Arsenal produced an admirable performance to earn a 2–0 victory over Manchester United at The Emirates Stadium. Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey played with skill and determination. Alternatively, Romelu Lukaku and Fred played poorly for Manchester United. The result means that Arsenal have moved into fourth place in the Premier League table.
Arsenal End Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Undefeated Run
Mesut Ozil
Question marks have surrounded Mesut Ozil since Unai Emery became the Arsenal boss. Those questions marks disappeared as Ozil provided spectators with a stunning performance. The former Real Madrid player dropped into pockets of space in front of Manchester United’s central defenders and slid passes into Alexandre Lacazette. Additionally, Ozil showcased his ability to find the right pass through a crowd of players. This vision allowed Arsenal to be dominant in possession during crucial periods of the match.
Aaron Ramsey
Even though Aaron Ramsey will be playing for Juventus next season, he gave Arsenal fans plenty to smile about against Manchester United. Near his own penalty area, Ramsey passed the ball with precision while under pressure from Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku. While in the centre of the pitch, Ramsey intercepted numerous passes. This allowed his team to spring forward at devastating speeds. In these moments, Ramsey consistently found Ozil, and this allowed Arsenal to play with fluidity.
Romelu Lukaku
Manchester United’s number nine had three chances to score a goal. He missed an open goal on one occasion, and Bernd Leno thwarted him twice. Matches of this magnitude demand ruthless finishing and, on another day, Romelu Lukaku could have scored a hat-trick. He could have silenced the critics that point to his poor record against the top six teams in England. However, Lukaku will have opportunities against Manchester City and Chelsea in April.
Fred
While Fred played well against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, he didn’t threaten Arsenal. He couldn’t support Paul Pogba on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area. Pogba would make himself available, and Fred simply didn’t have the composure to find him. Even when Fred was in his own half of the pitch, he failed to play with conviction and scuffed his passes. Of course, he also gave away a penalty kick to give Arsenal a two-goal cushion in the match. From a Manchester United perspective, he needs to find consistency in order to keep a starting place.
Upcoming Fixtures
Arsenal will play Rennes in the Europa League as they look to overturn a 3–1 first leg result. In the Premier League, Arsenal have a favorable run of fixtures. That is, the final eight matches of the season do not include a top six team. This will give Unai Emery the confidence that Arsenal can qualify for the Champions League.
Alternatively, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team will travel to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Wolves always seem to get a draw or a win against the best teams in England with their spirit, talented players, and tactical brilliance. However, Solskjaer knows that Wolves and Manchester City are likely the greatest threats left in the competition.
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