FA PROBE SHOVE ON SMALLING
Solskjaer’s first league loss fires CL race wide open
THE wheels finally came off for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
And the fact Solskjaer’s remarkable run of nine away wins finished at the Emirates was a double-edged sword because of the impact it will have in the battle for top four.
Unai Emery’s Arsenal leapfrogged Manchester United into fourth and are now a point behind Tottenham.
Suddenly, with Chelsea, you have four clubs battling for two Champions League places.
On this evidence you should not bet against Arsenal. They were gritty, determined and defiant in a hard-earned victory against a United team that looked flat after their Paris heroics.
United had all the momentum – with Ole at the Wheel as the fans proudly sing – and yet now they will have to respond after their first Premier League defeat under the caretaker boss.
They were wasteful in front of goal, David de Gea made a rare howler and Fred’s clumsy challenge gifted Arsenal a penalty that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang showed nerves of steel to convert having missed in the last minute against Spurs last week.
That typified Arsenal’s performance, led by Granit Xhaka who rampaged through midfield, bossed Paul Pogba and it was his 25-yard strike that undid de Gea and got the win under way.
Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno made brilliant saves and Ainsley Maitland-Niles got the home fans back onside with a terrific, gutsy display that was all about a strong response after the painful defeat at Rennes on Thursday night.
The strange thing about Emery is you never know which Arsenal will turn up. He picked an unlikely team, Mesut Ozil starting rather than Matteo Guendouzi, and they produced another big result at the Emirates having already beaten Tottenham and Chelsea while holding Liverpool.
This was the gritty one, full of determination and a bit of luck thrown in because United will still be wondering how they did not score in a game when their forwards looked dangerous and Arsenal’s defence looked chaotic.
The warnings were there for all to see after nine minutes when Luke Shaw’s low cross caused panic, Romelu Lukaku hit the ball into the ground and it cannoned up and on to the crossbar. No one could quite believe how he did not score.
Three minutes later there was equal disbelief when de Gea dropped a clanger. The keeper was beaten from 25 yards, Xhaka given too much space and time to launch a rocket that swerved and deceived the Spaniard.
United refused to give up. Fred hit the post, Lukaku rounded Leno only for the Arsenal keeper to recover to make a brave block and then Xhaka made a heroic last-ditch block to deny Marcus Rashford. Leno made another terrific save to deny Lukaku after the restart as United pressed for the leveller.
Finally, after 68 minutes the game was effectively decided.
Fred clumsily pushed Alexandre Lacazette in the back, the Arsenal striker went down and even though Emery admitted it was “soft”, referee Jon Moss pointed to the spot.
Up stepped Aubameyang. The stadium held its breath. The striker whose 90th-minute penalty was saved in last week’s North London derby wanted redemption and got it as he coolly played the ball down the middle and it went in with de Gea committed.
United battled until the end but Solskjaer’s run was over.
After the highs of PSG came the low and yet it was decided on fine margins. On another day they’d have got something. They never stopped attacking.
But it was arguably Arsenal’s most complete win under Emery. It puts them bang in contention for top four. That really would be a remarkable achievement.
You never know which Arsenal will turn up. This was the gritty one, full of determination