Manchester United vs Arsenal. Premier League.
Old TraffordAttendance73,600.
Report and free match highlights as Leandro Trossard’s first-half goal earned Arsenal a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford and moved the Gunners back to the top of the Premier League table, one point clear of Manchester City
Monday 13 May 2024 08:39, UK
Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, taking the title race to the final day.
Leandro Trossard's early goal from Kai Havertz's right-wing cross put the Gunners ahead and though Erik ten Hag's injury-hit United pushed hard for the equaliser, it would not come as Mikel Arteta's team claimed their 18th clean sheet of this league season.
The three points move them back one point ahead of reigning champions Manchester City who have a game in hand - to be played at Tottenham on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports. Whatever happens in midweek, the Premier League title race will now go to the last day of the season.
"We really wanted to knock that door and open that box of dreams to live the last day of the season in front of our people with the opportunity to win the Premier League," Arteta said after the game.
On the day that Manchester United's women's team won the FA Cup at Wembley, the struggles of the men's team continued. This defeat means that they remain three points behind Newcastle and Chelsea in eighth, their hopes of Europe now slim.
Manchester United's depleted squad had little reason to be confident given their poor form, having been beaten 4-0 at Crystal Palace earlier in the week, but they actually started the game promisingly enough, causing Arsenal's defence some problems.
Rasmus Hojlund had a big opportunity inside five minutes when Scott McTominay nicked the ball off Thomas Partey, but the young striker lost his footing as he attempted the shot. Arteta urged calm and Arsenal were rewarded when United undid their good work.
Casemiro's performances in defence have been much criticised of late and his role in the breakthrough goal will not stop the noise. It was his slow jog when he should have been squeezing up that allowed Kai Havertz to be onside on the other side of the pitch.
Havertz squared for Trossard to beat Andre Onana from close range. It was yet another important goal by the Belgian. He has started only 17 of Arsenal's 37 Premier League games but this was the third time in three weeks that he has opened the scoring.
Amad Diallo, making his first start of the season, did offer a threat at the other end and there were appeals for a penalty when he went to ground under a challenge from Partey but the claims were waved away. As United chased that equaliser, they needed a moment.
Alejandro Garnacho tried to provide it but Ben White and William Saliba were up to the challenge and when he did find space, the winger fired over. Arsenal were a little passive early in the second half but no doubt took confidence from their defensive record.
It was Onana who remained the busier, saving well from substitute Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice. And though one late goal would have surely ended Arsenal's title ambitions, it was a nerveless finale. Arteta's team continue their push for glory.
"We can face the fans," Ten Hag told Sky Sports. "On Monday, we definitely couldn't face them, but you can see the fans are behind us. Today, we gave it back to them. That should be the standard.
"Attitude. It always starts with the right attitude. That's what we have to build during the week. Matchday, you have to be spot on. Today we did. When you're missing seven starting players, we are competitive with one of the best teams in the league.
"The fans understand where they are. If we have so many injuries, especially in key areas, you don't get what you deserve. The fans are behind us, that's why they are with us. We are United. We have a strong bond and hopefully we can pay them back in the future."
On the attitude being questioned, he added: "Maybe at Palace, but these are human beings. Once in three months you may not have the right attitude. Monday we answered to that, but this team always has a good spirit. I can only be happy. Big compliment to this team.
"We have problems, the problems cost us results. But I don't know where we should be when we have all the players on board. If you have the players on board, you get more points. Especially in the backline, we concede a lot of chances and a lot of goals. Last season, we had the most clean sheets in the Premier League."
Asked in the press conference afterwards whether he felt he could have done more himself this season, Ten Hag answered: "Any manager can always do better. But I have been two years here and only one time have I had all my players. You cannot progress a team like that. Particularly in certain key areas, so many injuries, it is like swimming with your hands [tied behind] your back.
"You have to keep your head up above the water level. That is what we are trying to do. Still, we are in a cup final. That is good. But to progress it you need fit players. You see that with our opponent today, they had only one player not 100 per cent. We had so many."
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"We know how tough it is, that's why we have only won twice in 21 matches here," Arteta told Sky Sports. "We started the game really well, the goal affected us with the things we had to do on the ball.
"Playing backwards, playing safe, it wasn't progressing our play. We started to give our balls away and it was open. But the way we defended, we didn't give away much at all.
"The attitude of the whole team, the way Kai was chasing people all the time, the discipline and creating habits that were super important were very good today. It's a collective thing.
"We are really happy to win, especially what we did in the second half. That's another step the team has to make, to be even more dominant. But it was high stakes today, the same at Spurs, great credit.
"You don't have margins for error, these are big teams that make things difficult against you and you have will to win, that's emotional.
"Today we wanted to open the door, last day in front of our people, our families will be there, let's create the most beautiful day together."
Asked if he has his Tottenham pyjamas for Tuesday because he will be cheering on his rivals, Arteta said: "We will certainly be watching the game. We watch all the games. We need the result. It's football, there are always possibilities."
One goal up and with Manchester United desperately chasing an equaliser in front of a packed Old Trafford, this should have been an awkward finale for Arteta's Arsenal. Their title ambitions were on the line, one slip could be costly.
They never really looked like surrendering their 1-0 lead on Sunday afternoon. There is a calmness to this Arsenal that contrasts with the edginess of last season. It is built on the best defensive record in the Premier League - particularly away from home.
It is on the road where brittleness can be exposed, where Arsenal are still hoping for a favour from Tottenham against Manchester City on Tuesday if this magical season is to end with a title. It is on the road where Arsenal have been at their most impressive.
This was clean sheet number 11 in their final away game of the Premier League season. City have only managed six of them so far, while no other team in the competition has yet mustered more than four. It is an obvious difference between them and the rest.
Continuity has clearly helped. Saliba, the undoubted player of the match at Old Trafford, has started every single Premier League game this season. Gabriel has partnered him in defence in 33 of the last 34 of those matches. They have been magnificent.
It may yet not prove to be enough but regardless of what happens in the next week, Arsenal have had the best Premier League defence. In each of the last four seasons, no team has conceded fewer than the eventual champions. Arsenal will hope that continues.
The Premier League's final day will take place on Sunday May 19 with all games kicking off at 4pm. Man Utd head to Burnley, while Arsenal host Everton.
Before that, United face Newcastle at Old Trafford on Wednesday May 15 - live on Sky Sports; kick-off 8pm.
It's one of the biggest sporting events in a generation. Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk collide for the undisputed world heavyweight championship on Saturday May 18, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
