Arsenal Vs Manchester United: Recap, highlights and analysis

Arsenal continued their hopes of top four against Manchester United on Sunday. Here is the full recap, all the highlights and analysis from the 2-0 win.

What a crucial win that was. Arsenal, after seeing Liverpool drop points earlier in the day at home to Southampton, knew that a win would offer hope to haul their way back into the top four during the remainder of the season. However, drop points, in any way, and they could wave goodbye to protecting Arsene Wenger’s unblemished Champions League qualification record.

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Thanks to goals from Granit Xhaka and Danny Welbeck, I am writing this piece in far happier mood than usual. It was a good performance with many positives to be drawn, most specifically, the chance to, miraculously, finish in the top four.

The first half started in open fashion. While both sides wanted to sit deep and counter, there were moments where both sides looked to open the opposition. Aaron Ramsey had an opportunity well saved by David de Gea at one end, while Anthony Martial found success running the channels in behind the Arsenal defence, with one shot well saved by Petr Cech at the near post after a slid Wayne Rooney pass released him.

As the game progressed, it set into a nice rhythm. United attempted to spring a fairly high Arsenal back line with the pace of Martial, and did so partially on a number of occasions, while the wide channels were the main sources of profit for the home side. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain surged to the by-line repeatedly, showcasing his improved delivery once more, Aaron Ramsey probed with incisive runs from midfield down the inside-left channel and Danny Welbeck had a shot well blocked after a sharp turn in the box.

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And there continued to be chances for both teams. Aaron Ramsey was unable to pick out Danny Welbeck or Alexis Sanchez from a pull-back; Ramsey, again, couldn’t quite reach Sanchez’s beautifully clipped pass to the far post; Wayne Rooney had a close-range shot smothered by Petr Cech after he collected Rob Holding’s loose back pass with Laurent Koscielny strangely deciding to try and block the striker’s run, rather than work back towards the ball.

The first half ended with Arsenal in the ascendancy, stroking the ball about well in midfield, and stifling the United threat on the break. They weren’t able to engineer too many clear-cut opportunities but entered the break as the better side. A goal was needed, and boy did they find one. In fact, they found two.

With the game seemingly fizzling out, Granit Xhaka collected the ball from an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain throw in, strode forward, was never closed down and fired a speculative effort towards goal. Ander Herrera, the initial culprit for never attempting to close down the shot, then turned and ducked, with the ball looping over the abandoned David de Gea and into the gaping net.

And just three minutes, Arsenal doubled their lead. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain found a little space down the right flank, delivered a curling cross, evading the head of Chris Smalling. Danny Welbeck, who should have been marked far closer by Smalling, powered the header past de Gea, wheeling away in celebration.

After the goal, the game did peter out somewhat. Arsenal were happier to sit deep and relinquish possession, but gave up very little space in the final third in doing so, stifling the United attacks well, and remaining organised and disciplined in their positional work.

It was a surprisingly professional ending to the game from the Gunners. They saw out the threat of their visitors with relative ease, with the three-at-the-back system serving them well in the defensive third. Arsene Wenger got his team selection spot on, reinstating Rob Holding and dropping Olivier Giroud, with Holding’s greater calmness on the ball and Welbeck’s mobility causing United problems throughout the 90 minutes.

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There is a long way to go in the miraculous return to the top four. But this was an excellent start, one for a team in need of a boost of confidence.

Highlights