Arsenal 2-3 Manchester United: Mikel Arteta’s side lose to Michael Carrick’s United, cutting the Gunners’ lead at the top of the Premier League to four points.
Martin Zvimendi scores his first goal for Manchester United (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
The problem is, Arsenal fans have seen this story before. And perhaps that explains why the whole Emirates – fans and players – was painfully nervous when the title challenge suffered a serious blow after this five-goal thriller.
Michael Carrick’s new regime has beaten two of the best teams in the country in eight days, so much credit has to go to Manchester United. Last week it was Manchester City, and now it’s Arsenal.
But the bigger worry for Arsenal will be that one terrible mistake, Martin Zvimendi’s surprise backpass that set up Brian Mbeumo for the equalizer, will cause the entire field to descend into nervous chaos.
Arsenal started the weekend seven points behind, but wins by City and Aston Villa both reduced that gap to four, and it looked as if Mikel Arteta’s side could not withstand the pressure. They still have a four-place lead at the top, but they don’t look completely dead.
They succumbed in the face of a sensational United performance as Matthäus Cunha’s sensational winner sealed a deservedly brilliant away win and Carrick outmaneuvered Arteta.
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The fact that the Gunners have not won a title for 22 years shows this. The pressure and expectation level of being named champions in January seems to be weighing heavily on their shoulders.
Arsenal have led the league in two of the last three title races, and fans are worried that something like this will happen again. Arsenal are without a win in their last three Premier League games.
United sensed the anxiety and reveled in it. If Arsenal can’t handle it in January, it’s scary to think what it will be like in April and May.
A week after their devastating derby with City, United were once again brilliant. Well organized, disciplined and rebellious. Carrick is a new manager and it’s still early days, but he’s had an incredible audition as interim manager.
Matheus Cunha was the winner at the Emirates (Image: Getty Images)
Arsenal took the lead in the 29th minute when Pierrot Hincapie’s cross was not cleared, Bukayo Saka did a brilliant job of knocking the ball down and Martin Odegaard fired towards goal.
Julian Timber and Lisandro Martínez got into an altercation and the United defender was deemed to have committed an own goal when the Arsenal full-back’s shot appeared to have been decisive.
But instead of building on that lead, Arsenal lost their nerve. You have to question their spirituality. They got sloppy and made mistakes. Mbeumo squandered the opening goal and Bruno Fernandes made another one wide.
They didn’t need to worry. Zvimendi’s stunning backpass was an invitation to Mbeumo, who duly slotted it past Arsenal keeper David Raya and into the net.
Lisandro Martinez’s own goal gave Arsenal the lead, but it didn’t last long (Image: Getty Images)
Five minutes after restarting, it got even worse. Patrick Dorg took a sensational shot from Fernandes’ pass and hit the bottom of the bar. Dorg started playing like Cafu after United’s failures.
Arsenal were sluggish and seemed to be running out of ideas. Arteta started Gabriel Jesus up front in place of Victor Goqueres, but that didn’t work and Arsenal made a number of changes. It felt like a panic to do four things at once an hour ago.
Arsenal have certainly raised the bar. Saka’s corner kick caused chaos in the box and United keeper Senne Lamence gave a poor punch, allowing substitute Mikel Merino to equalize in the 84th minute amid a mass of bodies.
Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead for the first time this season but lost (Image: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Indeed, Arsenal took one point. This was his 26th set-piece goal in all competitions. But the drama wasn’t over yet. And Carrick ultimately outsmarted Arteta with the best sub.
United’s super-sub Cunha burst forward, was given too much space and curled a superb shot into the top corner. Incredibly, it was the first time Arsenal have conceded three goals in a Premier League game since December 2023, when they won 4-3 against Luton.
The meanest defense in the Premier League was rattled and crumbling, and Arsenal’s midfield and forwards also had no answers.
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