The hidden title boost Arsenal secured at Manchester United that cements future challenges

For the first time in the league this season, there was a sense of real nerves about Arsenal. Even when they faced Liverpool and Manchester City inside their grounds did they not present with the same level of anxiousness and trepidation which was on show at Old Trafford.

The Gunners managed to beat Manchester United by a single goal to nil, however, the day could have gone very different had their opponents possessed anything in the way of a threat. The only times they looked to show any true ambition was when Arsenal invited pressure onto themselves with poor decision-making and mistakes.

While this doesn’t sound that positive, there does exist perhaps something of a hidden narrative and a boost to not only the final day of the season when the need to win is at its highest, but for future seasons too. Arsenal have been here before, be it at Anfield last season or at Tottenham the season before that.

When the pressure game came at the backend of the season, Arsenal crumbled. At Anfield they allowed a two-goal lead to slip at the ground which has been a real problem for them and remains so to this day.

Equally, Old Trafford has also been a sad place for the Gunners and before today the statistic which was peppering fan timelines was that they had recorded just one league win since 2006. Well, no longer is that the case and there will be expectations of the rematch next season leaning toward the same result too.

However, several key absences and the recent form of Erik ten Hag’s side had many predicting a comfortable afternoon. The goal seemed to slow Arsenal down, it gave them something to defend and who can blame them when their clean sheet record is the best in the league?

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The result meant that they have won more league matches than Thierry Henry’s side managed during the Invincibles campaign and Leandro Trossard’s goal was the 89th of the league season setting a new record there too. Records keep being broken and another points progression is secured for Arteta with every season an improvement on the last.

This side has titles and trophies within them and what is being seen is all the evidence anyone needs to believe that is the case. Growth, maturity and shrewdness was on display Sunday evening and they simply managed the game to secure the result which was needed.

Now as Kai Havertz says the Arsenal supporters will be hoping for a result from their north London rivals on Tuesday as they face off against title adversaries Manchester City. A strange dynamic but it is what is on offer and if anyone had offered that at the beginning of the campaign, few would not have taken it.