Manchester United were ‘gunned’ down in North London as Arsenal rose to the challenge in remarkable fashion, after a disappointing derby defeat against Tottenham Hotspur exactly a week ago.
As entertaining as the first half was, it ended goalless; given the extent of possession and penetration Arsene Wenger’s men had, this was a surprise. Granit Xhaka finally broke the deadlock less than ten minutes into the second half with a long-range effort - that took a generous deflection off Ander Herrera’s back – before nestling into the top corner, leaving David de Gea swatting at thin air.
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A couple of minutes later, boyhood fan and erstwhile Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck slotted a header home from an Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain cross, sending the Emirates crowd into raucous applause.
Jose Mourinho reacted by making a couple of substitutions but by then, Arsenal had momentum and confidence and did not let things get out of control.
Here are our five talking points from the game.
#5 Lucky 13 as Wenger records first Premier League win over Jose
Arsene Wenger recorded his first ever Premier League win against a side managed by Jose Mourinho and it could not have come at a better time, given their position in the league table.
It is also the Gunners’ first ‘competitive’ win over a Mourinho team since Wenger took over; their only other win across all competitions came in the 2015 FA Community Shield game.
Wenger has faced off against teams managed by the Portuguese 12 times before Sunday’s face-off in the league, drawing on seven occasions and losing five. They have also come up against each other twice in the League Cup, with the incumbent United manager victorious on both counts.
Over Mourinho’s two stints at Chelsea and the current season at United, he has managed to come up trumps in the battle against the veteran Frenchman.
However, it was 13th time lucky for Wenger, as his side notched up a crucial league win, faced with the threat of finishing outside the top four for the first time since he has taken charge. It also brought to an end a 25-match unbeaten run for Jose Mourinho & co., a bunch of which were tepid draws played out at home.
#4 Jose prioritises Europa League by ringing in wholesale changes
The Manchester United manager made as many as eight changes to the side that took to the pitch in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final against Celta Vigo on Thursday.
In doing so, he has provided a not-so-subtle indication that all of the Red Devils’ Champions League qualification hopes are currently pinned on the Europa title.
De Gea returned between the posts in place of Romero while Chris Smalling and Phil Jones were in charge of the central defence, taking over from Eric Bailly and Daley Blind. Axel Tuanzebe started at right back in place of Antonio Valencia – who captained the side at Celta - while Matteo Darmian retained his place.
Michael Carrick was back in the centre of the pitch alongside the ever-present Ander Herrera; Juan Mata made his first start since March after being an impact substitute in the last few games, following a stint on the sidelines due to a groyne injury.
Marouane Fellaini sat out through a suspension, courtesy of a red card earned in the Manchester derby at the end of April while Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard were rested as games come in thick and fast at the business end of the season.
Given that United have three not-so-easy league fixtures to negotiate successfully – against Spurs, Southampton and Crystal Palace – besides having to rely on others slipping up, Mourinho’s strategy to prioritise Europa makes sense.
After all, the outcomes of the Europa league games are dependent solely on his team’s performances. Will the method of putting all eggs in one basket as far as UCL hopes are concerned cost United big?
#3 Youth makes a mark; Holding and Tuanzebe impress
Injuries, suspensions and Europa League priorities combined to ensure that a few youngsters took to the pitch for both teams in a vital fixture. It was noteworthy that they kept their cool and did nothing to give away their age or inexperience on the pitch.
19-year-old Axel Tuanzebe made his full debut for Manchester United in an unfamiliar slot at right back, his usual position being in the centre of defence. The fact that he managed to effectively neutralise Alexis Sanchez speaks volumes about why the defender is so highly rated by Mourinho and his staff.
The Congo-born teenager enjoyed his duel with the Chilean and refused to back down from challenges, giving the Arsenal attacker a tough time.
Another youngster - this one from Wenger’s team – seems to have carved a niche for himself in Arsenal’s relatively new 3-man defensive unit. Rob Holding, all of 21 years old, is as calm and composed as they come – clearing the ball, strong in the air, making long passes which manage to find his teammates on more occasions than not.
Shkodran Mustafi may be nursing an injury, but the Englishman has ousted Gabriel from the starting line-up, making a name for himself amongst players and fans. If his account against United is anything to go by, Arsenal seem to have bought one for the keeps!
#2 Welbeck and Chamberlain shine; Ramsey steals the show
Wenger fielded the strongest possible Arsenal XI against United in a 3-4-3 formation, with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil both starting along with Granit Xhaka, Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck.
It was, however, a certain Welshman who deservedly grabbed headlines and hogged all the limelight at the Emirates. Aaron Ramsey put in a riveting performance, one which earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.
It was from his low drilled shot that De Gea was forced to make a stunning save in the early spells of Arsenal’s domination in the first half. He was everywhere - solidifying the midfield, making runs in behind, shooting – name it, you got it.
Danny Welbeck returned to haunt his former side with a brilliant header, strong in the air despite the presence of Chris Smalling in close quarters.
Chamberlain has certainly been a find on the wings for the Gunners, cutting in at will, shooting and crossing, besides also tracking back. It was from his cross that Welbeck scored, making it the former Saints academy product’s seventh assist of the season, a number which equals his tally from his previous 5 seasons combined for the Londoners.
#1 Race for top four blown wide open
The race for the top four has been blown wide open and made further interesting with an Arsenal win as the Gunners refuse to go down without a fight.
Sunday’s first game saw Liverpool host Southampton which culminated in a frustrating draw for the home side, besides dealing a blow to their quest for the top four. It did, however, guarantee a Champions League spot for Spurs along with Chelsea, leaving four teams to battle for the remaining two places.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have 70 points from 36 games and are in third place, followed by Manchester City with 69 points who have a game in hand. United are fifth with 65 points, having played as many games as City while Arsenal have 63 points from 34 matches.
City look favourites to clinch the third spot after their battering of Crystal Palace on Saturday; they play Leicester City and West Brom at home before travelling to Watford for the final fixture of 2016/17.
Liverpool have a tricky away game to deal with against West Ham next week followed by the last game of the season at Anfield against (nearly?) relegated Middlesbrough. If the Reds win both their games, they are pretty much assured of a top four finish. However, anything less than six points from their last two games would mean that at least one of United or Arsenal have an outside chance of making it.
While United have trips to Spurs and St. Mary’s before closing off the season at Old Trafford against Palace, Arsenal have to navigate trips to Southampton and Stoke before hosting Sunderland and finally, Everton.
If indeed neither of United or Arsenal make the top four, it will be the first time in 38 years that such an event has occurred. Come May, who will have the last laugh?
