Arsenal
kept their Premier League title dreams alive by ending an Old Trafford hoodoo
to grind out a 1-0 win at Manchester United on Sunday to move back top of the
table.
Manchester City still have the destiny of the title
in their own hands as the defending champions have two matches left to
Arsenal’s one. However, the Gunners kept the pressure on Pep Guard Iola’s men
ahead of their tricky trip to Totten ham on Tuesday. Defeat further dented
United’s chances of competing in Europe next season. Erik ten Hag’s men showed
more spirit than in a dismal 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Monday, but have
now won just one of their last eight Premier League games. United remain eighth
in the table, three points adrift of both Newcastle, who they face on
Wednesday, and Chelsea.
Arsenal has been in scintillating form in 2024 to
remain in the race for their first league title in 20 years. Mikael Arleta’s
men have won 15 and drawn one of their 17 league games since the turn of the
year.
But Arsenal were far from their flowing best as the
expected onslaught of an injury-ravaged United never materialized under
unusually stifling heat in England’s north-west.
The manner of defeat at Palace had increased the scrutiny
on united boss Ten Hag .He made three changes to the team swept aside at
Selhurst Park as Scott McTominay, Sofia Amirabad and Amid Diablo came in.
The Dutchman’s options were again hamstrung by a
lengthy list of absentees with captain Bruno Fernandez among those sidelined
and a bench littered with youngsters. But his decision to retain Casmir as a
makeshift center-back after his woeful showing against Palace will become
another stick to beat the beleaguered coach with.
The Brazil captain was dropped from their squad for
the Copa America in midweek due to his terrible form. After United had managed
to keep the free-scoring visitors at bay for the opening 20 minutes, Casmir was
culpable for the opening goal.
The 32-year-old was labored in pushing up from a united goal-kick to play Kai Averts onside and Brossard then stole in on the blind side of Casmir to tap in the German’s cross. United’s new co-owner Jim Radcliffe was in attendance at Old Trafford rather than at Wimble to see the club’s women pick up their first-ever major trophy in the FA Cup final.
The work that lies ahead of Radcliffe has been laid
bare in recent weeks, but the home side did manage to keep the majority of the
74,000 crowd onside by taking the game to Arsenal after the break.
Arsenal, though, were rarely seriously troubled as
they held out for a sixth clean sheet in their last seven away league games.
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