Arsenal defeated Manchester United in a five-goal thriller, with Eddie Nketiah flicking in a late winner to keep their Premier League title challenge alive.
Since replacing the injured Gabriel Jesus, the striker has been on fire and has already scored seven goals in as many games, including Sunday’s last-second winner that gave their team a 3-2 victory over their former rivals at the Emirates Stadium.
Marcus Rashford maintained his own impressive run of play for United with a beautiful goal that was quickly cancelled out by Nketiah before Bukayo Saka put Arsenal in front with his own top-notch effort.
After some shoddy defence, Lisandro Martinez, who was a target for Arsenal last summer, equalized for United, but Nketiah would turn home an errant Martin Odegaard shot to secure a victory.
After Manchester City’s consecutive victories following Arsenal’s victory over Tottenham had cut their eight-point lead at the top to just two, Mikel Arteta’s team played magnificently under pressure.
In their attempt to repeat their Old Trafford triumph from September, United, the only club to defeat Arsenal in the Premier League this year, is off to a great start.
Despite having an early penalty appeal rejected after Bruno Fernandes was fouled by Aaron Ramsdale, they were celebrating the lead in the 17th minute. Referee Anthony Taylor’s decision to dismiss the appeals was backed by the VAR’s rapid review.
Thomas Partey easily lost control before Rashford sprinted by him and arrowed home a superb low finish.
Arsenal, showing the sort of response of any side with title ambitions, bounced back soon after as Nketiah nodded home a Granit Xhaka cross after losing Aaron Wan-Bissaka far too easily.
The game opened up from that point, Scott McTominay – in for the suspended Casemiro – forced a smart stop out of Ramsdale with a strike from the edge of the box.
Arteta was booked by referee Taylor following his protestations at a Luke Shaw foul on Saka as the first half ended with the sides locked level.
That would change just eight minutes after the restart as Saka, afforded too much space and time, curled home an inch-perfect strike from 25 yards to put Arsenal ahead.
A first United goal for Licha 🫶#MUFC || #ARSMUN pic.twitter.com/ONkfSnCrF1
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 22, 2023
Ramsdale put in a man-of-the-match display in the 2-0 win at Spurs last week and made a great save to deny Rashford levelling with a deflected effort.
The England goalkeeper, however, was culpable for United’s equaliser after a mix up with half-time substitute Takehiro Tomiyasu at a corner allowed Martinez to head in his first Red Devils goal.
Having shared four goals, both teams went in search of the winner as Saka struck from a similar position only for this effort to deflect off Christian Eriksen and clip the post.
Leandro Trossard, who joined Arsenal from Brighton on Friday, came on for the final 10 minutes to make his Arsenal debut as David de Gea made a smart close-range stop to deny Nketiah a second.
Chasing greatness ✨@Arsenal have never had a higher points tally halfway through a #PL season! pic.twitter.com/WKSDFq1RUr
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 22, 2023
Arsenal were now very much on top with United unable to get out of their own penalty box for large spells.
Eriksen led a rare foray forward for the visitors, winning a corner for a brief respite but the Arsenal pressure eventually told as Nketiah’s reaction to throw a boot at an Odegaard effort saw him divert the ball past De Gea.
A VAR check followed but the former England Under-21 striker was played onside by Wan-Bissaka and the goal was awarded, sending the Emirates wild and putting Arsenal five points clear of City with a game in hand.