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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s second-half penalty was the difference between the two sides as Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in the 2020-21 Premier League.
The Arsenal captain’s 69th-minute effort from the spot condemned Manchester United to defeat in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s 100th match in charge of the Red Devils, who remain winless at home in the Premier League this season.
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Despite dominating the majority of the first half, thanks to a largely effective game plan of pressing high up the pitch, Arsenal did not have anything to show for their efforts as their finishing lacked the requisite decisiveness.
Manchester United took the game to their opponents after the break but were unable to create clear-cut chances and gave away a penalty when Paul Pogba was deemed to have fouled Hector Bellerin in the area.
Despite their best efforts to get back on level terms, Manchester United were unable to find a way past a well-organised Arsenal defence that held on to help secure the Gunners their first win at Old Trafford since 2006.
Arsenal now move up to eighth in the Premier League table and welcome Aston Villa to the Emirates next week. On the other hand, Manchester United stay rooted to 15th in the league table with a game in hand and much food for thought ahead of next weekend’s trip to Everton.
On that note, here are the five major talking points from Arsenal’s well-deserved 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
#1 Arsenal took the game to Manchester United from the start
Despite having an unfavourable record away against the so-called ‘Big Six’ sides, Arsenal went into their game against Manchester United with every intention of pressing aggressively and putting pressure on the home side.
Mikel Arteta’s tactics seemed to be clear from the first whistle as his side allowed Manchester United no time on the ball, backing up their excellent pressing with slick and purposeful passing upon winning the ball back.
Despite their efforts not bearing fruit in the first half, Arsenal withstood a sustained spell of Manchester United pressure at the start of the second. The Gunners stuck to their guns and were rewarded with a penalty midway through the second half, which they duly converted.
A strong rearguard action followed from the visitors, who held firm even as the home side pressed hard for an equaliser, as Arsenal turned out good value for their win.
#2 An evening to forget for Paul Pogba
Making his first start in the Premier League for Manchester United since his side’s 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur, Paul Pogba would have looked to make amends for a poor performance last month.
Unfortunately for Pogba and Manchester United, not only was the result the same as that against Arsenal’s London rivals, but the Frenchman also gave away a clumsy penalty, just as he did against Spurs.
However, while his indiscretion against Spurs was lost in the midst of a goal-fest, the Frenchman's latest error would invite much more scrutiny on his form, as it turned out to be the game’s only goal.
What makes matters even worse for the midfielder is that he did not offer much going forward either, despite being played in his preferred position on the left of midfield and relieved of much of his defensive responsibilities.
With Donny van de Beek waiting in the wings for a chance at a sustained run in the Manchester United starting lineup, it seems like only a matter of time before the Dutchman edges ahead of the Frenchman in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans for the club.
#3 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rediscovers his scoring boots
While Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang getting on the scoresheet for Arsenal has been a fairly common sight since his move from Borussia Dortmund, the talismanic striker had been going through an uncharacteristic dry spell in the Premier League this season.
The Arsenal skipper had not found the net in five league appearances for the Gunners, the longest such spell in his relatively short Arsenal career.
However, after going close on a couple of occasions in the first half, Aubameyang was handed the opportunity to break his drought midway through the second period after Paul Pogba clumsily brought down Hector Bellerin in the Manchester United box.
To his credit, Aubameyang showed no signs of rustiness in dispatching his spot-kick, which is sure to be a welcome sight for him personally as well as for the club.
#4 Thomas Partey's signing is proving to be excellent business for Arsenal
The deadline-day signing of Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid was greeted with much excitement and anticipation from the Arsenal faithful, who had seen and heard many positive things about what the midfielder could bring to their club.
The Ghanaian international has since gone straight into the Arsenal starting lineup and has wasted no time in proving his worth, putting in some commanding displays in midfield.
The game against Manchester United was slated to be the biggest test of his skills yet, but Partey passed the test with flying colours, shining alongside Mohamed Elneny in the heart of Arsenal’s midfield.
Thomas Partey’s impressive display at Old Trafford has reinforced his perception as one of the most complete midfielders in world football at the moment. The Ghana international was not only tough in the tackle but was also extremely able while bringing the ball forward.
Mikel Arteta will hop for more of the same from his newest acquisition as he aims to return Arsenal its past glory.
#5 A change in formation could be on the cards for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United
After achieving great success by switching to a midfield diamond in midweek, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deployed the same formation against Arsenal in the Premier League.
The only changes from his side's success against Leipzig in midweek came in the form of the personnel. Bruno Fernandes replaced Donny van de Beek at the apex of the diamond while Scott McTominay replaced Nemanja Matic further back.
However, just like in the Leipzig game, albeit for different reasons, Solskjaer saw fit to change the formation in response to the situation his side found itself in, thereby displaying his tactical flexibility.
While it will be interesting to see how Solskjaer fits Anthony Martial into the system after the Frenchman returns from his three-match suspension, it appears that the 4-1-2-1-2 system is one he has put his faith in at the start of games going forward.
