Report and reaction
Ole Gunnar Solskjær speaks. “We started slow, maybe a backlash from Wednesday night,” he says. “We were too slow the first 15 minutes – he [Xhaka] had time to hit that ball [for the opening goal]. But we created so many chances, so many more than when we beat them in the cup but that doesn’t help when the result is like it is. It is not scratching your head, sometimes that happens. We hit the woodwork twice, sometimes strikers take them. I know more than anyone, as a striker, that that can happen. I can’t remember any proper saves that David [de Gea] had to make. They didn’t really carve us open. It is one of those days, we have to dust ourselves down and now we play Wolves in the FA Cup.”
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Read David Hytner’s match report:
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang talks after an absorbing match. “I was confident, all of my team-mates give me a lot of confidence,” the goalscorer says. “Laca [Lacazette] gave me the penalty and that was cool from him. I was really focussed, I made a mistake against Tottenham by looking down at the last moment and not at Lloris. At the last moment I was looking down and that was my mistake. We practice this all the time and today it went in. I knew that it could be tough but I was really confident.” Of what the result does to the league table, he adds: “I think we have everything in our hands but we know it will be tough to finish in the top four. It was important to win this game today. We have a good spirit and we are hungry. We want to come back into the Champions League.”
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Full-time: Arsenal 2-0 Manchester United
All good things come to an end, and Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s unbeaten record in the league is over, after two months and 22 days. United had their fair share of chances but Arsenal were clinical when it mattered, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang passing his penalty down the middle of David de Gea’s goal after Granit Xhaka caught the goalkeeper by surprise to give the hosts an early lead. A brilliant reaction by Arsenal after a miserable defeat in Rennes on Thursday. Victory makes it nine consecutive home wins in the league for Unai Emery. Sweet Caroline rings around the Emirates at the final whistle as Arsenal return to fourth. Romelu Lukaku was brilliant without scoring for United and, on another day, would be leaving with the match ball. Bernd Leno made a string of key saves, while Fred also hit the woodwork.
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90+4 min: “I’m so impressed by Emery,” emails Ben Simmons. “Especially tonight it’s clear he’s coached Arsenal into intelligent game management. Smart fouls, a huge decrease of silly fouls in their own area. Players are much more disciplined and do not put undue pressure on themselves in games like this.”
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90+3 min: It’s absolutely bucketing it down.
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90+2 min: Young whips in a lovely, hanging cross from the right and Rashford is totally unmarked in the box. But his header is off target. These are horrible conditions, but the striker really should have tested Bernd Leno.
90 min: There will be five added minutes. Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side need another late show or more likely a miracle to rescue anything here.
88 min: “Tottenham Hotspur, we’re coming for you,” is the verse being belted out by 55,000-plus Arsenal fans. They’re lapping up this win, which will hoist them up to fourth and within a point of Spurs in the Premier League. Assuming United cannot force a comeback, they will trail Arsenal by two points in fifth.
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87 min: Rain is lashing down at the Emirates and Greenwood gets a little fortuitous on halfway as the ball zips through to him, but tries to do too much and comes unstuck.
86 min: Lacazette is replaced by the 19-year-old Eddie Nketiah.
85 min: Shaw furrows down the left to meet a Pogba pass, but another United move breaks down. Arsenal have won a meaty midfield battle, with Denis Suárez now mucking in alongside Xhaka.
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83 min: Lacazette scoops the ball away from Young before Iwobi takes over. He insists Arsenal should have a corner but instead United earn a goal-kick. They pile forward but, again, Granit Xhaka is there to intercept. He has been fantastic.
82 min: Fred overcooks his crossfield pass in search of Shaw. The home crowd rejoice in his error as Maitland-Niles kickstarts another move down the right.
81 min: Mason Greenwood replaces Nemanja Matic.
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80 min: But first, an Arsenal change: Denis Suárez, the Barcelona loanee, is on in place of Aubameyang, who receives a warm ovation. It is all hugs and smiles down on the Arsenal bench, with Mustafi and Mesut Özil seemingly getting the full lowdown on his penalty technique. Arsenal are very much enjoying this.
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77 min: And now Smalling is penalised for a foul on Kolasinac. It is just not happening for Manchester United, who are readying 17-year-old Mason Greenwood.
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76 min: Martial’s cross from the left almost drops kindly for Lukaku but Sokratis makes life difficult. In the end, Moss blows for a foul against the striker anyway.
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75 min: Pogba is booked for pulling Xhaka down on halfway. And that free-kick gives Emery the perfect chance to make a change, as Mesut Özil is replaced by Alex Iwobi.
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74 min: A quick stat: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the first player since Alexis Sánchez in 2016-17 to reach 20 goals in a single campaign for Arsenal.
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71 min: After Arsenal’s second goal, another brainless ‘fan’ stormed on to the pitch, making a beeline for Chris Smalling en route to joining the celebrations.
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70 min: And now Lacazette flashes just wide! Lindelof completely misjudges a bouncing ball and the Frenchman opts for power, but drags wide. Amid all of that, Ole Gunnar Solskjær made his first change and Matic was booked for his protests against the decision to award Arsenal a penalty. In terms of that change, Anthony Martial makes his return for Manchester United, in place of Dalot.
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GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Man Utd (Aubameyang, 69 pen)
Aubameyang coolly rolls it down the middle. De Gea dives to his left and the goalkeeper is livid with himself. Fred is equally fuming, albeit with Jon Moss, but the midfielder was stupid, giving the referee a decision by pushing Lacazette as he surged into the box. Unai Emery punches the air in delight.
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68 min: Arsenal win a penalty! Lacazette is knocked off the ball by Fred. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will take it ...
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67 min: Sokratis makes a crucial challenge as Fred attempted to jink inside and Arsenal will break ...
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64 min: Leno does well to smother the ball away from Rashford! The striker cleverly swivelled in the box after running on to a cute through ball. Aaron Ramsey squandered possession on the edge of the area and it almost proved costly, as Pogba dinked the ball into the path of Rashford but Leno was equal to it.
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63 min: Rashford breaks through the spine of the Arsenal midfield, powering towards the 18-yard box before spreading the ball wide for the marauding Luke Shaw. But there is Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who slides in to cut the ball out.
61 min: Arsenal gift United another sloppy free-kick on halfway, with Fred hauled down. United are probing but Arsenal have their own ideas of adding a second. On the touchline, Emery applauds another decent move, which culminates with Aubameyang’s shot being deflected across goal.
60 min: Lacazette and Kolasinac attempt to combine in the final third, but the former just overhits his return pass. United are growing in confidence.
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59 min: Fred and Pogba dummy for Rashford to let fly. It is not lacking power but it’s off target. Leno was fooled, at least.
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57 min: Pogba is bumped off the ball by Aubameyang, who was chasing back inside his own half. It was a clumsy challenge. United win a free-kick 25 yards from goal. It is a very inviting position. Rashford and Pogba both fancy it ...
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56 min: Maitland-Niles requires a dab of medical treatment.
54 min: Lukaku does superbly, collecting the ball on halfway, pirouetting away from Monreal, displaying some brute strength to power forward and pick out Rashford. He has linked really well with the England striker. United are probing and, as much as Arsenal have been dangerous, Ole Gunnar Solskjær must feel his side are nearing an equaliser.
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52 min: Koscielny is back up and moving. He required some treatment as a result of blocking two shots in quick succession, first from Fred and then Lukaku. It was Leno whose heroics prevented Lukaku in truth but Koscielny made strides to succesfully make life difficult for the United forward.
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50 min: Jon Moss turns down handball appeals after Fred’s strike cannons against Koscielny’s chest as the Arsenal defender dives in to block. Replays show there is not even a whiff of handball. But then Leno makes a brilliant stop to deny Lukaku, who expertly peels off Monreal, after the striker slid in by Rashford. Lukaku shoots at goal, but Leno makes the save with his right leg.
49 min: Fred does well to rob Lacazette of possession but Rashford and Lukaku are too slow to help him. Neither make the run and Arsenal steal back possession.
49 min: Rashford darts inside before taking aim. It’s high and wide.
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48 min: Matic floats a simple ball over the top for Lukaku and, for a moment, the Belgium striker is in one-on-one against Leno. But the Arsenal goalkeeper is quick to read the pass, racing out of goal to nip in and avert the danger.
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47 min: Sokratis hoofs clear Dalot’s low cross after United pour forward down the right. Ole Gunnar Solskjær appears to have tweaked things at the interval too, with Ashley Young returning his more orthodox role at right-back as United switch to a back four.
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46 min: Alexandre Lacazette gets us back under way.
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Half-time: Arsenal 1-0 Manchester United
Granit Xhaka’s swerving strike is the difference at the interval, and the Arsenal midfielder has been a ubiquitous presence; he had 43 first-half touches, more than any other player. And it was Xhaka that denied Rashford at the death moments before the break following a slick United move. United have struck the woodwork twice, through Lukaku and Fred, but Arsenal deservedly lead. The goal itself was a little bizarre, with Xhaka’s effort from 20 yards eluding David de Gea. As Aumogh Sengupta says on email, it looks like Ole’s wheel requires some oiling.
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45 min: There will be at least two added minutes. Rashford and Xhaka are both up and moving after colliding in the box.
43 min: United go through the gears, switching from defence to attack but, just as Marcus Rashford looks to pull the trigger, Granit Xhaka slides in to intervene. Pogba played a wondrous crossfield ball into Lukaku, who fed Dalot to cut it back for Rashford. But Xhaka does brilliantly, though hurts himself in the process. Arsenal are incensed as Jon Moss blows up, halting the counterattack.
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41 min: Aubameyang heads clear Young’s corner before Ramsey does brilliantly to nick the ball away from the United captain as he tried to recycle possession. Ramsey proceeds to penetrate down the United right before coming unstuck. United had an extra day to prepare, but Arsenal have displayed bundles of energy.
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37 min: Sokratis, who was sent off against Rennes in midweek, goes into Jon Moss’s book. The Greek defender is given a yellow card for a high foul on Pogba. Sokratis disagrees.
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35 min: Lukaku cannot apply the finish! A defence-splitting pass by Rashford carves open the Arsenal back line and when Lukaku powered into the box to race on to his strike-partner’s through ball, the United striker easily brushed aside Nacho Monreal and Laurent Koscielny. He opted to go round Leno, who went to ground, clawing at Lukaku with his right glove before blocking his effort. Lukaku is forced to dink the ball to the back post where Fred and Dalot are lurking but the move breaks down.
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34 min: Aubameyang rolls the ball into Lacazette, but he loses his footing at the crucial moment. Arsenal’s front two have been very busy; United look a little lost at how best to cope with them.
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33 min: Diogo Dalot has impressed off the bench for United in recent weeks but he has been a weak link so far here. Arsenal have found lots of joy surging down the absent United right. It looks like another tactical change for Ole Gunnar Solskjær too, with Ashley Young dropping into right-centre-back as United move to what looks like a back five. It is all very fluid.
30 min: United win a free-kick, but Luke Shaw’s delivery is poor.
29 min: Aubameyang flashes across goal! It is another devilish low cross from the left, akin to Kolasinac’s effort early on. Including Shaw’s ball in for Lukaku, we have had quite the exhibition of crossing. Fortunately for United, De Gea and co avoid diverting the ball anywhere and it bounces clear. Unfortunately for Arsenal, Lacazette cannot latch on to it to poke home.
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27 min: Pogba sprays the ball into Lukaku, who dinks a marvellous, lofted ball into the Arsenal area on the spin. But Rashford is surrounded and fails to reach it.
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26 min: Ole Gunnar Solskjær seems to be trying to get a message across to Pogba. It looks as though he’s gesturing he wants to change system. United look set to move to a 4-3-3. The experiment with Pogba wide on the left did not last long.
25 min: Unai Emery’s a happy bunny, applauding Arsenal’s start as Pogba wraps his right foot around the ball from 35 yards. Leno comfortably gathers.
23 min: Lacazette wrings Lindelof inside out before taking aim, with his effort deflected out for a corner by Smalling. Lacazette does brilliantly to win the initial header against Lindelof just over halfway, before bullying the defender, charging towards the 18-yard box. Lacazette’s shot is venomous, but Smalling helps it wide.
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21 min: Slick interplay ends with Ramsey skying his effort after meeting a neat cut-back by Maitland-Niles. The catalyst was more good running by Özil and Lacazette.
18 min: Fred smacks the post! United hit the woodwork for the second time inside the opening 20 minutes, this time with the Brazilian driving low from the edge of the box. It was clever hold-up play by Pogba to retain possession before laying the ball into the path of Fred, lurking 20-odd yards from goal. Leno got down nice and low – and may well have had it covered – but Fred’s effort ends up thudding against the post. Arsenal have been warned.
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15 min: A strange opening goal – albeit a great strike – has knocked United off course. They look a little wobbly. Some of them are still in Paris. David de Gea was frantically gesturing as if to say he had no chance with the way the ball moved.
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GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Manchester United (Xhaka, 12)
Just as United rattling the woodwork seemed to have sobered Arsenal’s positive start, Granit Xhaka takes aim from distance. Lacazette rolled the ball into his path and the Arsenal midfielder decided to have a pop. David de Gea is outsmarted by the cunning swerve on the strike and, it has to be said, the goalkeeper’s positioning leaves a lot to be desired. De Gea took a step to the left as Xhaka let fly and failed to get down low to his right to keep it out. It all happened so quickly but Xhaka’s strike ends up flying in down the middle of the Manchester United goal.
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9 min: Lukaku hits the bar! Pogba plays a smart one-two with Shaw, releasing the full-back to bomb on down the left flank. His first-time cross is delicious, bent in towards the box where Lukaku smashes goalwards, put off by the flailing legs of Nacho Monreal. Pogba recycles the ball and almost lays it on a plate for Fred, but Arsenal eventually clear their lines. That ought to get United going.
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6 min: Aubameyang takes aim, but it’s wayward! And a pocket of United supporters break into an inevitable rendition of “Ole’s at the wheel”. Even Alexa knows who’s at the wheel these days.
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5 min: Maitland-Niles finds Lacazette, who wins a corner, but the Frenchman fails to glance it goalwards. Unai Emery will be encouraged with his side’s start.
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4 min: It is a deep ball in towards the back post. Kolasinac keeps it alive and Arsenal win another second ball before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hooks the ball over. The hosts have made a promising start. United look a little startled.
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3 min: Arsenal win a free-kick 35 yards from goal. Xhaka will take ...
2 min: Kolasinac flashes a brilliant ball across goal – and Lacazette is inches away from making contact! A whipped cross plunges United into trouble, with Lacazette getting goal-side of Luke Shaw but, in the end, the ball bounces out for a goal-kick.
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1 min: Pogba has lined up on the left of a four-man Manchester United midfield. Down in the dugout, Solskjær is all smiles alongside his right-hand man, Mike Phelan.
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Peeeeeeeeeeeep!
Marcus Rashford gets things started at the Emirates.
Right, the teams are in the tunnel. Here we go!
Doh!
Chelsea’s failure to win means these teams kick-off ahead of Maurizio Sarri’s sixth-placed side in the Premier League. Arsenal are fifth on goal difference, a point behind Manchester United who have been transformed under Solskjær:
This is the 200th league meeting between these powers. Arsenal have won their past eight games on home soil, while Manchester United have won six on the bounce away from Old Trafford. Of his team selection, Ole Gunnar Solskjær says: “We had to find a balance, with Paul [Pogba] being available again that was a no-brainer, Nemanja [Matic] has been training well the last few days and Diogo [Dalot] again – we have some fresh legs out there.” The Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal admits Arsenal must improve. “We know we didn’t play a good game [against Rennes] but this is a totally different game, a different competition.”
Essential pre-match reading:
With Arsenal’s Champions League aspirations teetering on the precipice going into a week when both the top-four and the Europa League routes hang in the balance, Unai Emery is urging his team to wipe the frowns off their faces. Positive thinking is the order of the day. So, when he spotted one of his players looking particularly dejected as the squad regrouped at London Colney on Friday morning after a demoralising loss in Rennes, Emery decided it was not the best time for a tête-à-tête. Right now, he simply does not want to come into contact with any negative vibes.
Team news news: Unai Emery makes five changes from the Arsenal team defeated in Rennes, while Aaron Ramsey is preferred to Matteo Guendouzi. There is a rare league start for the lesser-spotted Mesut Özil, but Shkodran Mustafi has to make do with a spot on the substitutes’ bench alongside Alex Iwobi. Elsewhere Paul Pogba is back in for Manchester United after serving a European ban at Paris Saint-Germain in midweek. Diogo Dalot and Nemanja Matic also start, as Solskjær makes three changes.
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Team news!
Arsenal (3-4-1-2): Leno; Sokratis, Koscielny, Monreal; Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Ramsey, Kolasinac; Özil; Aubameyang, Lacazette
Subs: Cech, Mustafi, Elneny, Guendouzi, Suárez, Iwobi, Nketiah
Manchester United (4-3-3): De Gea; Young, Lindelof, Smalling, Shaw; Matic, Fred, Pogba; Dalot, Lukaku, Rashford
Subs: Romero, Bailly, Rojo, McTominay, Pereira, Martial, Greenwood
Referee: Jon Moss
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Preamble
Vieira v Keane, Keown v van Nistelrooy and, er, Guendouzi v Pogba? It may now be Ole at the wheel but this is always a supercharged fixture, one never short of needle. While these matches used to decide the title race, these days they tend to define which teams secure top-four berths come May. There is no doubting there is still an awful lot riding on this one; defeat could prove damaging, particularly for Unai Emery’s side, with eight games to play. Manchester United arrive in north London dizzily high on confidence after an extraordinary night in Paris in midweek, while Arsenal also returned from France but with contrasting emotions, leaving Rennes on a bum-note after Europa League defeat. The hardest job facing Ole Gunnar Solskjær – surely a shoo-in for the permanent gig – is seemingly keeping a lid on the noise surrounding a team thoroughly enjoying their football once more. “I am not here to get excited,” Solskjær said. “I am here to do my job. I am contracted to Man Utd until the end of June.”
United have won on their last two visits to the Emirates Stadium and another victory would be Solskjær’s 15th in 18 games, with the Norwegian steering his side into the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday. In terms of team news, Paul Pogba is back after serving a European suspension, while Anthony Martial is expected to return. There are also a couple of milestones to get mildly excited about: Laurent Koscielny will make his 250th Premier League appearance and Chris Smalling will make his 200th top-flight bow for United. For Arsenal, Alexandre Lacazette is back from suspension but Lucas Torreira serves the first of a three-match ban after being sent off in the north London derby.
Kick-off: 4.30pm (GMT)
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