HIT FOR SIX
Sheff Utd O Arsenal 6: Free-scoring Gunners thrash hapless Blades to stay with Man City and Liverpool in title race
Arsenal entered the record books as a 6-0 demolition of Sheffield United on Monday kept the Gunners on Liverpool and Manchester City’s tails in the Premier League title race.
Martin Odegaard, Jayden Bogle’s own goal, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Declan Rice put the visitors 5-0 at halftime before Ben White rounded off the scoring.
Mikel Arteta’s men become the first side to ever win three consecutive away games in the English top-flight by five or more goals.
“When we had the ball, we were in a good mood today,” said Arsenal captain Odegaard.
“Created a lot, scored the goals early on — a nice performance.” By contrast, Sheffield United also set a new record by becoming the first English topflight side to concede five or more goals in three straight home matches.
“It’s a painful season and the boys are a damaged group of players,” said Blades boss Chris Wilder.
“They were in a different league, a different planet to us. We couldn’t lay a glove on them.”
Arsenal’s stunning streak of 31 goals in seven consecutive Premier League wins since a winter break has at least built up a big advantage over their rivals should the title be decided on goal difference.
They remain in third, just two points behind leaders Liverpool and one adrift of defending champions City.
However, Arteta’s men can go top with victory at home to Brentford on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s showdown between Liverpool and City at Anfield.
“I love the way the team played. The quality and the aggression we showed from the beginning,” said Arteta.
“We have to continue to do what we are doing.”
HAVERTZ HITS FORM
There appeared little doubt over the outcome from the first whistle at Bramall Lane.
Bukayo Saka rattled the crossbar after just two minutes and what little resistance there was from the Blades ended just five minutes in.
Rice’s cross picked out the unmarked Odegaard to turn into the bottom corner.