Pain in the Arsenal
Fansided

Arsenal Vs Manchester United: 5 things we learned – Hope in despair

By Andrew Dowdeswell

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 29: Sead Kolasinac of Arsenal applauds fans during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on April 29, 2018 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 29: Sead Kolasinac of Arsenal applauds fans during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on April 29, 2018 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – APRIL 29: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Arsenal is closed down by Alexis Sanchez of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on April 29, 2018 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – APRIL 29: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Arsenal is closed down by Alexis Sanchez of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on April 29, 2018 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

4. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has something to prove

This was an extremely busy and determined performance from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, his first game back since hobbling off against CSKA Moscow earlier this month. This time playing on the right wing, he was noticeably motivated, wanting to prove himself as worthy. And he had great reason to.

Not only was he back at Old Trafford, a place that he had struggled at for 18 months, but he was playing against the very player that he had been swapped for, one that was deemed as valuable with six months remaining on his contract, as he was with several years left to run.

Mkhitaryan scored the Gunners’ only goal of the game, a low, driven effort that cut across the face of David de Gea and neatly nestled into the bottom corner of the goal, and he largely outshone his adversary, Alexis Sanchez, who was muted for large periods of the match. The chip on Mkhitaryan’s shoulder is easy to see. He has something to prove, and it is making him a better player.