ARSENAL have beaten Man Utd in a frantic clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Nuno Tavares gave Arsenal a dream start against Man Utd as he took advantage of some shambolic defending.
Eddie Nketiah then thought he’d doubled Arsenal’s lead, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
But the Gunners did get a second from the same incident, as the footage of the offside also showed Alex Telles had committed a foul, leaving Bukayo Saka to score the resulting penalty.
However, Cristiano Ronaldo halved the deficit and emotionally pointed to the sky as he netted just days after losing his baby son.
Bruno Fernandes then had the chance to equalise from the penalty spot after Tavares clumsily handballed.
But he instead stroked his spot kick onto the outside of the post.
And that miss proved costly as Granit Xhaka fired in a long range thunderbolt to make the game safe for Mikel Arteta’s side.
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Worth it’s weight in gold
It is debatable today as to what finally secured this game for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Whether it was Bruno Fernandes’ missed penalty or Granit Xhaka’s thunderbolt of a strike, the feeling at the Emirates Stadium is all the same.
VAR causing more controversy
The premise of bringing in video technology was to completely address subjective refereeing decisions and to provide consistency to the league.
We all expected there to be no grey areas anymore with the game being played to the letter of the law.
Sadly, we are still being left with decisions to analyse and are reviewing errors made by the officials.
The powers that be need to look at the way VAR is applied to the game and the part it plays.
Nobody expected a finished product from day one but there are too many instances where the issue at hand is not being addressed correctly.
North London affair ahead
It is starting to look more likely that the race for fourth place in the Premier League table will be between two North London rivals.
Arsenal sit in fourth currently, three points clear of Tottenham with Antonio Conte’s side having a game in hand.
They meet each other on May 12th at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a crunch encounter that could determine the fate of fourth place.
United we stand
Ralf Rangnick’s comments after United’s defeat at Anfield were not well received by all fans at Old Trafford.
Truth hurts and this team has failed all of their seven managers since the departure of Alex Ferguson.
The problems at the club are a lot deeper than a managerial appointment, Erik ten Hag has a huge rebuilding project ahead of him.
FT: Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
The referee brings the game to a close much to the roars of celebration from the home fans.
Big result for Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal team.
That Bruno Fernandes missed penalty really cost Ralf Rangnick and his side today as they were dominating at the time.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
90+2. Yellow card for Ronaldo.
He has a nasty little stamp at the sub Tomiyasu.
The card comes straight out from the referee.
Ronaldo is lucky there was no contract as that would have been a straight red.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
90. We are going to have four additional minutes of added time.
Tomiyasu comes on for Cedric.
The pundits are struggling to find a man of the match in the Arsenal line-up currently.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
88. Since Holding came on, Arsenal are now playing with three centre backs.
It is working for them as United’s only real outlet is to look for Ronaldo.
With the additional centre half, it is making life all the more difficult for Ronaldo to find the ball.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
86. Arsenal are retaining possession and looking to play the game out.
Passing the ball around to ole’s from the crowd.
Infuriating the Man Utd players more and more.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
84. Juan Mata comes on for Bruno Fernandes.
The Man Utd players seem to be just chasing shadows now.
Even with only 6 minutes of normal time remaining, a goal by Man Utd now changes the game completely.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
82. Lindelof is booked for a challenge on Nketiah.
Frustrations setting in with the United players.
Seems a bit late to become frustrated with lacklustre performances, 34 games into the season.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
80. Arsenal are looking to manage this game now.
Taking the chance to run the clock down whenever the situation presents itself.
United look to try put Ronaldo in but the ball is overhit and runs through to Ramsdale.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
78. The Granit Xhaka goal has completely changed this game.
United were dominating this second half before the goal.
Heads are down with the visitors and there seems to be no way back into the game for them.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
76. Bruno Fernandes is booked for a foul on Tavares.
Late challenge from the stroppy Portuguese midfielder.
Elanga and Matic come off for Lingard and Rashford.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
74. Nketiah draws the foul from Matic.
It gives Arsenal some breathing space.
That Xhaka goal may have just ended United’s hopes of Champions League football next season.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
72. Saka is on the floor injured.
He has signalled to the bench that he needs to come off.
It seems the Arsenal youngster has a thigh strain.
Rob Holding to replace him.
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
70. Well we certainly know what was going through Xhaka’s mind that time.
The Arsenal midfielder strikes a hammer of a left foot from distance.
De Gea with no chance of saving that one.
Goal – Granit Xhaka (Arsenal)
Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
68. This is all Man Utd currently.
Arsenal keep giving the ball away far too easily.
United need to take some of these chances.
Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
66. Xhaka gets his obligatory yellow card for the day.
You really have to wonder what goes through that guy’s head at times.
He launches the ball into the stands after the referee’s whistle, right in front of the official.
Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
64. Martinelli comes on for Smith-Rowe.
The Arsenal youngster has been missing somewhat today.
Elanga goes to ground in the box claiming a penalty.
As the foul initially started outside of the box, VAR cannot get involved.
Ridiculous rules.
Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
62. Man Utd break with numbers.
Ronaldo feeds Dalot on the outside who shoots.
Ramsdale gets a fingertip to deflect it onto the post.
Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
60. The ball is floated into the box, Ronaldo turns on it and strikes the back of the net.
Immediately the linesman puts his flag up.
VAR confirms the decision.
Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd – Elanga chance!
58. It is all Man Utd in the second half so far.
Elanga tries an effort from outside the box but Ramsdale tips it wide of the post.
Arsenal camped in their own half currently.
Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
56. Bruno Fernandes misses!
His stuttering run towards the ball, placing the ball in the corner, it rebounds back off the post.
What a chance wasted for United.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
