Match ends, Arsenal 3, Manchester United 2.
Arsenal retained control of the Premier League title race after Eddie Nketiah's 90th-minute winner gave them a dramatic victory over Manchester United in a thriller at Emirates Stadium.
Manchester City's earlier win over Wolverhampton Wanderers applied pressure on the Gunners but they responded with character and quality, even after going behind, to secure a five-point advantage at the top with a game in hand.
United's man of the moment Marcus Rashford fired home a superb right-foot strike from 25 yards to give them a 17th-minute lead.
Arsenal responded fiercely and were level seven minutes later when Granit Xhaka's cross created a heading opportunity for Nketiah, who got in ahead of Aaron Wan-Bissaka at the far post.
Bukayo Saka's angled drive put Arsenal ahead eight minutes after the break but their advantage lasted only six minutes, with Lisandro Martinez heading his first goal for the club after keeper Aaron Ramsdale dropped a corner.
Arsenal looked the more likely winners in the closing stages, with Saka hitting the post and Nketiah denied by David de Gea's outstanding save.
The pressure paid off in the closing moments when Nketiah - a striker who is doing an outstanding job filling in for injured Gabriel Jesus - turned in from close range to spark wild scenes of celebration at Emirates Stadium.
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Unstoppable Arsenal roll on
The celebrations on and off the pitch at the final whistle showed the huge significance of Nketiah's late winner.
A draw would hardly have been disastrous for Arsenal coming against Erik ten Hag's improving Manchester United - but the whole mood was lifted sky high by Nketiah's last-gasp intervention.
Aware Manchester City were on their shoulders after beating Wolves, Arsenal's nerve was further tested when Rashford's golden run continued and he put United ahead.
Arsenal responded with the intensity and quality that has marked their game on their route to the top of the table - ordered and composed; still creating opportunities until Nketiah settled matters.
Saka and captain Martin Odegaard are creating chances and threat, while Nketiah is ensuring the absence of Gabriel Jesus - which many feared would seriously sabotage the Gunners' title challenge - is not stopping them winning matches.
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Manchester United denied in dramatic style
Manchester United thought they had done all the hard work as the clock ticked down and their defence - with Martinez outstanding - held firm.
So it was understandable that they looked so devastated when the brief hope offered by a VAR check on Nketiah's winner was extinguished and they simply did not have enough time to salvage a point.
Arsenal deserved the win and United may look back on the expensive absence of the suspended Casemiro, who would have provided vital experience and game management in those frantic closing stages, and the fact that giant striker Wout Weghorst is still adjusting to life back in the Premier League.
There was still plenty to admire in United, who gave as good as they got for the first hour and fought back strongly after Saka put Arsenal in front.
In the end, United were left bitterly disappointment by the defeat, with a heavy recent programme leaving them looking weary-legged near the end.
Arsenal fully merited the victory but there is no doubt tenacious United are heading in the right direction.
Player of the match
SakaBukayo Saka
Arsenal
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
8.62
- Squad number14Player nameNketiahAverage rating
8.59
- Squad number8Player nameĂdegaardAverage rating
8.07
- Squad number35Player nameZinchenkoAverage rating
7.91
- Squad number11Player nameGabriel MartinelliAverage rating
7.78
- Squad number34Player nameXhakaAverage rating
7.65
- Squad number5Player nameParteyAverage rating
7.50
- Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhĂŁesAverage rating
7.39
- Squad number18Player nameTomiyasuAverage rating
7.31
- Squad number12Player nameSalibaAverage rating
7.30
- Squad number19Player nameTrossardAverage rating
7.29
- Squad number1Player nameRamsdaleAverage rating
7.02
- Squad number16Player nameHoldingAverage rating
6.74
- Squad number4Player nameWhiteAverage rating
6.66
Manchester United
Avg
- Squad number10Player nameRashfordAverage rating
6.50
- Squad number6Player nameLi MartĂnezAverage rating
5.89
- Squad number1Player namede GeaAverage rating
5.30
- Squad number23Player nameShawAverage rating
5.20
- Squad number19Player nameVaraneAverage rating
5.20
- Squad number14Player nameEriksenAverage rating
5.14
- Squad number29Player nameWan-BissakaAverage rating
4.98
- Squad number8Player nameBruno FernandesAverage rating
4.85
- Squad number27Player nameWeghorstAverage rating
4.68
- Squad number17Player nameFredAverage rating
4.59
- Squad number49Player nameGarnachoAverage rating
4.44
- Squad number39Player nameMcTominayAverage rating
4.43
- Squad number21Player nameAntonyAverage rating
4.09
Line-ups
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Ramsdale
- 4WhiteBooked at 19minsSubstituted forTomiyasuat 45'minutes
- 12Saliba
- 6Gabriel
- 35Zinchenko
- 8ĂdegaardSubstituted forHoldingat 90+3'minutes
- 5Partey
- 34Xhaka
- 7Saka
- 14Nketiah
- 11MartinelliSubstituted forTrossardat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Tierney
- 10Smith Rowe
- 16Holding
- 18Tomiyasu
- 19Trossard
- 21FĂĄbio Vieira
- 23Sambi Lokonga
- 27Marquinhos
- 30Turner
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1de Gea
- 29Wan-Bissaka
- 19VaraneSubstituted forGarnachoat 90+2'minutes
- 6Li MartĂnez
- 23ShawBooked at 83mins
- 14Eriksen
- 39McTominay
- 21AntonyBooked at 47minsSubstituted forFredat 71'minutes
- 8Bruno Fernandes
- 10Rashford
- 27Weghorst
Substitutes
- 2Lindelöf
- 5Maguire
- 12Malacia
- 17Fred
- 22Heaton
- 28Pellistri
- 36Elanga
- 49Garnacho
- 73Mainoo
- Referee:
- Anthony Taylor
- Attendance:
- 60,325
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home57%
- Away43%
- Shots
- Home25
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away4
- Corners
- Home12
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Arsenal 3, Manchester United 2.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Rob Holding replaces Martin Ădegaard.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester United. Alejandro Garnacho replaces Raphaël Varane.
Post update
VAR Decision: Goal Arsenal - Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United (Eddie Nketiah).
Goal!
Goal! Arsenal 3, Manchester United 2. Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner.Goal confirmed following VAR Review.
Post update
Attempt missed. Martin Ădegaard (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Oleksandr Zinchenko with a cross.
Post update
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United).
Post update
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Gabriel MagalhĂŁes.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Christian Eriksen (Manchester United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Post update
Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
Post update
David de Gea (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Post update
Attempt saved. Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Booking
Luke Shaw (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Leandro Trossard replaces Gabriel Martinelli.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Well done Arsenal!
On a side note has there ever been a more Childish, Petulant, Whining, Embarrassing excuse for a Professional footballer than Fernandes. Absolutely a loathsome little man.
Well played Gunners
COYG
Arsenal were brilliant.
Never stopped fighting and worked it, worked it and worked it! So proud of Eddie for proving the doubters wrong and letâs have the good times rolling!
50 points after 19 games, pinch me!
Good win for Arsenal to keep up the pressure on the chasing pack. Man Utd unfortunate to concede a very late goal for the second match in a row. Thatâs football.
COME ON ARSENAL
More like carthorse.