Daijiworld Media Network - London
London, Jan 26: Manchester United delivered a major blow to Arsenal’s Premier League title charge with a dramatic 3-2 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, sealed by a stunning late strike from Matheus Cunha.
Arsenal took the lead in the 29th minute in fortuitous fashion when Lisandro Martinez turned the ball into his own net under pressure, following a scramble in the United box. The hosts looked in control until a costly defensive lapse allowed United back into the contest before half-time. A poorly weighted back pass from Martin Zubimendi was pounced upon by Bryan Mbeumo, who calmly rounded goalkeeper David Raya to level the score.
United emerged stronger after the break and stunned the Emirates crowd when Patrick Dorgu fired a sensational long-range effort into the top corner, putting the visitors ahead. Arsenal appealed for handball in the build-up, but VAR allowed the goal to stand.
Mikel Arteta’s side showed resilience and appeared to have salvaged a point late on when Mikel Merino bundled home from close range in the 84th minute after Raya failed to deal cleanly with a Bukayo Saka corner. However, the drama was far from over.
Just three minutes later, Cunha produced a moment of brilliance, latching onto a pass from Bruno Fernandes and smashing an unstoppable shot from outside the box past Raya to secure United’s first win at the Emirates since December 2017.
The defeat was Arsenal’s first in 13 matches across all competitions and their first home loss in 18 games. The Gunners’ lead at the top has now been cut to four points, with Manchester City and Aston Villa closing in after weekend victories.
Despite being labelled the “best team in the world” by City manager Pep Guardiola earlier this week, Arsenal’s three-game winless run in the league has reopened the title race and raised fresh concerns among supporters. With no trophy since the 2020 FA Cup and a 22-year wait for the league title, the pressure is mounting on Arteta as the season enters a decisive phase.
For United, the win continued an impressive start for interim manager Michael Carrick, who has now guided the side to victories over the league’s top two, lifting them into fourth place after a turbulent period under the previous regime.