Arsenal end Solskjaer’s run
ARSENAL beat Manchester United 2-0 yesterday, lifting the Londoners above their opponents into fourth place in the Premier League and ending Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s unbeaten domestic run as United’s caretaker manager.
Goals from Granit Xhaka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang earned the Gunners a victory that sent them into the Champions League places, while pushing United back down to fifth.
It was United’s first league defeat since December 16, Jose Mourinho’s last game in charge, and ended Solskjaer’s remarkable unbeaten start in the league as United’s manager.
Arsenal went ahead in the 13th minute when Xhaka belted a swerving shot from 30 metres out, with United goalkeeper David de Gea seemingly wrong-footed by the curve of the ball.
United hit the woodwork either side of the goal, with Romelu Lukaku heading against the crossbar first and Fred striking the post minutes later.
Lukaku had a golden opportunity to score from close range early in the second half but his first touch was heavy and, as he lunged to shoot, goalkeeper Bernd Leno blocked the shot with his body to send the ball spinning up and over the bar.
Arsenal won a very soft-looking penalty in the 67th minute when Fred was judged to have brought down Alexandre Lacazette, with the replay showing that the Brazilian barely brushed the Frenchman’s side as they ran for the ball.
Aubameyang then converted the penalty, making up for his missed spot kick at Tottenham Hotspur a week earlier.
The win lifted Arsenal to 60 points, just one point behind their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who are third, and two points above United who slipped to fifth.
Meanwhile, when Jurgen Klopp’s team selection was announced before yesterday’s 4-2 Premier League win over Burnley, Liverpool fans could have been forgiven for feeling a little puzzled.
The team had failed to score in three of their last four matches, including the goalless draw with Everton in last week’s Merseyside derby where Klopp’s decision to bring on Adam Lallana in the final stages was criticised by pundits and supporters.
A change to the midfield was expected but many might have expected Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri to be included rather than the 30-year-old Lallana, whose career has been hampered by injuries.
Klopp’s choice, though, was amply justified by Lallana’s lively performance yesterday in just his eighth start since May, 2017.
The Liverpool boss said he had made it clear to his players that a good showing in training could earn them a place in the starting line-up and that Lallana had responded.
“It’s important that the boys know it and Adam used that. Not only Adam, but him especially, so in the end it was clear that if he could play like he trained then he would help us a lot and that’s exactly how it happened today,” he said.
The win ensured Liverpool kept pace with leaders Manchester City who have a one-point advantage.
Meanwhile, an injury-time goal from Eden Hazard salvaged a point for Chelsea against a dogged Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League yesterday after Raul Jimenez had put the visitors ahead with one of their only two shots on goal. |