Manchester United failed to stop the Arsenal juggernaut as they lost at the Emirates. Red Devils’ boss Erik Ten Hag was disappointed by the loss, claiming he expected better.
Arsenal have refused to slow down as they continue chasing their first Premier League title since 2004. Things have been terrible for the Gunners, with several changes in managers not bringing respite for the north London side. On the evidence of their performance this term, the days of mourning might be close to its end.
The Gunners have been flying this season, with their performance a sharp contrast to their rivals at Manchester United. The Red Devils have also been in the wilderness since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. They are yet to win the Premier League since 2013, with cross-city rivals Manchester City owning the city.
Manchester United have managed to creep into the top four and battling to remain there. Their last couple of games seems to have brought a break to their resurgence. Against Arsenal at the Emirates, the Red Devils slunk into their shell as the Gunners took them to the cleaners. A disappointed Ten Hag said he expected better of his team.
Ten Hag demands more of his players
Manchester United were not at their best when they took on Arsenal at the Emirates. Despite taking the lead through Marcus Rashford, the Red Devils crumbled when it mattered most. The 3-2 loss to arch-rivals Arsenal saw the Old Trafford side drop back to fourth place on the log, with Tottenham breathing down their necks.
After the game, Erik Ten Hag said his players could have done much better. The loss to Arsenal is their first loss in 2023 and should be a wake-up call for the side whose last loss came on November 6.
Ten Hag said his wards have to defend better. He claimed they made mistakes that gifted Arsenal the game. The former Ajax manager believes his side that they need to improve. He charged his wards to learn from the lessons of the loss. It is the second game in a row that United will drop points, and Ten Hag wants to avoid these situations in the future.
How it happened
Marcus Rashford continued his goal-scoring streak. He added to his tally season with a splendid goal in the 17th minute.
Rashford nutmegged Thomas Partey before unleashing a rocket from outside the box for the first goal. The goal seemed to bring life into the game as the Gunners went gunning for a leveller.
The equaliser was not long in coming. A beautiful combination of passes left United players woozy and Eddie Nketiah, who has been enjoying a fine season levelled for Arsenal. Nketiah beat Wan Bissaka to a Granit Xhaka cross to nod beyond David De Gea. The second half started frenetically, with Bukayo Saka unleashing a howitzer from outside the box after beating Luke Shaw for the second goal.
United were back a few minutes later through Lisandro Martinez, who was first to a poor punch away by Ramsdale off a corner kick. The game was heading for a draw before Nketiah settled matters late in the tie to give Arsenal a 3-2 win.
Arsenal are now five points ahead of Man City and 11 ahead of the Red Devils.
