2 years ago
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United have now won two of their last eight Premier League games against Arsenal, having drawn three and lost fourManchester United's £82m new boy Antony scored on his debut and Marcus Rashford got two as Erik ten Hag's men ended Arsenal's 100% start to the season at Old Trafford.
The Brazilian opened the scoring 10 minutes before half-time in the pulsating duel, sweeping a shot into the far corner.
Rashford claimed the assist for that and then, after Bukayo Saka had levelled on the hour, the England striker profited from two clinical United counter-attacks.
Bruno Fernandes was at the heart of both, splitting the Arsenal defence for Rashford's first, then sending Christian Eriksen clear as the Dane provided the striker with a tap-in.
It was Rashford's first Premier League double since December 2020, helping lift them to fifth in the table.
Arsenal remain top. However, after their excellent start to the season, manager Mikel Arteta will be concerned at how easily his side were opened up, although the Gunners did have a first-half Gabriel Martinelli goal ruled out by VAR.
Antony the centre of attention
Having failed to prise Antony out of Ajax at the start of the summer and with the attempt to sign Ten Hag's first choice transfer window target Frenkie de Jong stalling, United went back for the Brazilian in the wake of those awful defeats to Brighton and Brentford at the start of the season.
Evidently, United were not in a strong bargaining position and the eventual price - the fourth highest sum ever paid by a Premier League club - is accepted by most to be significantly inflated.
Yet it is impossible to quantify financially how a positive attitude transfers to supporters.
It was clear, with his tricks and flicks and teasing of defenders, the 24-year-old is not short on confidence.
Referee Paul Tierney, who played an excellent advantage for the Brazilian's goal after Bruno Fernandes had been fouled in the build-up, had to warn him about his celebration in front of the Arsenal fans with the ball up his shirt.
Not long after that, Antony was upended from behind by Granit Xhaka. Had he connected with his immediate response, trying to slice Xhaka down from behind, the response from Tierney would almost certainly have been more than a ticking off.
The United fans loved it all. And while he lasted less than an hour before being replaced by Cristiano Ronaldo, Antony was afforded a standing ovation as he left the field.
However Antony's time at Old Trafford works out, it isn't likely to be dull.
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Manchester United
Squad number1Player namede Gea
Squad number20Player nameDiogo Dalot
Squad number19Player nameVarane- Squad number6Player nameMartínez
- Squad number12Player nameMalacia
Squad number39Player nameMcTominay- Squad number14Player nameEriksen
- Squad number21Player nameAntony
- Squad number8Player nameBruno Fernandes
- Squad number25Player nameSancho
Squad number10Player nameRashford
- Squad number5Player nameMaguire
- Squad number7Player nameCristiano Ronaldo
Squad number17Player nameFred- Squad number18Player nameCasemiro
Arsenal
- Squad number1Player nameRamsdale
- Squad number4Player nameWhite
- Squad number12Player nameSaliba
- Squad number6Player nameGabriel Magalhães
- Squad number35Player nameZinchenko
- Squad number23Player nameSambi Lokonga
Squad number34Player nameXhaka- Squad number7Player nameSaka
- Squad number8Player nameØdegaard
- Squad number11Player nameGabriel Martinelli
- Squad number9Player nameGabriel Jesus
- Squad number10Player nameSmith Rowe
- Squad number14Player nameNketiah
- Squad number18Player nameTomiyasu
- Squad number21Player nameFábio Vieira
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1de Gea
- 20Dalot
- 19Varane
- 6MartínezSubstituted forMaguireat 80'minutesBooked at 81mins
- 12Malacia
- 39McTominayBooked at 71mins
- 14EriksenBooked at 90mins
- 21dos SantosSubstituted forCristiano Ronaldoat 58'minutes
- 8Bruno Fernandes
- 25SanchoSubstituted forFredat 67'minutes
- 10RashfordSubstituted forCasemiroat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Lindelöf
- 5Maguire
- 7Cristiano Ronaldo
- 17Fred
- 18Casemiro
- 22Heaton
- 23Shaw
- 31Dúbravka
- 36Elanga
Arsenal
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Ramsdale
- 4WhiteSubstituted forTomiyasuat 80'minutes
- 12SalibaBooked at 24mins
- 6Gabriel
- 35ZinchenkoSubstituted forNketiahat 74'minutes
- 23Sambi LokongaSubstituted forFerreira Vieiraat 74'minutes
- 34Xhaka
- 7SakaBooked at 87mins
- 8ØdegaardSubstituted forSmith Roweat 74'minutes
- 11Martinelli
- 9Gabriel JesusBooked at 77mins
Substitutes
- 3Tierney
- 10Smith Rowe
- 14Nketiah
- 16Holding
- 17Cédric Soares
- 18Tomiyasu
- 21Ferreira Vieira
- 27Oliveira Alencar
- 30Turner
Live Text
Match ends, Manchester United 3, Arsenal 1.
Second Half ends, Manchester United 3, Arsenal 1.
Attempt saved. Fábio Vieira (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Granit Xhaka.
Attempt blocked. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Christian Eriksen with a cross.
Christian Eriksen (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card.
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Gabriel Magalhães.
Attempt missed. Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Gabriel Jesus.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Scott McTominay.
Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Fred (Manchester United).
Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Casemiro (Manchester United).
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).
Tyrell Malacia (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Fábio Vieira (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Gabriel Jesus.
Attempt blocked. Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Harry Maguire (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Harry Maguire (Manchester United).
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