Premier League reaction, talking points and your views after Man Utd beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium
Their stunning 3-2 win leaves Arsenal with a four point lead over Man City and Aston Villa in the title race
It also sees Michael Carrick earn two impressive wins since taking interim charge, having also beaten Man City last weekend
Stats: Arsenal's forwards are struggling in front of goal as five players record just 0.17xG
Arsenal are still overwhelming favourites (81.74%) to win the Premier League title, according to Opta
Click 'Get Involved' to have your say - TJ says Man Utd will now 'drop off' | Connor says people are forgetting Arsenal's midweek fixtures | Anita says Carrick 'deserves a chance'
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Arsenal are putting themselves in a situation where their game at the Etihad [against Manchester City on 18 April] may be far more consequential than they'd hope. I'm not trying to be a nay-sayer, but they simply need to start scoring from open-play, the record is becoming abysmal.
Harry
Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd
Patrick Vieira
Former Arsenal captain on Sky Sports
Arsenal are still four points clear, but there are still some questions about the mental strength of the team.
It is not the fact they lost the game [against Manchester United], but it was the way they lost the game. It was a lack of creativity.
Image source, GettyThese images are doing the rounds on social media.
In the second half, Arsenal piled their players on the goalline, surrounding Man Utd goalkeeper Senne Lammens. And it came off, once, as Mikel Merino scored their second.
Lemmens wasn't fouled but the tactic makes it difficult to get to the incoming ball.
There were a flurry of late corners in the match, where he did well to punch the ball away.
But the quality of the Arsenal deliveries and the chaos in the six-yard box clearly makes it incredibly difficult to defend against.
As a reminder, Arsenal's 13 goals from set-pieces is more than any other side in the Premier League.
So, with so much threat from their corners, just how do you defend it?
Arsenal have scored five goals in the four Premier League games they have played since the turn of the year, at a combined xG (Expected Goals) of 5.01.
If you break down that xG, the Gunners had better quality chances from set plays - 2.26 in open play compared with 2.75 from set plays:
2-3 vs Manchester United
0-0 vs Nottingham Forest
0-0 vs Liverpool
3-2 vs AFC Bournemouth
Combined
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Before Odegaard came back into the team, Eze was playing a blinder in that position. They’ve lost momentum with Odegaard as 10 - time to revert? I know he’s the captain, but team first.
Howard
"Attacking struggles" may be overdoing it. They might not have a clear goalscorer, but Arsenal have still scored more goals than any team except Manchester City and conceded FAR less than any team. Not exactly existential.
Tom
Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd
There was lots of talk on social media about Viktor Gyokeres' opportunity to level for Arsenal with seconds remaining at the Emirates Stadium.
He barged Lisandro Martinez out of the way and got into the box but his effort went wayward. The whistle had gone for a foul anyway.
Gyokeres came on just before the hour mark for the Gunners and didn't manage a shot on target.
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Excluding the 4-1 win vs Aston Villa, Arsenal's only PL win by more than a one-goal margin since the north London derby was the 2-0 win vs Brentford, when the second goal only came in stoppage time. This loss was definitely coming, it's just about how they bounce back.
Adam
Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd
Image source, Getty ImagesViktor Gyokeres joined Arsenal from Sporting last July (2025) in a deal worth up to 73m euros (£64m).
The former Brighton and Coventry striker scored 97 goals in 102 matches for Sporting, also contributing 26 assists in his two seasons in Portugal to help them claim two league titles.
Since his summer move, Gyokeres has scored just five league goals in 21 appearances for the Gunners.
Gyokeres stats in the Premier League since joining Arsenal:
Arsenal have scored 42 goals in 23 Premier League games this season, 22 of which have come from open play.
The Gunners have scored three penalties and 13 more goals from set-pieces, while benefitting from four own goals.
Distribution of Arsenal's Premier League goals this season:
NB: Data from FotMob
Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd
So, should Arsenal fans be worried that their two joint top-scorers, Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard, have only scored five goals in the Premier League this season?
History tells us that Gunners fans have nothing to worry about.
In Jose Mourinho's debut title-winning season in 2004 at Chelsea, Frank Lampard was the Blues' top-scorer with just 13 goals, while Ilkay Gundogan was Manchester City's top-scorer, also with 13 goals, in their title-winning season in 2021.
Arsenal's former captain Patrick Vieira told Sky Sports "you don't need to be worried, but there is a right to be concerned" about the Gunners' goal-scoring form.
Image source, Getty ImagesArsenal 2-3 Man Utd
Image source, Getty ImagesMikel Arteta has been managing Arsenal for over seven years, and is currently the second-longest reigning Premier League manager behind Pep Guardiola.
With the reigning champions, Liverpool, 14 points off the top spot, former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira believes the Gunners will not get a better chance of winning the Premier League title.
"When I say now or never, it is because other teams are not doing well," Vieira said on Sky Sports.
"It will be sad to see them losing that momentum, so that is why it is important to stick together and create this togetherness to keep performing."
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Arsenal will be fine. Manchester City are mid-transition and Aston Villa are ultimately focused on Champions League places. They might stumble to victory, but they'll do it.
Matt
Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester United's Lisandro Martinez opened the scoring for Arsenal on Sunday, the fourth own goal scored against the Gunners in the Premier League this season.
Arsenal's tally of own goals is just one behind their top scorer in the league - which is shared by Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard (5).
Arsenal's top scorers in the Premier League this season:
Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd
Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter
Again, a bit of context is required.
Mikel Arteta kept faith with the attacking trio that started Arsenal's impressive midweek win at Inter Milan in the Champions League.
Gabriel Jesus, who only recently returned from a long-term injury, was handed a first Premier League start of the season after scoring twice in the Gunners' 3-1 victory in the San Siro.
Viktor Gyokeres - the player Gabriel Jesus replaced in the starting line-up - also scored at Inter.
Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd
Image source, Getty ImagesThe attacking stats of Arsenal's forward line against Manchester United will not make comfortable reading for manager Mikel Arteta.
The starting three of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard, along with second-half substitutes Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres, had a combined xG of 0.17:
Saka
Gabriel Jesus
Trossard
Madueke
Gyökeres
Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd
Lee Dixon
Former England and Arsenal defender on BBC Radio 5 Live
Image source, Getty ImagesThe handbrake needs to come off a little bit. This is Mikel Arteta's first job.
He has been given a lot of money, and he has been given the equipment to get the job done.
You'll see at the top of this page that we have a poll! How do you rate Arsenal's title chances?
After their first home defeat this season, just how much will it hurt their Premier League title hopes? Opta say they've got an 82% chance, so it should still be in the bag. But can Man City hit form? Will Aston Villa stay in the race? Do we have a title race?
Have your say.
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First off, well done to Manchester United - it was a fully-deserved win. As for Arsenal, despite what Mikel Arteta said, that type of performance has been a feature all season. When we are in possession it's "don't concede" first, "let's score" second. It is time to flip that around if we want to regain momentum.
Matt
Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd
Image source, Getty ImagesOne cause for concern will be the lack of a clear goalscorer in their side.
None of their attackers are freely scoring at the moment, which is putting more of an emphasis on their threat from set-pieces:
Bukayo Saka - 1 goal in his last 10 appearances
Viktor Gyokeres - 1 goal in his last 11 appearances
Gabriel Martinelli - 0 goals in last 13 appearances
Leandro Trossard - 1 goal in his 8 appearances
Noni Madueke - 0 goals in last 25 appearances*
*Yesterday marked a year to the day since Madueke's last Premier League goal
NB: Premier League games only
Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd
For the record:
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 42 | 17 | 25 | 50 |
| |
| 23 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 47 | 21 | 26 | 46 |
| |
| 23 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 46 |
| |
| 23 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 41 | 34 | 7 | 38 |
| |
| 23 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 39 | 25 | 14 | 37 |
| |
| 23 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 35 | 32 | 3 | 36 |
| |
| 23 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 34 |
| |
| 23 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 35 | 32 | 3 | 33 |
| |
| 23 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 32 | 29 | 3 | 33 |
| |
| 23 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 24 | 26 | -2 | 33 |
| |
| 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 24 | 25 | -1 | 32 |
| |
| 23 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 33 | 31 | 2 | 30 |
| |
| 23 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 38 | 43 | -5 | 30 |
| |
| 23 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 33 | 31 | 2 | 28 |
| |
| 23 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 24 | 28 | -4 | 28 |
| |
| 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 30 | 37 | -7 | 25 |
| |
| 23 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 23 | 34 | -11 | 25 |
| |
| 23 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 27 | 45 | -18 | 20 |
| |
| 23 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 25 | 44 | -19 | 15 |
| |
| 23 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 15 | 43 | -28 | 8 |
|
