Arsenal’s academy products are keeping the club’s Premier League 2023 title challenge on track. Eddie Nketiah scored twice – including a 90th-minute winner – and Bukayo Saka also scored to give Arsenal a 3-2 win over Manchester United on Sunday (22 January) to put some breathing room at the table remain
The win keeps Arsenal five points ahead of Manchester City and adds another big result against a top rival for Mikel Arteta’s team this season – after wins over Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham. This came courtesy of two players – Nketiah and Sakah – who came out of the club’s Hale End academy and were 4 and 2 years old respectively when Arsenal last won the league 19 years ago.
“You can see how badly we wanted this – for us, for our fans,” Nketiah said. “We kept bickering.”
Here are the highlights of Arsenal’s win over Manchester United…
Time to live it all again, gooners _ pic.twitter.com/xzVHCJJMz1– Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 22, 2023
United are the only team to beat Arsenal this season, and – with Alex Ferguson and David Beckham both watching in the stands – looked set to inflict another blow on Arteta’s side when Lisandro Martinez equalized in the 59th minute . But Arsenal were finally rewarded for a period of sustained pressing in the last 10 minutes, with David De Gea having already denied Nketiah once from close range. The Arsenal striker, who has been filling in for the injured Gabriel Jesus, was in the right place to get his feet out again and strike in a deflected shot from Odegaard.
Celebrations were curtailed as VAR reviewed a possible offside, but the Emirates crowd erupted again when the goal was awarded. “When you see that purple screen (for VAR check), your heart skips a bit,” said Nketia.
Of the many big moments in Arsenal’s season so far, his might just be the biggest. City’s win over Wolverhampton earlier on Sunday had temporarily reduced the gap to just two points and Arsenal needed a response to stop them questioning their title credentials.
“It couldn’t have been better,” Arteta said. “Especially the second half, the performance was unbelievable. To win it like this makes it even better.
For United, it was a first league defeat since 6 November and further stunted the club’s momentum following a midweek draw against Crystal Palace. An earlier run of form saw United position themselves for a surprise title challenge, but Erik ten Haag’s side are now 11 points behind Arsenal, with a game more to play. “It’s hard to accept when you lose in the final stages of the game,” Ten Haag said. “We made mistakes with all three goals. Usually we get better in such situations. This can not happen.
It started well for United, as Marcus Rashford put the visitors ahead in the 17th minute with a long-range strike. Rashford forced a turnover from Thomas Partey, then dribbled past the Arsenal midfielder, before unleashing a 25-yard strike that curled just inside the near post.
However, Arsenal did not panic and replied seven minutes later. Granit Xhaka delivered a cross from the left side of the area towards Nketiah, who leapt high at the far post and headed past De Gea.
(With PTI inputs)