Player ratings, fan reaction & more: Arsenal pile pressure on Spurs as Manchester United’s top-four hopes go up in smoke
Result
Saturday’s early Premier League kick-off played out a short time ago. Said clash saw Manchester United and Arsenal face off.
The pair headed into the game both struggling for form, though the Gunners had just beaten Chelsea 4-2.
Man United, meanwhile, needed a win to ensure they kept their small hope of securing a top-four spot this term alive.
However, when all was said and done at the Emirates, Ralf Rangnick and co. fell to defeat at the hands of Arsenal.
Arsenal took the lead after just three minutes through Nuno Tavares.
Arsenal take the lead in just two minutes 😱
Nuno Tavares tucks home the rebound to make it a nightmare start on a nightmare week for Man Utd! pic.twitter.com/aZdwwBuXOq
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 23, 2022
The Gunners then doubled their lead 27 minutes in after Bukayo Saka won a penalty, which he scored.
It goes from bad to worse for Man Utd…
Alex Telles was judged to have fouled Bukayo Saka, who made it 2-0 from the spot after VAR intervened. pic.twitter.com/FO01aaKEoD
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 23, 2022
However, just as it looked as though Man United were set to collapse, Nemanja Matic played a lovely ball to Cristiano Ronaldo who slotted past Aaron Ramsdale.
Nuno Tavares then handled the ball 55 minutes in, handing United a penalty. However, Bruno Fernandes, normally so clinical from 12 yards, hit the post.
Granit Xhaka then killed the game off 70 minutes in with a thunderbolt of a strike.
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Arsenal player ratings
Aaron Ramsdale (5) – Poor distribution nearly cost Arsenal early on. Made a couple of good saves throughout the match.
Cedric Soares (5) – Had some trouble dealing with Sancho and Bruno Fernandes.
Ben White (6) – Made a couple of key tackles and interceptions.
Gabriel (6) – Put in a great tackle to prevent a Ramsdale mistake from being too costly. But then let Ronaldo get in front of him too easily for his goal.
Nuno Tavares (6) – Did well to get into the box and tap in Saka’s deflected effort, but then gave away a penalty early in the second half and struggled to deal with Elanga.
Granit Xhaka (7.5) – Helped control midfield fairly well and put in the cross that led to the Gunners’ first goal. Scored their third with a stunning long-range strike.
Mohamed Elneny (6) – A quiet but solid midfield display from Elneny.
Bukayo Saka (9) – Good effort in the build-up to Tavares’ opener. Linked up well with Odegaard throughout the match, including in the build-up to winning a penalty, which he then scored. Good pressing of Fernandes to win the ball back before Xhaka’s goal.
Martin Odegaard (7) – Excellent ball to Saka in the build-up to Arsenal’s second. Continued to test United’s defence with Ozil-like through balls.
Emile Smith Rowe (4) – A quiet first 45 that saw him struggle to test Dalot. Off after 63 minutes.
Eddie Nketiah (4) – Missed a huge chance 25 minutes in to make it 2-0. Largely ineffective link-up play.
Substitutes
Gabriel Martinelli (4) – Did little of note when on.
Rob Holding (5) – Brought on to help see out the game, which Arsenal did.
Takehiro Tomiyasu (N/A)
Manchester United player ratings
David de Gea (4.5) – Perhaps could have done better when pushing away Saka’s shot which fell straight to Tavares. Good save to deny Nketiah when one on one.
Diogo Dalot (4) – Should have tracked Tavares better before his goal. Came close to scoring with a long-range effort which hit the crossbar.
Raphael Varane (3.5) – Should have done better when attempting to clear the ball in the build-up to Arsenal’s opener.
Victor Lindelof (3.5) – Like Varane his attempt to clear the cross that eventually led to Tavares scoring was poor. Made just one interception and managed no tackles on the day.
Alex Telles (3) – Gave away a penalty which led to Arsenal’s second and struggled to deal with Saka and Odegaard throughout the match.
Scott McTominay (3) – Completed a full seven passes in the first half and spent much of the second half committing fouls.
Nemanja Matic (6.5) – Great ball for Ronaldo’s goal at 2-1. Decent passing on the day but was hooked after 77 minutes with United needing two goals.
Anthony Elanga (5.5) – A very ineffective first half that saw him have just one shot and attempt zero crosses. Much livelier in the second half, causing the inexperienced Nuno Tavares problems.
Bruno Fernandes (2) – Missed a huge chance to make it 1-1 10 minutes in. He then hit the post from 12 yards. Fernandes’ poor showing was capped off by him being dispossessed too easily, which led to Xhaka scoring Arsenal’s third.
Jadon Sancho (6) – Caused Cedric problems down Arsenal’s right with his quick feet and clever passing.
Cristiano Ronaldo (7) – Was United’s best player in the first half, making a number of clever passes and producing a great finish to make it 2-1 on the day.
Substitutes
Marcus Rashford (2) – Didn’t manage a single shot or cross when he came on.
Jesse Lingard (2) – Didn’t manage a single shot or cross when he came on.
Juan Mata (N/A)
What the experts said
1998 – Nuno Tavares is the first player whose first ever goal for Arsenal came against Manchester United since Fredrik Ljungberg in September 1998. Opportunistic. pic.twitter.com/iKdORfH5fd
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 23, 2022
This game is being played with the finesse of a person who has been woken up at 3am and asked to count to 10.
— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) April 23, 2022
If underwhelming second-choice full-backs are your thing, the Emirates is very much the place to be this afternoon.
— Tom Williams (@tomwfootball) April 23, 2022
2 – Bruno Fernandes is the first Manchester United player to miss the target with two penalties in a single Premier League season since Teddy Sheringham in 1997-98. Stutter. #ARSMUN
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 23, 2022
What the fans said
#Odegaard teaching Bruno a hard lesson on how to be a #10 man….
— RealMadrid above all (@Ronaldoandmore) April 23, 2022
Ralf Rangnick na the WORST Man United manager in history! #MUFC | #ARSMUN pic.twitter.com/R09RP1Uf49
— Man United in Pidgin (@ManUtdInPidgin) April 23, 2022
Rangnick needs to get upstairs and quickly for whatever reason it hasn’t worked out as manager but I expect him to be very effective as the consultant.#ARSMUN #MUFC
— UtdActive 🔴 (@UtdActive) April 23, 2022
Ronaldo does not deserve to play with this bunch of average players pic.twitter.com/IzpP2daLij
— Kojo Darko🇬🇭 (@Joeybneba) April 23, 2022
What you may have missed
Cristiano Ronaldo joins Premier League 100 club.
📅 November 2003:
Premier League goal #️⃣1️⃣ at home to Portsmouth📅 April 2022:
Premier League goal #️⃣1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ away to Arsenal pic.twitter.com/m5v7LJukUU— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 23, 2022
Click here to view our latest Premier League betting tips.
The Premier League table as it stands
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | D | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 32 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 75 | 20 | 55 | 77 |
| 2 | Liverpool FC | 32 | 23 | 7 | 2 | 83 | 22 | 61 | 76 |
| 3 | Chelsea FC | 31 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 66 | 27 | 39 | 62 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 32 | 18 | 3 | 11 | 56 | 38 | 18 | 57 |
| 5 | Arsenal FC | 32 | 18 | 3 | 11 | 49 | 39 | 10 | 57 |
| 6 | Manchester United | 33 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 48 | 4 | 54 |
| 7 | West Ham United | 33 | 15 | 7 | 11 | 52 | 43 | 9 | 52 |
| 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 32 | 15 | 4 | 13 | 33 | 28 | 5 | 49 |
| 9 | Leicester City | 31 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 47 | 51 | -4 | 41 |
| 10 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 33 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 29 | 40 | -11 | 40 |
| 11 | Newcastle United | 33 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 37 | 55 | -18 | 40 |
| 12 | Brentford FC | 33 | 11 | 6 | 16 | 41 | 49 | -8 | 39 |
| 13 | Southampton FC | 33 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 38 | 54 | -16 | 39 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 32 | 8 | 13 | 11 | 43 | 41 | 2 | 37 |
| 15 | Aston Villa | 31 | 11 | 3 | 17 | 42 | 46 | -4 | 36 |
| 16 | Leeds United | 32 | 8 | 9 | 15 | 38 | 68 | -30 | 33 |
| 17 | Everton FC | 31 | 8 | 5 | 18 | 34 | 53 | -19 | 29 |
| 18 | Burnley FC | 32 | 5 | 13 | 14 | 28 | 45 | -17 | 28 |
| 19 | Watford FC | 32 | 6 | 4 | 22 | 30 | 62 | -32 | 22 |
| 20 | Norwich City | 32 | 5 | 6 | 21 | 22 | 66 | -44 | 21 |
Last updated: 1 min ago
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11:30, Saturday 23 April 2022
