Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd: 4 positives and negatives from key win

2. Cedric & Nuno Tavares Disasters

Whether in the stadium or watching from home, there was no avoiding the vociferous pleas from the crowd to get both Cedric and Nuno off the pitch. They did not have afternoons to remember.

On the one hand, Nuno will. He scored his first goal for the club, at the Emirates, inside three minutes. His ‘cannon’ celebration was pretty neat, too. Unfortunately, that’s where the fun ends.

This was not a game for full-backs, on either team. Cedric was getting roasted alive by Sancho down the Gunners’ right side, was incredibly fortunate not to give away a penalty and had one standout moment – that can now be viewed as humorous – when he got in a total mix-up with Ramsdale and booted the ball out for a corner under no pressure.

His crosses were dreadful, his positioning poor, and the only surprise is that he didn’t get hauled off sooner for Tomiyasu.

As for Nuno…well, what is there to say?

There is no more apt word than chaotic. It can’t possibly be by design that the left-back in the team is picking up advanced positions in the penalty box that even Eddie Nketiah isn’t moving into. The guy averages more open play shots per 90 minutes than Lacazette, for crying out loud.

When Arsenal are up against the ropes he’ll be charging on the overlap and vacating acres of space to try and get onto an Odegaard through ball. Why? What are you doing there? It’s madness.

As for in possession, the second half was littered with woefully needless giveaways in dangerous positions, either on account of him not passing, or passing poorly. It was a miracle he stayed on the pitch, because Arteta took a huge gamble there.

Not a good day for full-backs.

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