TOP GUNNER ALEX53
Lacazette’s double eases the pressure on Arsenal manager
SHEFFIELD UNITED 0 ARSENAL 3
ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE scored a dynamic double to ease the pressure on Mikel Arteta and pile the pain on Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
Lacazette converted a glorious firsthalf move from Arsenal to plunder his 14th goal of the season before adding a second in the closing stages to reach 50 league goals for the club.
Gabriel Martinelli added another between Lacazette’s brace to help seal his side’s first win in five attempts.
This was the Blades’ 25th league defeat of a season they must want to finish as soon as possible.
It has not been a vintage one for the Gunners either, but at least this win will give Arteta’s men confidence heading into Thursday’s Europa League showdown at Slavia Prague.
Arteta made five changes from the side held to a disappointing draw by Slavia last time out.
Martin Odegaard, Kieran Tierney and David Luiz were injured,while Martinelli, Nicolas Pepe Calum Chambers, Dani Ceballos and Pablo Mari were recalled.
There was no Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng in the squad, with a club official insisting he was unwell.
Home manager Paul Heckingbottom brought back John Egan, Ethan Ampadu and Oliver Burke after just one win in their last eight league games as they hurtle towards the Championship.The Gunners had not kept a clean sheet in 14 matches and were treading water in mid-table.
One of the few pluses for Arteta this season has been the progress of Bukayo Saka, who threatened first by lashing a shot just over the bar. David McGoldrick fired just wide at the other end moments later but the visitors looked the more threatening and almost went ahead when a flowing move involving Saka, Ceballos and Lacazette ended with Martinelli, left, shooting into the side netting. Martinelli then tested Aaron Ramsdale with a deflected shot before flashing a ball across the face of the Blades’ goal.
The inevitable breakthrough came in the 33rd minute with a goal reminiscent of the Gunners of old.
Saka fed a smart ball into Ceballos, whose sublime backheel released Lacazette to beat Ramsdale with a cool finish.
Lacazette went close to a second after the break, but the truth was that the Blades were so blunt Arteta’s men did not need a two-goal cushion.
Martinelli was taking no chances, however, and pounced from close range in the 71st minute with his first league goal for 446 days before Lacazette completed the win five minutes from time.
SHEFFIELD UNITED (3-5-2): Ramsdale 6; Stevens 6, Ampadu 6, Egan 8; Baldock 7, Fleck 6, Lundstram 6, Norwood 5, Osborn 4; Burke 6 (Brewster 64, 6), McGoldrick 6 (McBurnie 64, 6 (Mousset 84).
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Leno 7; Chambers 7, Holding 7, Mari 7, Xhaka 7; Partey 7, Ceballos 9; Pepe 7, Saka 8 (Willian 69, 6), Martinelli 8 (Elneny 83); Lacazette 8 (Nketiah 88). Goals: Lacazette 33, 85, Martinelli 71.