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Eddie Nketiah's late goal sent the Emirates into raptures as Arsenal beat Manchester United 3-2 on January 22 (Sunday). The visitors took the lead through Marcus Rashford, but Eddie Nkeitah equalized the score in the first half.
A topsy-turvy second half saw Lisandro Martinez's header cancel out Bukayo Saka's piledriver from outside the penalty box. Academy product Nketiah's improvised backheel drove Arsenal to a much-needed three points at the end.
Arsenal were forced to chase the game following an exquisite goal from Marcus Rashford, who went past Thomas Partey and found the bottom left corner with a thumping finish in the 18th minute.
Gabriel Martinelli was presented with an excellent chance four minutes later. The Brazilian, who was unmarked from a corner, failed to keep the ball on target and equalized the game.
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However, it was a different story a minute later. Granit Xhaka's brilliant cross was met by Eddie Nketiah at the far post to level the game. The young striker's point-blank header was too much for David de Gea, who watched the ball sail into the back of the net.
The Red Devils broke away on the counterattack, and slick football nearly paid dividends. Scott McTominay's shot was parried safely by Aaron Ramsdale after a good piece of work from Antony.
Bukayo Saka drove the Gunners into the lead for the first time with an absolute peach of a goal to beat De Gea from outside the penalty box. The winger's unstoppable shot found the bottom left-hand corner in the 53rd minute.
Lisandro Martinez leveled the score from absolutely nothing in the 58th minute. Aaron Ramsdale's weak punch afforded Martinez the opportunity to produce a fascinating looping header to level the score in the 59th minute.
It was an end-to-end game, but the men in red got the decisive touch. Oleksandr Zinchenko pulled the ball back into the penalty box, where it reached Martin Odegaard. Skipper's shot was diverted onto the path of Eddie Nketiah, whose acrobatic backheel won the game at the death.
Arsenal player ratings
Aaron Ramsdale - 6.5/10: Aaron Ramsdale produced an exceptional save to deny Marcus Rashford in the second half, but he was culpable for Martinez's goal by failing to get a strong hand on the cross. He, particularly, was not tested apart from these two moments.
Ben White - 5/10: Ben White struggled throughout the first half as Marcus Rashford got the better of him. The defender also gave possession away cheaply on a few occasions. He was taken off after the first half.
William Saliba - 6.5/10: William Saliba looked on and off throughout the game. He failed to close Marcus Rashford down for the opening goal but kept his composure for the rest of the game. He did not give a breather to Weghorst.
Gabriel - 7/10: Gabriel won duels against Weghorst convincingly and stopped Antony by using his physique. The center-back also brought his aerial prowess into this game.
Oleksandr Zinchenko - 7.5/10: Although Zinchenko started at left-back, he played as a midfielder to allow Granit Xhaka to get into attacking areas of the pitch. His role was crucial in unlocking the Gunners' attacking momentum at the end.
Thomas Partey - 6.5/10: Marcus Rashford's ability to run through the middle caused problems for Partey. The Ghanian could've done better for United's first goal, but his tackling and physical ability helped Arsenal regain possession on a few occasions.
Granit Xhaka - 7/10: Granit Xhaka's fantastic header helped Arsenal pull back in the first half. He kept the midfield ticking, but felt worn off later on in the second half.
Martin Odegaard - 7.5/10: Martin Odegaard registered a lucky assist for the third goal, but his overall play was impeccable. He was running the show in the middle of the park and was a serious threat to the Red Devils.
Bukayo Saka - 8.5/10: Bukayo Saka unleashed a thunderbolt from distance to score Arsenal's second goal of the night. The Englishman was causing chaos through the right-wing and created chances after chances when the Gunners were in possession.
Gabriel Martinelli - 6/10: Gabriel Martinelli was not effective on the left wing as he struggled to overcome a resilient Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The Brazilian was not at his best and found it hard to cut into the right side of United's backline.
Eddie Nketiah - 10/10: You couldn't have asked for anything more from Eddie Nketiah. The forward was in the right place at the right time on a couple of occasions to push the side to the victory line. He dropped deep to link up the midfield and forward lines. His overall game gave the Red Devils a tough time.
Substitutes:
Takehiro Tomiyasu - 7.5/10: Tomiyasu, who replaced Ben White at halftime, produced a solid second-half display. The right-back negated Marcus Rashford's threat and was able to get higher up the pitch to assist Arsenal's attackers.
Leandro Trossard - 7/10: Making his debut, Leandro Trossard's delayed pass to Zinchenko, which led to Arsenal's third goal, played a huge part. He showed glimpses of his ability to make things happen with his feet.
Rob Holding, N/A: He came on during the latter stages of the game.
