Arsenal put in a dominant display from set-pieces as goals from Jurrien Timber and William Saliba earned a 2-0 win over Manchester United.
The Gunners were a threat from almost all of their 12 corners taken in the game against Ruben Amorim’s otherwise resolute United, with both goals coming in the second half to hand the hosts the victory.
It saw Mikel Arteta’s men deal Amorim his first defeat as United boss and reduce the deficit behind Premier League leaders Liverpool to nine points after their 3-3 draw with Newcastle earlier on Wednesday evening.
As it happened
Arsenal started the brightest and should probably have been ahead inside nine minutes after a corner found Thomas Partey at the near post but the midfielder’s header bounced off the wrong side of his head and wide.
The Gunners’ main threat came through set-pieces and it produced another sight of goal as a blocked effort came the way of Gabriel Martinelli but he shot wide.
And it was unsurprisingly a set-piece which put Arsenal in front early in the second half as Timber finally broke through a resolute United defence.
The Dutch defender did what Partey could not do earlier in the game as his flick on at the near post found the back of the net to electrify the Emirates.
Arsenal very nearly scored an identical goal shortly after, this time through the head of opposing player Joshua Zirkzee as his header needed Manuel Ugarte to divert the ball away from finding the far post.
David Raya was forced into a brilliant save up the other end as the Spaniard stretched to deny Mattijs de Ligt’s header back across goal.
But the set-piece kings were at it again to double their lead as they crowded the box once again before Partey diverted the ball back across goal for Saliba to find the net.
Kai Havertz nearly sealed the game as his shot was saved by Andre Onana, but all that meant was another corner for the hosts, which the Cameroonian stopper had to punch clear before Mikel Merino nearly headed in yet a follow-up corner.
Raya was on hand to deny Antony the chance to halve the deficit in a rare second-half opening for the visitors but it did not disrupt what was a dominant display by the hosts after the break.
