch with a goal in the 58th minute to complete the scoring.
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Despite the raucous atmosphere at Bramall Lane, hinting at a challenging night for Arsenal, the early signs suggested otherwise, with Bukayo Saka narrowly missing an early chance that rebounded off the crossbar. Shortly thereafter, Odegaard opened the scoring in the 6th minute, redirecting a cutback from Rice for his sixth Premier League goal of the season.
The hosts’ woes continued when Bogle inadvertently turned Saka’s cross into his own net in the 13th minute. Arsenal swiftly increased their lead to 3-0, with Jakub Kiwior setting up Martinelli for a clinical finish moments later.
Kai Havertz added the fourth in the 25th minute, benefiting from Martinelli’s assist, and Rice joined the scoring spree with the fifth before halftime, courtesy of Saka’s byline delivery.
This goal marked Arsenal as the second team to score at least five goals in three successive top-flight away matches, with Burnley achieving a similar feat back in September 1961. Additionally, Arsenal, Brighton, and Aston Villa have all outscored Sheffield United at Bramall Lane this year.
The second half saw Arsenal fans waiting 13 minutes for the first goal, as manager Arteta substituted Saka at halftime to manage his workload. Ben White, an unexpected source of goals, delivered the sixth with a powerful strike.
Although changes in the final half-hour disrupted Arsenal’s rhythm, no further goals were added after White’s strike, leaving the hosts embarrassed. Sheffield United remains stuck in the bottom three with slim hopes of avoiding relegation, while Arsenal looks to sustain their title charge against Brentford on Saturday.