Wenger breaks Mourinho jinx
LONDON. — Arsene Wenger bested Jose Mourinho in the Premier League at the 13th attempt as Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-0 yesterday to revive their challenge for Champions League qualification.
Quick-fire second-half goals by Granit Xhaka and United old boy Danny Welbeck at the Emirates Stadium condemned the visitors to their first defeat in 26 league games, since a 4-0 thrashing at Chelsea on 23 October.
Arsenal remain sixth, six points behind Manchester City, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League berth, but they are now just two points below fifthplace United and retain games in hand on both Manchester teams.
Wenger overcame Mourinho’s Chelsea in the 2015 Community Shield, but this was the first time he had got the better of his old foe with league points at stake.
While the odds remain stacked against Arsenal, they will approach their final four matches with hope intact that they may yet squeeze into the Champions League for the 20th season running.
For United, the Europa League now looks even more like their best hope of securing Champions League football for next season.
Mourinho made no fewer than eight changes to the team that won 1-0 at Celta Vigo last Thursday, an advantage United will hope to defend in this Thursday’s semifinal return leg at Old Trafford.
Matteo Darmian, Ander Herrera and Henrikh Mkhitaryan were the only players to keep their places from United’s win in Vigo.
The shake-up yielded a full debut for 19-year-old Axel Tuan zebe, who lined up at right-back but was charged with the task of following Alexis Sanchez wherever he went.
With Darmian shadowing Mesut Ozil on the other half of the pitch, Mkhitaryan and Juan Mata - back after a seven-week lay-off with a groin injury - found themselves playing as auxiliary wing-backs.
The visitors had two early sights of goal, Wayne Rooney heading over and Anthony Martial drawing a near-post
who made most of the running.
Persisting with their new 3-4-2-1 shape, the hosts were allowed to advance deep into United territory and chances soon arrived.
XHAKA’S STROKE OF FORTUNE
Aaron Ramsey drew a smart save from David de Gea in the ninth minute, his drilled effort from an inside-right position obliging the Spaniard to drop to his right and palm the ball behind.
Welbeck twice threatened, only to be thwarted by blocks from Phil Oxlade-Chamberlain warmed De Gea’s palms with a deflected effort from 25 yards.
A lapse in concentration from Rob Holding almost gifted United a goal just beyond the half-hour.
His blind pass from wide on the Arsenal right wing rolled straight into the path of Rooney, but Cech raced from his line to produce a sprawling block. while James Milner missed a penalty as Liverpool were held to a 0-0 home draw by Southampton yesterday in a blow to their hopes place in next season’s Champions League.
Phillippe Coutinho returned from the leg injury that saw him limp out of Monday’s 1-0 win over Watford, but the Reds struggled to spark offensively against Southampton’s resolute defence.
The hosts were handed a lifeline in the second half when referee Robert Madley pointed to the spot after Southampton defender Jack Stephens handled the ball in the box, but Fraser Forster got down smartly to his right to keep out Milner’s spot-kick.
Grujic’s late header over, leaving Liverpool third in the table on 70 points, a point clear of fourth-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand.
Later on Sunday, sixth-placed Arsenal, who are 10 points behind Liverpool with three games in hand, host fifth-placed Manchester United, who are five adrift of Jurgen Klopp’s side, having played two matches fewer. — Reuters/AFP