ARSENAL and Man Utd are embroiled in a frantic clash at the Emirates.
Nuno Tavares gave Arsenal a dream start against Man Utd as he took advantage of some shambolic defending.
Eddie Nketiah then thought he’d doubled Arsenal’s lead, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
But it the Gunners did get a second from the same incident, as the footage of the offside showed Alex Telles had committed a foul, leaving Bukayo Saka to score the resulting penalty.
However, Cristiano Ronaldo halved the deficit and emotionally pointed to the sky as he netted just days after losing his baby son.
Bruno Fernandes then had the chance to equalise from the penalty spot after Tavares clumsily handballed.
But he instead stroked his spot kick onto the outside of the post.
And that miss looks to be costly as Granit Xhaka has fired in a long range thunderbolt to restore Arsenal’s two-goal lead.
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Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
80. Arsenal are looking to manage this game now.
Taking the chance to run the clock down whenever the situation presents itself.
United look to try put Ronaldo in but the ball is overhit and runs through to Ramsdale.
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Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
78. The Granit Xhaka goal has completely changed this game.
United were dominating this second half before the goal.
Heads are down with the visitors and there seems to be no way back into the game for them.
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Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
76. Bruno Fernandes is booked for a foul on Tavares.
Late challenge from the stroppy Portuguese midfielder.
Elanga and Matic come off for Lingard and Rashford.
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Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
74. Nketiah draws the foul from Matic.
It gives Arsenal some breathing space.
That Xhaka goal may have just ended United’s hopes of Champions League football next season.
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Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
72. Saka is on the floor injured.
He has signalled to the bench that he needs to come off.
It seems the Arsenal youngster has a thigh strain.
Rob Holding to replace him.
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Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
70. Well we certainly know what was going through Xhaka’s mind that time.
The Arsenal midfielder strikes a hammer of a left foot from distance.
De Gea with no chance of saving that one.
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Goal – Granit Xhaka (Arsenal)
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
68. This is all Man Utd currently.
Arsenal keep giving the ball away far too easily.
United need to take some of these chances.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
66. Xhaka gets his obligatory yellow card for the day.
You really have to wonder what goes through that guy’s head at times.
He launches the ball into the stands after the referee’s whistle, right in front of the official.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
64. Martinelli comes on for Smith-Rowe.
The Arsenal youngster has been missing somewhat today.
Elanga goes to ground in the box claiming a penalty.
As the foul initially started outside of the box, VAR cannot get involved.
Ridiculous rules.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
62. Man Utd break with numbers.
Ronaldo feeds Dalot on the outside who shoots.
Ramsdale gets a fingertip to deflect it onto the post.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
60. The ball is floated into the box, Ronaldo turns on it and strikes the back of the net.
Immediately the linesman puts his flag up.
VAR confirms the decision.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd – Elanga chance!
58. It is all Man Utd in the second half so far.
Elanga tries an effort from outside the box but Ramsdale tips it wide of the post.
Arsenal camped in their own half currently.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
56. Bruno Fernandes misses!
His stuttering run towards the ball, placing the ball in the corner, it rebounds back off the post.
What a chance wasted for United.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
54. As United press, Sancho wins a corner off Saka.
Ralf Rangnick’s team are looking for an equaliser.
The ball is swung into the back post and Matic heads it, but it is blocked by Tavares.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
52. McTominay is penalised for a foul on the halfway line.
Ben White picks the ball up for The Gunners.
He looks to play a ball in behind the United defence for Saka.
Ball runs through to De Gea.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
50. Tavares had a decent chance to work the keeper there.
He dropped the shoulder and sold his marker with a dummy, creating himself a shooting opportiunity.
Rather than placing the ball he looks to put his foot through it and it is not troubling keeper nor goal.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
48. Sancho looks to make some gains down the right.
Dispossessed the ball is easily cleared.
Arsenal are looking to defend what they already have.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
46. There is a lot riding on this game for both teams.
Although the season is not quite over, with only four or so games left neither can afford to slip up.
Looking to develop their squads, it opens up the possibility to a different class of player.
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Kick-off: Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
Arsenal get the second-half started.
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HT: Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
The fate of their season may well depend on the next 45 minutes.
For Man Utd, defeat today could spell the end of their challenge for a Champions League spot.
Arsenal however can improve their chances of cementing that final qualification spot in the table.
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HT: Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
In what was quite an even first half, both sides will feel they created enough chances to go into the break ahead.
Neither side can say they have dominated to an extent where they deserve to be in the lead at half-time.
Defensively, both Arsenal and Man Utd look like conceding whenever they are attacked.
This is still anybody’s game.
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HT: Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
The referee brings the first half to a close.
An entertaining first half of football.
The Gunners slightly edging this one at half-time.
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Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd – Odegaard chance!
45+3. Odegaard tries an effort from the edge of the box.
De Gea saves in a very unconventional manner.
It may be as he saw it late, weird but it does the job.
Source: The Sun