Arsenal win ends Amorim’s unbeaten Manchester United start | Premier League

Arsenal cut Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points with a decisive win against Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.

After Fabian Schär’s late equalizer denied Liverpool victory at St James’ Park, Mikel Arteta’s side were offered the chance to move closer to the summit.

And the Gunners did not disappoint with Jurriën Timber and William Saliba both scoring from second-half corners to give the hosts a win that kept their title hopes alive.

After following up a draw in Ipswich with home wins against Bodø/Glimt and Everton, Ruben Amorim warned that his unbeaten start to life at Old Trafford could be disrupted by a “storm”. The opening period at the Emirates was, however, a turgid affair. Gabriel Martinelli had the ball in the net after just four minutes, but Kai Havertz was clearly offside in the build-up.

A quintet lined up at the far post for one of four Arsenal corners in the first half. The chance came at the front post but Thomas Partey was unable to get anything of substance from Declan Rice’s delivery – the ball dropped harmlessly wide.

Arsenal’s best chance of the first period came with 30 minutes gone when Martinelli lashed Oleksandr Zinchenko’s blocked effort wide.

Moments later, the hosts would have a penalty when Bukayo Saka’s cross hit Harry Maguire on the thigh. Despite Arsenal having the chances, the best effort of the first 45 fell to United when Diogo Dalot flashed his shot across David Raya’s goal when he really should have tested the Spaniard.

Two minutes into the second period and Martinelli had the home crowd on their feet when he found space on the left, but the Brazilian’s effort deflected off Maguire and into the arms of André Onana. Sixty seconds later and Rice’s shot cannoned Mason Mount into the corner.

Arsenal had signaled their intent and within nine minutes of the second half starting they had their breakthrough. Timber leaned into Rasmus Højlund at the front post before deflecting Rice’s set piece into the back of Onana’s net. Saka then made a low save from Onana with the home crowd feeling blood.

On came the cavalry for United, with Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee – both on the bench after scoring a double each against Everton last Sunday – introduced on the hour mark. And the latter’s first touch almost ended up in his own net as his header, from another Rice corner, flashed across his own goal.

United didn’t have an answer. The storm that Amorim foretold had arrived. But towards the end of the game, the visitors were almost level with 66 minutes gone.

A tiring Zinchenko chopped down Amad Diallo and from the ensuing set-piece, Raya produced a world-class flying save to beat Matthijs De Ligt’s header with his left claw. And just seven minutes later, Arsenal doubled their advantage.

Partey was unmarked at the back post from Saka’s corner and his header deflected off Saliba’s shoulder.

It marked Arsenal’s 22nd goal from a corner since the start of last season. No side in the division can boast more. Arteta and the club’s set-piece guru Nicolas Jover embraced on the touchline as Amorim was left with his head in his hands.

Havertz could have put the game out of sight on the restart only to fire his effort at Onana before substitute Mikel Merino’s header from Saka’s corner went just wide.

But that didn’t matter to the Gunners, who saw off the three points easily and condemned Amorim to his first defeat as United boss.