Staff Reporter.
Arsenal stepped up their claims for a place in the Premier League’s top four at the expense of Manchester United’s ambitions in a thriller at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners came into the game on an upswing after ending a run of three successive defeats with victory at Chelsea, while United were attempting to bounce back from a humiliating 4-0 loss at Liverpool.
And Arsenal took three crucial points as the visitors paid the price for shambolic defending and a missed penalty by Bruno Fernandes that undermined an enterprising attacking display.
Nuno Tavares put Arsenal in front after only three minutes following errors from Raphael Varane and Alex Telles, the defender turning in a simple finish after David de Gea saved Bukayo Saka’s shot.
Eddie Nketiah then had an effort ruled out by the video assistant referee for offside but after being called to look at his pitchside monitor the referee awarded a penalty for a foul by Telles on Saka immediately before Nketiah’s shot, and Saka converted from the spot.
United were a real danger in attack, the returning Cristiano Ronaldo deservedly pulling a goal back before the break.
Ronaldo, who was starting for the first time since the announcement of the death of his newborn son, scored his scored his 100th Premier League goal.
It set the scene for a United siege, only for Fernandes to waste their big chance by carelessly rolling a second-half spot-kick against the post after Tavares handled.
Arsenal cashed in on the reprieve when Granit Xhaka sealed the win by lashing home the Gunners’ third from 25 yards with 20 minutes remaining.
4 – Cristiano Ronaldo is the fourth player to score 100 Premier League goals for Man Utd (also Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney) – the joint-most of any club (Liverpool also four). Elite. #ARSMUN
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 23, 2022
What the two coaches said…
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta: “A big performance in a game I think had everything. Moments where we showed real quality, a game where we had to suffer, a game where there were moments where we were a bit lost and lacking energy, a game where we were really efficient in the boxes, a game where we had luck when we needed it. Overall I am extremely happy.”
On the race to finish in the Champions League: “I said this is going to be a rollercoaster. The winning and losing in this league is small margins. Today things went our way and we are really happy.”
Man Utd interim boss Ralf Rangnick: “I think we showed an improved performance but in the end a disappointing result. I think we bounced back well from the early goal and had numerous chances in both halves to score more goals.
“I thought the weak part of our performance today was we didn’t defend well inside and around our box. I felt there were three very unlucky VAR decisions. For me the Arsenal third was clearly offside. The second of Cristiano was not offside. We were not very happy with the VAR decisions today. An improved display but a disappointing result.”
On Fernandes’ missed penalty: “It would have helped us a lot if that had been the equaliser and probably would have changed the whole game. In the end, very unlucky for us.”
When asked if Man Utd’s top-four chances have gone, he added: “Pretty sure. For me even before the game it was not very likely but after today’s result it is gone yes.”