Soccer

ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE scored twice as Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 victory over bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United.The 29-year-old finished off a delightful Gunners move in the 33rd minute, tucking the ball away coolly after Bukayo Saka’s pass was flicked on wonderfully by the superb Dani Ceballos.
Lacazette opened the scoring by finishing off a fine Arsenal moveCredit: Reuters
It was the Frenchman’s 49th and 50th Premier League goals of his careerCredit: Reuters
Martinelli made sure of the points in the second halfCredit: Getty
Gabriel Martinelli then doubled the Gunners lead midway through the second half, pouncing on a rebound after Nicolas Pepe’s shot was parried away by Aaron Ramsdale.
And Lacazette doubled his tally for the afternoon four minutes from time, sweeping home for his 50th Premier League goal.
Victory sees Arsenal move up to ninth in the Premier League and gives them a boost ahead of their crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg against Slavia Prague on Thursday.
Here’s what SunSport’s Dylan Terry thought of Arsenal’s individual performances.
Bernd Leno – 6
Had basically nothing to do all game, could have been a spectator for much of it.
His biggest contributions came at set-pieces where he commanded his area well to punch the ball away.
Leno was only called upon a couple of times in the whole game and did not have to make any major savesCredit: Ian Hodgson – Daily Mail
Calum Chambers – 6
Clearly identified by Mikel Arteta as a defensively resolute full-back.
Looked solid enough and offered an option going forward too, although with very little end product.
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Rob Holding – 6
Susceptible to playing hopeless long balls forward in the general direction of Lacazette – a frustrating habit to watch over and over again.
Did not really put a foot wrong in defence and was largely untroubled by any of Sheffield United’s attackers.
Pablo Mari – 7
Swept up behind Holding in the first half, showing a real talent for making the right decision while under pressure.
Probably Arsenal’s standout defender in a game where it was difficult for any of the Gunners back line to truly shine.
Mari looked strong and composed in what was a routine display from the Arsenal defenceCredit: EPA
Granit Xhaka – 6
Clearly not a natural left-back but did enough to keep Sheffield United quiet for most of the match.
Lazily allowed McGoldrick a sight of goal early on after failing to track his run into the box.
His lack of pace and positional awareness could prove costly against better teams.
Bukayo Saka – 7
His pace is absolutely unplayable at times and his footballing brain is just as excellent.
Saka taunted the Sheffield United defence early on with some jinking runs and darts in behind from the No10 role.
He then linked up superbly with Ceballos for Arsenal’s opener as his push for a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad ramped up even more.
But he did go off holding his thigh in the second half, something which will worry Gunners fans greatly ahead of the Slavia Prague game in midweek.
Saka went off injured with what appeared to be a thigh problemCredit: EPA
Thomas Partey – 6
Really gives Ceballos and Saka the opportunity to motor forward and join the attacks.
You rarely feel like he is doing anything, but watch closely and you will see he is often the key man in turning the ball over for Arsenal.
Keeps things ticking over and is an essential part of how Arteta wants to play.
Nicolas Pepe – 5
Was probably the one Gunners forward who offered next to nothing in the opening 45 minutes.
Only real impact came when his shot was saved in the lead up to Martinelli’s goal.
Promises a lot with his pace and ability to face up to a defender one-on-one, but continually his end product is lacking.
Also could have scored in injury time but tried to pass instead of simply sliding the ball into the corner.
Pepe struggled all evening to make any real inroads into the gameCredit: Reuters
Dani Ceballos – 8
At the centre of a lot of Arsenal’s good work in the first half, most notably with a wonderfully audacious flick to set up Lacazette’s opener.
Also played a delightful ball over the top for Chambers who could not make the most of it.
Looks undoubtedly the most cultured midfielder at Arteta’s disposal, along with the unused duo of Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard.
Ceballos was instrumental in everything Arsenal produced at Bramall LaneCredit: AP
Gabriel Martinelli – 7
Wasted a lovely move from Arsenal in the first half by drilling his shot into the side netting.
But, for an injury-prone player, he rode a second half knock, stayed on the pitch and finished off a lovely move to get his first goal of the season.
Alexandre Lacazette – 8
Often gave up his own chance of scoring by dropping deep early on, before dispatching his one first half opening with aplomb.
Missed a good chance ten minutes after the break, failing to keep his head over the ball when it was played to him on the edge of the area.
But another supreme finish in front of goal four minutes from time made it two for the Frenchman – a top night’s work.
Lacazette is now half way to 100 Premier League goalsCredit: Getty
Subs
WILLIAN (FOR SAKA 69) – 6
Did not really have much time to make a significant impact on the game.
Would have like to have seen a bit more from him given his poor campaign up to this point.
MOHAMED ELNENY (FOR MARTINELLI 84)
Only touched the ball a handful of times after coming on.
EDDIE NKETIAH (FOR LACAZETTE 89) – N/A
Literally came on for a run around at the end and to give Lacazette a couple of minutes rest after a superb display.
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JOSE MOURINHO lashed out at VAR after Tottenham’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester United.And the Special One also conceded: Our top four hopes are fading fast.
Jose Mourinho was not happy with VAR as Spurs’ top four hopes took a hit with defeat to Man UtdCredit: PA
Spurs came into Sunday’s crunch clash having seen fellow Champions League hopefuls West Ham, Chelsea and Liverpool all pick up crucial wins this weekend.
Things were looking great for the Londoners when Son Heung-Min fired the home side ahead.
But a second-half capitulation saw the Red Devils score three to seal victory in the capital.
And Spurs are now six points behind fourth-place West Ham with just seven games to play.
Some feel Tottenham were also fortunate to get away with having a United goal in the first half disallowed by VAR.
Scott McTominay was judged to have raised his hand into Son’s face in the build-up for an Edinson Cavani goal.
VAR controversially ruled the strike out moments before Son then put Spurs ahead.
But despite appearing to benefit from the video system, Mourinho lashed out at it for, in his eyes, failing to spot an apparent elbow by Paul Pogba on Serge Aurier.
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Man Utd had a goal disallowed after Scott McTominay put his hand in Son Heung Min’s faceMARK HALSEY’S VIEWEDINSON CAVANI should not have had a first-half goal disallowed at Tottenham.

I felt Scott McTominay did not commit a foul on Son Heung-Min in the build-up to Cavani’s strike.
It was a slight hand-off by the Manchester United midfielder, the sort you see in every football match and nowhere near enough contact to force the Spurs forward to go down in the matter he did.
The incident wasn’t a clear and obvious error by referee Chris Kavanagh and a subjective decision to allow play to continue.
It was fine for VAR to check Cavani’s resulting goal but official Craig Pawson at Stockley Park should not have recommended a review.
VAR have re-refereed the incident because as soon as Kavanagh went to the monitor he was under huge pressure to overturn his original decision.
Kavanagh should have mentally tough enough to stick with his initial call as he was in an excellent position.
The PGMOL explanation of this incident was nonsense and showed a major lack of understanding of football. Contact in football is not always a foul.
If the officials deemed McTominay was a foul then why wasn’t Paul Pogba punished for a worse action on Serge Aurier earlier in the half?
This is where the inconsistency drives everyone in the game mad and it is no surprise both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said afterwards they don’t understand the decision making anymore.

And as a result of losing their tenth Premier League match this season, Mourinho also feels a top four finish may now be out of reach for his struggling Spurs side.
The Portuguese tactician told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “My opinion it was a good game but we didn’t deserve this result at all.
“We were unlucky because maybe Pogba should get a red card for an elbow on Serge Aurier.
“I don’t know anything anymore [about VAR]. I watched Fulham vs Wolves, I don’t understand anything anymore.
🔴 “I don’t understand anything anymore!”🔴 “Maybe Pogba should get a red card for an elbow.”🗣️🍿 Jose Mourinho gives his opinion on VAR after Spurs lose to Man Utd.📺 #TOTMUN reaction now on Sky Sports PL pic.twitter.com/4DIgOtmBDO— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 11, 2021

“Sometimes you get, sometimes you don’t get, I don’t know how to comment. You don’t celebrate a goal because you are afraid.
“It is difficult for everybody. For us, the players, the referees.
“Lots of contradictions and decision you don’t understand very well. That’s not my problem, I cannot fix this.
“[Top four?] You look to the table and see the distance to them.
“You know it’s difficult but it is mathematically possible.”
Mourinho says Son Heung-min is ‘very lucky his father is a better person than Ole’ after Solskjaer blasted the star
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IT is a wonder Luke Shaw managed to play so well, given Jose Mourinho was on the opposite touchline for the first 45 minutes.It was, of course, no shock to regular Manchester United watchers that the left-back produced another assured display in the 3-1 win over Tottenham.
Shaw was one of Man Utd’s standout performers against SpursCredit: Getty
He has been the Red Devils’ most consistent and best player for weeks now.
The only surprise was Tottenham boss Mourinho did not try to claim the credit for the defender’s latest super show – just like he did when he was in charge at Old Trafford.
Shaw reminded the Special One that not every player responds to being hung out to dry in public.
Mourinho slated the former Southampton starlet as much as anybody during his United tenure – even though he had endured much-publicised problems with confidence and injuries, and was just about old enough to have the key of the door.
Managers have every right to criticise their players when they are not playing well.
But at times Shaw was slammed by his former manager even when he was producing the goods.
In 2017 Mourinho took credit for Shaw’s decent display in a draw with Everton by claiming: “He had a good performance but it was his body with my brain. I had to make decisions for him.”
This suggested Shaw could not operate without a coach telling him what to do from the touchline. Damming for any pro.
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Mourinho later publicly questioned Shaw’s personality after subbing him at half-time of an FA Cup tie against Brighton.
Many believed Shaw would not recover, but he showed against Spurs he has.
The confidence sucked out of him by Mourinho has been pumped back into him by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and was there for all to see.
Mourinho must have thought Shaw was the weak link as he instructed Serge Aurier and Lucas Moura to double up on him.
And it nearly worked as Shaw’s poor positioning let in Moura whose cross was on course to present Harry Kane with an easy opener before Victor Lindelof nipped in to nod behind.
It was Shaw’s only error in the entire contest in which he again demonstrated why he is back in the England squad after two-and-a-half years.
His rejuvenation is down to himself and his current gaffer. Do not be fooled by any talk from Mourinho of tough love.
The way Shaw is playing now is not because of the Portuguese, it is in spite of him.
But he is not the only Three Lions hopeful to have been welcomed back into the United fold by Solskjaer.
Yesterday was D-Day in the battle for the goalkeeper’s slot – with the D standing for Dean as Ole opted to recall Henderson after David de Gea had played in Thursday’s Europa League win in Granada.
Shaw showed his ability in both defensive and attacking areas on SundayCredit: Getty
It was the Spaniard’s first start since February after he hot-footed it back to his homeland for the birth of his first child last month.
On his return he found himself on the bench for a few matches as Solskjaer kept faith with Hendo, who in the seven matches he had deputised in his rival’s absence, registered four clean sheets and tasted defeat just once.
Speculation on the pair’s future has been rife, with both stoppers making it abundantly clear they are not prepared to settle for second choice next term.
It is believed the Old Trafford hierarchy were not particularly enamoured by De Gea’s decision to take an impromptu international paternity leave at such a crucial stage of the season.
And with Henderson having proved he is up to the job, it could be the perfect opportunity to get their expensive No1 – who earns three times more than his understudy – off the wage bill.
But following De Gea’s return on Thursday all eyes were on Solskjaer to see which keeper he would select here.
Well, having made his choice here it now looks certain Henderson will be United’s top goalkeeper next term.
And he will be delighted to have someone like Shaw playing in front of him.
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