Arsenal inflict Amorim’s first Man Utd defeat

Arsenal capitalized on set-pieces to secure a dominant win over Manchester United, handing Ruben Amorim his first defeat in English football.

Defenders Jurrien Timber and William Saliba found the net, helping Arsenal close the gap on league leaders Liverpool, who dropped points.

The Gunners now sit third with 28 points, tied with Chelsea and seven points behind Arne Slot’s Reds.

The breakthrough came in the 54th minute when Declan Rice’s corner was headed in at the near post by Timber.

Arsenal nearly extended their lead when United’s Manuel Ugarte cleared off the line after a flick from Joshua Zirkzee on another Rice corner.

Saliba sealed the win after Thomas Partey’s header deflected off him into the net from a Bukayo Saka corner.

Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal has excelled at set-pieces, scoring 22 corner goals since last season—more than any other Premier League team.

United had some chances, with Diogo Dalot narrowly missing the target in the first half and David Raya denying Matthijs de Ligt after the break.

Substitute Mikel Merino headed wide from another Arsenal corner, while Kai Havertz saw a shot saved by Andre Onana.

Amorim’s pre-game warning of an impending “storm” for United materialized as his three-match unbeaten run ended in north London.

Since suffering consecutive defeats to Inter Milan and Newcastle in early November, Arsenal have found their form again.

The return of Martin Odegaard has coincided with a five-game unbeaten run, reviving their title aspirations.

This win, marking Arsenal’s 500th match at the Emirates Stadium, also saw them secure three consecutive league victories for the first time this season.

Despite the absence of center-back Gabriel Magalhães due to injury—after scoring in his last two appearances—the Gunners didn’t miss a beat at set-pieces. Instead, other defenders stepped up to pose a similar threat.

United practiced defending set-pieces during their warm-up but still conceded twice from corners.

This was the first time they had allowed two goals from corners in a Premier League match since January 2014, when Chelsea’s Samuel Eto’o scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win.

Arsenal consistently looked dangerous from dead-ball situations. Although David Raya made a few key saves, the victory was largely comfortable for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Appointed on November 11 after United’s shaky start to the season, Amorim noted before this match that his team was “at a different stage compared to Arsenal,” and he was proven right.

United were well-organized and difficult to break down in the first half, but the frustrations Amorim faces were evident when his players didn’t execute his instructions.

Throughout the game, the Portuguese coach paced the touchline, frequently signaling to his bench when United failed to move the ball quickly during attacking opportunities.

Despite focusing on defending corners in their warm-up—aware of Arsenal’s set-piece strength—United struggled to cope with those threats during the match.

On a positive note, Amorim handed £62 million defender Leny Yoro his competitive debut. The 19-year-old will be crucial as Amorim aims to build a squad capable of competing with the Premier League’s top teams.