Arsenal 2-0 Manchester United highlights and reaction as Timber and Saliba fire Gunners to victory

Man Utd lost 2-0 against Arsenal in the Premier League on Wednesday evening and there is work to do for

Manchester United suffered a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League on Wednesday.

United have not beaten the Gunners away from home since January 2019 and were defeated again, conceding twice to corners scored by Jurrien Timber and William Saliba.

Arsenal have the best record from corners in the Premier League and their set-pieces routines caused havoc, as United struggled to deal with their excellent, pacy deliveries into the box.

Ruben Amorim made six changes from the side that beat Everton at the weekend and he has decisions to make ahead of Saturday’s match against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.

Forest are enjoying a great season but were hammered 3-0 by Manchester City tonight.

Recap what happened at The Emirates here.

Premier League

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Key Events

United player ratings vs Arsenal as four players score 4/1022:16

FULL-TIME! Arsenal 2-0 United22:06

73′ – ARS 2-0 MUN – GOAL! 2-0 ARSENAL! (Saliba)21:46

53′ – ARS 1-0 MUN – GOAL! 1-0 ARSENAL! (Timber)21:26

United’s two preparation changes fail in defeat to Arsenal

“Set-piece FC, olé, olé, olé,” chortled the Arsenal fans. Arsenal were at their most dangerous from dead-ball kicks. Conceding from one was a kick in the teeth for Manchester United. A second looked like carelessness.

Carlos Fernandes, Ruben Amorim’s assistant, now stands in the technical area to choreograph the set-piece strategy rather than Andreas Georgson, the set-piece coach. United went through their new set-piece drills in the warm-up. They ended up conceding from two corners and it could have been more.

Peter Schmeichel, in the Emirates press box, would have clambered over the posse of players to pluck the ball. Andre Onana never appeared that inclined and Arsenal’s only openings in a tepid first half were from corners. Onana was more culpable for William Saliba’s far-post header and he was as rooted to his line as David de Gea.

Arsenal fans started to sardonically anticipate the corner chaos. They won 13 corners. United did not have one. Amorim was aghast at how Marcus Rashford conceded the corner to tee up Saliba.

United tried to beat Arsenal at their own game from a free kick but David Raya repelled Matthijs de Ligt’s connection at 1-0. Antony struck softly from an innovative free kick in the 86th minute. Ultimately, United’s absence of a consistent goal threat was their undoing.

United player ratings vs Arsenal as four players score 4/10

Andre Onana

Did not have the smoothest of starts with his distribution and handling at set pieces. Never wanted to come off his line for Jurrien Timber’s headed goal. Worse for William Saliba’s goal. 4

Noussair Mazraoui

Moved to left centre back to help out Tyrell Malacia and coasted through the first half. Under the cosh in the second. 6

Matthijs de Ligt

Had one of his most accomplished first halves as United limited Arsenal to chances from dead-ball kicks. Close to equalising with a header. 6

Harry Maguire

A fine first start in 59 days and he got United’s first touches in the box to give Diogo Dalot a sighter. A respectable return until his planned withdrawal. 6

Diogo Dalot

Another progressive performance after his early-season slump. Shot wide towards the end of the first half and that was costly. 6

FULL-TIME! Arsenal 2-0 United

That’s the final whistle here at The Emirates.

United did well in the first half but weren’t in the game in the

90′ – ARS 2-0 MUN – Four minute added

Arsenal came close to scoring from another corner just there.

87′ – ARS 2-0 MUN – Almost over

This has been a really frustrating second half for

82′ – ARS 2-0 MUN – Arsenal corners

Arsenal have had 12 corners and United haven’t had a single corner all

79′ – ARS 2-0 MUN – Hojlund replaced

Antony ON and Hojlund

75′ – ARS 2-0 MUN – Save from Onana

The angle was tight forn Havertz but it was an important save from Onana at close range.

73′ – ARS 2-0 MUN – GOAL! 2-0 ARSENAL! (Saliba)

Another corner and another goal for Arsenal… It was at the back post on this occasion.

The ball bounced off the back of Saliba and he didn’t know much about

72′ – ARS 1-0 MUN – Good work from Yoro

Great challenge from Yoro to stop Trossard. The youngster had to get the timing of his tackle bang on because Trossard had driven into the box but he got it absolutely right

70′ – ARS 1-0 MUN – 20 minutes remaining

Although United will leave themselves more vulnerable to conceding again by pushing for an equaliser, they have to go for it and try to create something to rescue a point from

66′ – ARS 1-0 MUN – Chance for De Ligt

Great save from Raya to deny De Ligt – that was a really decent header from the defender.

63′ – ARS 1-0 MUN – Almost a repeat goal

Arsenal just had another corner and it was indentical to their goal. Zirkzee attempeted to clear it but it was wayward and Ugarte made a crucial clearence to prevent an

59′ – ARS 1-0 MUN – Yoro makes his debut

Yoro, Zirkzee and Rashford O

Maguire, Mount and Garnacho and OFF.

56′ – ARS 1-0 MUN – Where was Onana for the goal?

Where was the keeper? Arsenal are excellent at set pieces but if you’re conceding from inside your six-yard area question marks have to be asked of the goalie. Onana never wanted to come for that. Peter Schmeichel is here and would have clambered over the posse of players to get it.

55′ – ARS 1-0 MUN – Changes are coming

United need to get back into this, and Rashford, Zirkzee and Yoro are coming on.

53′ – ARS 1-0 MUN – GOAL! 1-0 ARSENAL! (Timber)

Arsenal are such a threat from corners and Timber scores at the front post.

He got in behind Hojlund and glanced the ball into the back of the

52′ – ARS 0-0 MUN – De Ligt running off a knock

He had to leave the pitch for a moment and he’s now running off the

49′ – ARS 0-0 MUN – Malacia was booked

You wonder if Malacia’s booking has played a part in his removal there. Would never have finished the game but maybe coming off earlier than planned with that card in mind. A good shift against Saka though. Noticeable Dalot has now been moved to that flank, not risking Amad against Saka.

46′ – ARS 0-0 MUN – Amad replaced Malacia

Amad has come on for Malacia, who was on a yellow card, for the second half of

45′ – ARS 0-0 MUN – Back under way

We’re back under way for the second half.

21:01Samuel Luckhurst

Half-time ratings

Here are your half-time ratings:

Onana

Iffy start but got better. 6

Maguire

Good return to the starting XI so far. 7

De Ligt

One of his most assured halves. 7

Mazraoui

Coasted through. 7

Dalot

Could have scored. 6

Fernandes

Decent shift. 6

Ugarte

Bought for games like this and shown why. 7

Malacia

Huge improvement on last week. 7

Mount

On it off the ball, off it on the ball. 6