Arsenal end long wait as Ole milestone fizzles out
PIERRE-EMERICK Aubameyang swept Arsenal to their first victory at Manchester United since 2006 as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s 100th match in charge ended in disappointment.
The Red Devils had started October with a home humbling at the hands of Tottenham and November kicked off with another loss to north London visitors as the Gunners ended their long wait for a league win at Old Trafford.
Aubameyang put away a second-half penalty so needlessly given away by Paul Pogba as Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal secured a deserved victory against a United side that fell well short of the standards reached in the midweek thrashing of RB Leipzig.
It was quite the comedown from that five-star Champions League demolition, with defeat meaning they have failed to win in their opening four home league games for the first time since the 1972-73.
Arsenal had endured a torrid run without a victory at a big-six Premier League rival, stretching back 29 games to January 2015, but they showed signs they could end that sequence after edging a dull first half in which Willian clipped the crossbar.
United’s sloppiness was encapsulated by the poor Pogba challenge on Hector Bellerin that allowed Aubameyang to score from the spot, with Arsenal battening down the hatches – and riding their luck at times – to claim the points.
Nemanja Matic Gabriel caught him in the box felt
and the Brazilian was also fortunate to escape a second yellow card for a foul on Mason Greenwood.
Donny van de Beek left the bench and saw a shot deflect off Mohamed Elneny onto Bernd Leno’s face and back off a post but Arsenal held firm.