Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, taking the title race to the final day.
Leandro Trossard’s early goal from Kai Havertz’s right-wing cross put the Gunners ahead and though Erik ten Hag’s injury-hit United pushed hard for the equaliser, it would not come as Mikel Arteta’s team claimed their 18th clean sheet of this league season.
Manchester United’s depleted squad had little reason to be confident given their poor form, having been beaten 4-0 at Crystal Palace earlier in the week, but they actually started the game promisingly enough, causing Arsenal’s defence some problems.
Rasmus Hojlund had a big opportunity inside five minutes when Scott McTominay nicked the ball off Thomas Partey, but the young striker lost his footing as he attempted the shot. Arteta urged calm and Arsenal were rewarded when United undid their good work.
Casemiro’s performances in defence have been much criticised of late and his role in the breakthrough goal will not stop the noise. It was his slow jog when he should have been squeezing up that allowed Kai Havertz to be onside on the other side of the pitch.
Havertz squared for Trossard to beat Andre Onana from close range. It was yet another important goal by the Belgian. He has started only 17 of Arsenal’s 37 Premier League games but this was the third time in three weeks that he has opened the scoring.
Amad Diallo, making his first start of the season, did offer a threat at the other end and there were appeals for a penalty when he went to ground under a challenge from Partey but the claims were waved away. As United chased that equaliser, they needed a moment.
