Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal: Man Utd improved but underwhelming as Arsenal secure nervy win

A Leandro Trossard goal was enough for a nervy Arsenal to sink an improved-but-underwhelming Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

A fast start saw Bukayo Saka and Rasmus Hojlund both fire at goal in the first five minutes as both teams’ high press created problems for the opposition.

United were far more stable with Sofyan Amrabat and Scott McTominay forming a three-man midfield compared to the setup ravaged by Crystal Palace on Monday, but old issues cropped up again as Arsenal took the lead.

Casemiro ambled out with the ball in the visitors’ half, playing Kai Havertz onside as a ball over the top sent the German through. His cross was tapped home effortlessly by Trossard, with Casemiro again guilty of failing to put in the hard yards to try and block the ball in.

United took time to respond but ended the first half on top, albeit without a shot on target to their name.

Neither side flew out the traps after the break as the game turned into a scruffy, tense affair.

Declan Rice saw a shot blocked after 56 minutes while United substitute Antony and the threatening Alejandro Garnacho fired off attempts down the other end, but David Raya went practically untested throughout.

Arsenal lost Saka to injury as the final ten minutes began and Andre Onana was forced into action to expertly deny Rice and a potential Aaron Wan-Bissaka own goal, having parried a Gabriel Martinelli effort moments earlier.

The win meant the Gunners returned to the top of the Premier League table, ahead of Manchester City’s trip to Tottenham on Tuesday which will decide who holds the lead going into the final day.