Soccer

Corners do the damage as Arsenal condemn Ruben Amorim to first Man United defeat

Gunners score two corners and nearly score a few more from set pieces at the Emirates

Arsenal's defender Jurrien Timber heads the opening goal into the net. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/Getty
Arsenal's defender Jurrien Timber heads the opening goal into the net. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/Getty
Wed Dec 04 2024 - 22:31
Premier League: Arsenal 2 (Timber 54, Saliba 73) Manchester United 0

Arsenal reduced Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points with a crucial 2-0 win against Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.

After Fabian Schar’s late equaliser denied Liverpool victory at St James’ Park, Mikel Arteta’s men were offered the chance to inch closer to the summit.

And the Gunners did not disappoint with Jurrien Timber and William Saliba both scoring from corners in the second half to provide the hosts with a win that kept their title hopes alive.

After following up a draw at Ipswich with home victories against Bodo/Glimt and Everton, Ruben Amorim warned that his unbeaten start to life at Old Trafford could be unsettled by a “storm”. However, the opening period at the Emirates was a turgid affair.

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Gabriel Martinelli had the ball in the net after just four minutes but Kai Havertz was clearly offside in the build-up.

A quintet queued up at the far stick for one of four Arsenal corners in the first half. The chance arrived at the front post, but Thomas Partey was unable to get anything substantial on Declan Rice’s delivery – the ball dropping harmlessly wide.

Arsenal’s best chance of the first period arrived with 30 minutes gone when Martinelli thrashed Oleksandr Zinchenko’s blocked effort wide.

Moments later, the hosts wanted a penalty when Bukayo Saka’s cross struck Harry Maguire on the thigh.

Despite Arsenal hogging the chances, the best effort of the first 45 fell to United as Diogo Dalot flashed his shot across David Raya’s goal when he really should have tested the Spaniard.

Two minutes into the second period and Martinelli had the home crowd on their feet when he found space on the left-hand side, but the Brazilian’s effort deflected off Maguire and into Andre Onana’s arms.

Sixty seconds later and Rice’s shot cannoned off Mason Mount for a corner.

Arsenal had signalled their intent and within nine minutes of the second half starting, they had their breakthrough.

Timber leant into Rasmus Hojlund at the front post before diverting Rice’s set-piece into the back of Onana’s net.

Saka then drew a low save from Onana with the home crowd sensing blood.

On came the cavalry for United, with Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee – both benched after netting a double each against Everton last Sunday – introduced on the hour mark.

And the latter’s first touch nearly ended up in his own net when his header, from another Rice corner, zipped across his own goal.

United did not have an answer. The storm Amorim predicted had duly arrived.

But against the run of play, the visitors were almost on level terms with 66 minutes gone.

A tired Zinchenko hacked down Amad Diallo, and from the ensuing set-piece, Raya produced a world-class flying save to claw out Matthijs De Ligt’s header with his left claw.

And just seven minutes later, Arsenal doubled their advantage.

Partey found himself unmarked at the back post from Saka’s corner, and his header deflected in off Saliba’s shoulder.

It marked Arsenal’s 22nd goal from a corner since the start of last season. No side in the division can boast more. Arteta and the club’s set-piece guru Nicolas Jover embraced on the touchline as Amorim was left with his head in his hands.

Havertz might have put the game out of sight at the restart only to fire his effort at Onana before substitute Mikel Merino’s header from Saka’s corner drifted just wide.

But it did not matter for the Gunners who saw out the three points with ease and condemned Amorim to his first defeat as United boss.