This is the second victory in three days for the Gunners against a formation of the "Big Six", after beating Chelsea on their ground (4-2).

With 60 points, but a lower goal difference, Mikel Arteta's players have a three-point lead over Tottenham, traveling at the end of the afternoon to Brentford (6:30 p.m.).

The Gunners forced Manchester United to chase the scoreline for most of the game, after opening the scoring on their first attack, two poor clearances from the Manchester defense which Bukayo Saka took advantage of to find Nuno Tavares free at the second post (3rd, 1-0).

The Red Devils – who have known since Thursday that the Dutchman Erik Ten Hag will be their manager next season – reacted well, with four clear chances in the next twenty minutes.

Cristiano Ronaldo was the source of three of these four opportunities offered to Anthony Elanga (6th and 15th) and Diogo Dalot (24th).

"CR7" has meanwhile been warmly applauded by the public at the Emirates Stadium, a few days after the death of his baby.

After being jostled, Arsenal took advantage of the feverishness of the Manchester United defense, deprived of Harry Maguire and poorly led by Raphaël Varane, to make the difference again, after an off-time intervention by the VAR.

A goal by Edward Nketiah was thus allowed by the referee, then canceled by the video assistance for offside. The VAR then found that a foul had been committed in the box before the offside, and awarded a penalty... which canceled the goal scored two seconds after the foul.

A penalty that Saka fortunately transformed (32nd, 1-0).

Ronaldo took advantage of the Gunners' deconcentration two minutes later, on a cross from Matic (34th, 2-1), to score his hundredth goal in the Premier League.

The Red Devils again endangered Arsenal on the return from the locker room, with in particular a penalty from Bruno Fernandes pushed back by the post (57th), then a new attempt by Dalot, on the post (63rd), he who had already shot at the bar in the first period.

Three amounts too much for the Mancunians, who finally gave in on a powerful strike from Granit Xhaka (70th, 3-1).

With six points behind fourth place and a match played more, Ralf Rangnick's players have almost no chance of making up for it by the end of the season.

© 2022 AFP