Arsenal defeats Manchester United in five-goal thriller

361

Arsenal made a huge statement of Premier League intent on Sunday, coming from behind to beat in-form Manchester United 3-2 in front of a raucous Emirates crowd.

United forward Marcus Rashford opened the scoring, but an equaliser from Eddie Nketiah and a fantastic second-half strike from Bukayo Saka turned the game around.

But the visitors, dangerous on the break throughout the match, levelled the pulsating encounter when Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez headed in after Arsenal failed to clear a corner.

The Gunners poured forward in search of a winner and eventually got the goal they deserved when Nketiah turned the ball home in the 90th minute.

Earlier, defending champions Manchester City had closed the gap to just two points with their 3-0 win against Wolves, courtesy of Erling Haaland’s fourth hat-trick of the season.

Scott McTominay replaced Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who was ineligible after picking up a fifth booking of the season in United’s midweek draw with Crystal Palace, with loan signing Wout Weghorst again leading the line.

New Arsenal arrival Leandro Trossard, who joined late last week from Brighton, had to settle for a place on the bench as Mikel Arteta named an unchanged team.