Cunha's goal secured win for Man United
Cunha’s goal defeats Arsenal for Man Utd in five-goal thriller
Cunha’s 87th-minute strike gives Red Devils dramatic 3-2 victory as Gunners’ lead at the top is cut to four points.
Matheus Cunha scored an 87th-minute wondergoal as Manchester United stunned Premier League leaders Arsenal in a dramatic 3-2 victory at Emirates Stadium.
Victories for title rivals Manchester City and Aston Villa earlier this weekend piled the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s team, and they went ahead just shy of the half-hour mark through Lisandro Martinez’s own goal.
However, Bryan Mbeumo punished Martin Zubimendi’s error to equalise, before Patrick Dorgu lashed a bouncing ball in off the woodwork to complete the turnaround early in the second half.
Arsenal substitute Mikel Merino thought he had salvaged a point, but he was outdone by Cunha, who curled home superbly from distance only two minutes and 58 seconds later.
United’s second win in as many games under Michael Carrick moves them above Chelsea and Liverpool into fourth, with Arsenal’s lead at the top now only four points.
Arsenal put United under pressure from a series of early set-pieces, with Senne Lammens having to push Zubimendi’s close-range header over the crossbar.
The Gunners went ahead in fortuitous fashion in the 29th minute, as Martinez sliced his attempted clearance from Martin Odegaard’s shot into his own net.
But mistakes crept into Arsenal’s game, and after William Saliba’s sliding intervention put Bruno Fernandes off, Zubimendi’s poor pass was intercepted by Mbeumo, who rounded goalkeeper David Raya and slotted home in the 37th minute.
Matters got worse for Arsenal five minutes into the second half as Dorgu linked up beautifully with Fernandes, with the ball sitting up kindly for the Dutchman to send a sensational strike swerving off the underside of the bar and in.
Lammens turned Bukayo Saka’s drive around the post as Arsenal upped the pressure, and when the resulting corner provoked a goalmouth scramble, Cunha was unable to hack Merino’s stab off the line.
But Cunha had the final say as he curled a sublime effort around Gabriel and into the bottom-right corner, provoking wild celebrations among the travelling fans.
Though Arsenal showed their class when dispatching Internazionale Milano 3-1 in the UEFA Champions League in midweek, it has been a struggle for them on the domestic front lately.
Back-to-back goalless draws against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest represented let-offs for their title rivals, and Arsenal entered this game at risk of becoming the first Premier League team to play out three straight 0-0 draws since 2015.
Gabriel Jesus stated his claim for a regular starting berth against Inter but was deprived of service here.
And Martinez’s own goal – the sixth Arsenal have benefitted from in the Premier League this season – did little to settle their nerves, with their attackers’ hesitancy soon spreading throughout the rest of the team.
Zubimendi’s no-look pass deserved to be punished by Mbeumo, and though Dorgu’s stunner was unstoppable, the Spaniard also helped the United man on his way by giving up on a 50-50 tussle to appeal fruitlessly for handball.
Arsenal looked to be in the ascendency following Merino’s goal, but they overcommitted and saw their midfield bypassed, with Cunha doing the rest.
Their mid-season wobble has offered hope to those chasing them, and next week’s trip to Leeds United will provide them with another stern test.
Carrick could hardly have wished for a better start to his second stint as United’s interim boss, as the Red Devils registered a thoroughly deserved 2-0 derby win over Manchester City last weekend.
That left City in the unenviable position of asking their neighbours for a favour on Sunday, and they got one.
For all Arsenal’s early possession, Lammens was untroubled aside from his reaction save to deny Zubimendi, until Martinez – who was perhaps too concerned with outmuscling Jurrien Timber – swung wildly at a spinning ball and saw it flick into the net off his standing foot.
But to United’s credit, they stepped up the intensity, playing on the obvious nerves emanating from the home supporters. After Fernandes was unable to capitalise on a lapse from Saliba, Mbeumo punished Zubimendi ruthlessly to score his 50th Premier League goal.
Among his eight Premier League goals this season, Mbeumo can count strikes against each of Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal.
After joining Mbeumo on the scoresheet last week, Dorgu saw off competition from Cunha to retain his place in attack, and he looked more forward than full-back when he fired home United’s second.
But Cunha would have a decisive role to play after stepping off the bench, with his outstanding finish maintaining Carrick’s perfect start ahead of hosting Fulham next week.
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