Sunday night marks Manchester United’s first Premier League win over Arsenal since United took down the North London side in Erik ten Hag’s debut 2022-23 season. Heading into Sunday’s wintery fixture those 3-1 heights reached under the Dutch manager looked like Mount Everest when you consider that United had suffered five losses against the league leaders with one draw sandwiched between the paltry results.
However, a pressing Bryan Mbuemo, thumping Patrick Dorgu, and clinical Matheus Cunha, all proved to be the difference in United’s resilient 3-2 win over Arsenal, who snatched a 29th-minute own goal from Lisandro Martinez and a Mikel Merino tap-in, which proved to be one goal short Sunday evening.
Manchester United Ratings
GK: Senne Lammens - 8
If you want to be harsh, Lammens could have done better to prevent Arsenal’s equalizing goal. Lammens vaulted himself into a crowd of players from both sides, and that jump eventually led to Merino’s tying goal. However, throughout the match, Lammens was stubbornly consistent and not afraid of any Arsenal set piece
RB: Diogo Dalot - 6
Dalot remained relatively consistent and did a good enough job marshalling Leandro Trossard away from creating too much danger.
RCB: Harry Maguire - 7
As consistent as ever, Maguire never looked flustered and finished the game with nine clearances.
LCB: Lisandro Martinez - 8
Martinez’s own goal was anything but his fault, while his long-range passing display was not as much on show, Martinez’s ability to constantly escort oncoming attackers into unwanted channels kept Arsenal’s right flank running into walls.
LB: Luke Shaw - 7
Shaw did a great job of snapping onto Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka when Saka would drop deeper to pick up the ball. Shaw played a stellar 25/26 passes, never putting United into danger.
CDM: Kobbie Mainoo - 7
Sunday was not a hallmark Mainoo performance as in the first half, the English midfielder was often pinned towards the touchline. Yet in the second half, Mainoo was able to maneuver himself into the middle of the pitch, where he found his usual excellent flicks that kept the momentum towards United.
CDM: Casemiro - 8.5 (MOTM)
With the official announcement of the Brazilian stalwart set to leave the slub announced on Friday, the time is running out for Casemiro to grow his legacy, however Sunday will go down as one of his best performances in a United jersey as he shielded the United backline from any danger and constantly found himself where he works best, working in tight caverns of space outside the box.
LM: Patrick Dorgu - 8
A stellar strike capped a workman-like performance from the Dane. Dorgu was readily available to attack the open spaces left behind by an aggressive Arsenal backline.
CAM: Bruno Fernandes - 8.5
Fernandes single-handedly changed the momentum of the fixture when the Portugal star started to get onto the ball as the game moved on.
RM: Amad - 6
Amad’s shiftiness was consistently hamstringed and the Ivory Coast international never fully found his footing.
ST: Bryan Mbeumo - 8
Mbuemo’s willingness to press and unsettle Arsenal’s backline created his 37th-minute tying strike as he registered his 50th Premier League goal.
Substitutes
CAM: Matheus Cunha - 8
Cunha’s wonderous 87th-minute goal provided the final dagger in the match. Besides that, Cunha brilliantly held himself up and opened up much-needed fouls to give a laboring United timely breaks.
ST: Benjamin Sesko - NA
RB: Noussair Mazraoui NA
Arsenal Ratings
GK: David Raya - 6
It would be harsh to say either Raya gave away a goal or should have stopped any of United’s efforts.
RB: Jurrien Timber - 6
Struggled to keep a hold of Dorgu, many would have suffered the same fate in Dorgu’s vein of form.
RCB: William Saliba - 6
Was forced to consisntely have to drop back in an attempt to stall United’s rapid attacks, while him and his left-sided compatriot each made timely interventions, neither would mark Sunday as a highlight effort.
LCB: Gabriel - 6
Much like Saliba, was never allowed to stamp his authority through the match.
CM: Martin Zubimendi - 4
The complexion of the match could have changed significantly had his first-half header not found the arms of the United goaltender. Gave the ball away sloppily in United’s opening goal and never fully recovered.
CM: Declan Rice - 7
One of very few Arsenal players who could hold their heads up high after Sunday. Rice created Arsenal’s opening goal with a sweeping ball to Saka.
CM: Martin Ødegaard - 5
Ødegaard’s chopped effort led to Arsenal’s opener, but the Norwegian was largely ineffective, leading him to be hooked off just before an hour was played.
LW: Leandro Trossard - 6
Trossard usually finds a way to sneak a goal in during the Gunners’ most important fixtures, however the Belgian struggled to get inside of Dalot.
ST: Gabriel Jesus - 6
The former Manchester City striker always looked threatening with his constant linking up and intelligent play inside the box, but looked like a dull knife in the attack, finishing with .01 expected goals.
RW: Bukayo Saka - 7.5
The England winger was Arsenal’s primary threat as the attacking patterns were heavy towards his side; however, Saka could never find the proper relay man to connect his passes with and was more often than not left double-covered.
Substitutes
LB: Ben White - NA
CAM Eberechi Eze - 5
While the world knows of Eze’s dynamic ability, the former Palace attacker did not hold the key to unlock United’s defense.
ST: Viktor Gyökeres - 5
Gyökeres is still waiting for his landmark Arsenal goal, and while it is unfair to pin much blame on an attacker who could not get a touch for a majority of his 32 minutes on the pitch, the Swede has yet to be properly introduced to Arsenal.
CM: Mike Merino - 7
Merino did all manager Mikel Arteta could have hoped for with his 84th-minute goal.
RW: Noni Madueke - 5
Madueke was introduced to alleviate some of the pressure Saka faced. The Summer transfer was consistently putting too much on every dribble and pass.
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