Arsenal beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford and did the double over the Red Devils for the first time since the 2006-07 Premier League season. This is a massive win for the Gunners and puts them top of the league for now. It was far from a convincing performance, but results matter more now. Let’s dive deeper into this vital victory.
Arsenal 2024 Season Part 45: The Defense Played Exceptionally
As previously stated, this is not one of Arsenal’s best performances of the season overall. However, the Gunners’ defense played quite well at Old Trafford and were vital in securing the three points. David Raya played well and made two saves, keeping out both of United’s shots on target. Raya has been a bit shaky in recent games, so it was good to see him return to form in a vital away game.
Takehiro Tomiyasu started at left-back and played well, preventing Amad from doing too much in this game. Tomiyasu is guilty of giving away possession a few times in this game. However, most of the Arsenal team was guilty of that in this game.
On the other side, Ben White had a quiet but good game. Garnacho had a few chances but White handled him pretty well overall. White is quietly one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers in recent weeks.
The center-back partnership of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba deserves massive credit in this game. Both of them were excellent, although Saliba was completely impeccable. Saliba had 98 touches, four tackles, three interceptions, five clearances, and won all seven of his duels. Saliba won the official Man of the Match award and he earns our Man of the Match award for his performance against Manchester United, as well.
Arsenal’s Midfield Trio Was Underwhelming
The Gunners only had 45% possession in this game against Manchester United. Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Thomas Partey all started for Arsenal. However, all three of them struggled a bit, especially in terms of giving away possession. Partey was caught on the ball too often.
Martin Odegaard helped the Gunners create five shots on target, but he wasn’t at his electric best. Declan Rice was the standout performer in Arsenal’s midfield. Rice protected Arsenal’s back four and ensured that Manchester United had a limited amount of opportunities. His consistency remains incredible.
Jorginho came on in the second half and had a good game. He helped Arsenal see the game out and pass more effectively. Jorginho is a useful player and his contract extension is good news for the club.
The Gunners’ Attack Took Advantage of Poor Manchester United Defending
The Gunners didn’t overwhelm Manchester United with their attack. However, they did manage five shots on target and scored once. Bukayo Saka had a poor game, picking up a yellow card before being subbed off in the second half for Gabriel Jesus. Jesus played fairly well but didn’t have much time to make an impact on the game.
Kai Havertz didn’t have his best game. Despite this, Havertz did provide the assist for Trossard’s match-winning goal. Havertz now had 18 goal contributions in 21 Premier League starts this season. It is fair to say that Havertz has enjoyed a major resurgence in the second half of this season.
Speaking of Leandro Trossard, he scored another huge goal. Trossard made the most of his opportunity, calmly finishing past Andre Onana to put Arsenal 1-0 ahead in the first half. Trossard now has 12 goal contributions in 16 Premier League appearances this season. Nearly every one of his goals have been crucial, too. If Arsenal does win the Premier League title, Trossard is one of the reasons for that title win.
Arsenal 2024 Season Part 45: 7/10 Manager Rating for Mikel Arteta
Arsenal didn’t play that well overall against Manchester United at Old Trafford, especially in the midfield. However, the Gunners kept a clean sheet and managed to score in order to secure the three points. This is also the first time Arsenal has done the double over Manchester United since the 2006-07 Premier League campaign. Arteta’s substitutions were sensible, but came a bit later than one would have hoped.
Arteta receives a 7/10 manager rating for Arsenal’s win at Old Trafford against Manchester United.
Arsenal Concludes the Season By Hosting Everton
The Gunners have one final Premier League game of the season. Arsenal hosts Everton at the Emirates Stadium for the season finale. This match could determine whether or not Arsenal win the Premier League title. Additionally, Everton are already safe from relegation and have set their club record for Premier League points twice in this season. As a result, Everton isn’t playing for anything and Arsenal will likely win comfortably.
Hopefully, that is enough to secure Arsenal’s first Premier League title in 20 years. We will see.
Check back next week for more Arsenal content.