Goals from Nuno Tavares, Bukayo Saka and Granit Xhaka helped the Gunners to secure all three points and move to the fourth spot in the league standings.
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Arsenal defeated Manchester United 3-1 at Emirates Stadium on Saturday to climb to the fourth spot in the Premier League standings. Meanwhile Cristiano Ronaldo’s 100th Premier League goal went in vain and Bruno Fernandes missed from the spot. The Gunners took an early lead through Nuno Tavares before Bukayo Saka doubled the lead from the penalty spot. Although Cristiano Ronaldo pulled one back for Ralf Rangnick’s side, Granit Xhaka’s second half strike restored the Gunners’ two goal lead and sealed the victory.
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Arsenal boost their top-four hopes after an entertaining encounter with Man Utd#ARSMUN pic.twitter.com/FBJDmxvbZ4
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 23, 2022
Mikel Arteta’s side made a dream start to the all-important fixture, taking the lead inside the opening three minutes. Xhaka sent in a cross from the left for Saka, whose effort was palmed away by the visiting goalkeeper David de Gea, but Tavares was lurking at the far post to tap-in and make the score 1-0.
In response, Cristiano Ronaldo raced into action with a clever back-flick and one-two with Bruno Fernandes. The ball rolled on to Anthony Elanga down the inside right channel, but the Englishman’s effort went straight to Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale.
United got a glorious chance to level the score when Ramsdale played a miss-pass to McTominay, who fed the ball to Fernandes on the edge of the box, but the Portuguese international’s effort was deflected wide by Arsenal defender Gabriel.
Six minutes before the half-hour mark, full-back Dalot’s effort rattled the woodwork. Immediately at the other end, Martin Odegaard flicks a ball down the inside-right channel to release Nketiah into the box. The 22-year-old is one-on-one with De Gea but fires straight to the keeper.
The hosts doubled the lead on 32 minutes when Saka converted from the spot after being fouled from behind by Alex Telles in the build up. Although Nketiah had put the ball inside the net, the 22-year-old was adjudged off-side by the VAR.
Two minutes later, United pulled one back when Ronaldo swept home from Nemanja Matic’s cross. The Portuguese forward became only the fourth United player to score 100 Premier League goal after a traumatic week personally after the death of one of his newborn babies.
In a show of support, Arsenal supporters gave the United number seven a round of applause in the seventh minute, as Liverpool fans had done in the midweek fixture which they won 4-0.
After the break, the Red Devils came out with a bit more intent and won a penalty within ten minutes. Matic’s header from a corner struck the arm of Tavares, the referee instantly pointed to the spot. Fernandes stepped up and sent Ramsadale the wrong way but struck the left-hand post.
The penalty miss proved costly as the momentum then shifted back to the Gunners and Xhaka scored their third of the night on 70 minutes. The Swiss footballer’s thunderbolt effort from outside the box went past De Gea and into the bottom corner.
Few minutes after the goal, Arteta introduced defender Rob Holding in place of winger Saka to provide a bit more defensive solidity. The Gunners went on to hold on to the two goal lead and secured all three points.
The result helped Arsenal to 60 points from 33 games, just three points away from fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who will play Brentford later in the day. Meanwhile the Red Devils’ Champions League qualification hopes suffered a blow as they remained at the sixth spot, six points adrift of the top four.
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