LAC’S BACK
ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE scored a dynamic double to help ease the pressure on Mikel Arteta and pile on the pain for Sheffield United. Gunners forward rediscovers his form
After his horror show in front of goal last Thursday in the Europa League, Lacazette converted a glorious firsthalf move before adding a second in the closing stages to reach 50 league goals for the club.
Gabriel Martinelli added a third inbetween Lacazette’s brace to help seal his side’s first win in five matches.
This was the Blades’ 25th league defeat of a miserable campaign to leave them marooned at the foot of the table.
It has not been a vintage one for the Gunners either, but at least this win will give Arteta’s men some confidence heading into Thursday’s crucial European showdown at Slavia Prague.
Arteta (inset) was missing Martin Odegaard, Kieran Tierney and David Luiz and rang the changes.
He made five in total from the side held to a disappointing draw by Slavia last time out. Martinelli and Nicolas
Pepe returned in attack in place of Willian and Emile Smith Rowe, while Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari were also recalled along with Dani Ceballos.
There was also no Pierre-emerick Aubameyang in the squad at all, with club officials insisting he was unwell.
Home boss Paul Heckingbottom, meanwhile, made three changes, with John Egan and Ethan Ampadu replacing Phil Jagielka and Jayden Bogle.
Oli Mcburnie also dropped to the bench, with Oliver Burke coming in to partner
David Mcgoldrick in attack. This game felt about as appealing as a custard pie in the face.
The Blades had won just one of their last eight league games and were hurtling towards the Championship at speed, while the Gunners had not kept a clean sheet in 14 outings in all competitions and were treading water in mid-table with the top four seemingly out of sight. One of the few pluses for Arteta this season has been the progress of Bukayo Saka and he threatened first by lashing a shot just over the crossbar. Mcgoldrick fired just wide at the opposite end moments later but the visitors almost went ahead when Saka, Ceballos and Lacazette combined with Martinelli hitting the side-netting.
The Brazilian forward then tested Aaron Ramsdale with a deflected shot before flashing a ball across the face of the Blades goal which Chambers could not convert.
But the inevitable breakthrough came in the 33rd minute with a wonderful goal reminiscent of the Gunners of old and one ‘The Invincibles’ would have been proud of.
Saka fed a smart ball into Ceballos, whose sublime back-heel released Lacazette and he beat Ramsdale with a cool finish to leave the Blades bamboozled.
Lacazette came close to adding a second after the break, but the bleak truth was that the Blades were so blunt Arteta’s men didn’t need a two-goal cushion.
But Martinelli was taking no chances 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.