Key stats
- Arsenal have conceded three goals in a Premier League home game under Mikel Arteta for only the sixth time, with this his 117th such match.
- Mbeumo is the first Manchester United player to score against Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool in a Premier League season since Marcus Rashford in 2022-23, and first to do so in his first campaign at the club since Robin van Persie in 2012-13.
- Manchester United's victory was their first Premier League win against Arsenal since September 2022, a run of six games without success.
Highlights
Analysis
Arsenal dominated the game for large periods, but it was Manchester United who were able to make the breakthrough more often.
Match report
United showed they could compete with some of the best the PL had to offer when beating Manchester City last weekend, but today they met the best in the division at the moment.
Few were surprised to see Arsenal start on the offensive, but aside from a wayward effort from Leandro Trossard, the Gunners were unable to capitalise on their total dominance.
It didn’t take long for Mikel Arteta’s men to carve out a clear-cut chance though, when the diminutive figure of Martín Zubimendi climbed highest inside the area to meet Declan Rice’s delivery, but a fine Senne Lammens stop turned his header behind for a corner.
It felt like just a matter of time before Arsenal eventually found a breakthrough, and the opener duly arrived in fortuitous circumstances. A ball into the box was only partially cleared by Patrick Dorgu, and after the ball dropped favourably to Martin Ødegaard, his strike was inadvertently diverted into his own goal by Lisandro Martínez.
Yet for all the hosts’ dominance, a glaring error handed United a route back into the game. Zubimendi’s loose pass played Bryan Mbeumo clean through on goal and he rounded David Raya and slotted an equaliser into an empty net.
Arsenal were visibly shell-shocked after being pegged back, and whilst United had them rocking, they had them on the canvas six minutes after the restart.
Dorgu has played himself into a wide midfield role in recent weeks and he continues to vindicate that call, thundering home United’s second off the underside of the crossbar from distance after some intricate link-up with Bruno Fernandes, leaving Raya helpless and silencing the Emirates.
That prompted Arteta to make a quadruple change, but it didn’t particularly stimulate a response as they struggled to get a foothold in the game.
United boss Michael Carrick will perhaps have been surprised at the ease at which his side were seeing the game out, and perhaps that’s why they were caught napping six minutes from time.
Bukayo Saka’s inswinging corner caused havoc and Mikel Merino was on hand to prod over the line from close range to set up a mouthwatering finale.
There was to be one more twist in an incredible story, as United hit back almost instantly when Matheus Cunha bent home a sumptuous effort from outside the box to secure the Red Devils’ first league win at the Emirates since 2017 and end Arsenal’s 17-match unbeaten home run.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Patrick Dorgu (Manchester United)
Post-match comments
Manchester United boss Michael Carrick said the recent results were just the starting point from where the team needs to build.
"Today, coming away we had to create own energy between us, and the away fans in the corner were incredible," he told Sky Sports.
"There's that element, playing away from home and understanding the phases of the game really, how it's going to develop and being patient, be disciplined at the right time.
"It's only been 10 days, we know it's not going to be perfect. You can't expect to come here and dominate the ball.
"We're just starting off and it's a good starting point but we need to start putting some layers on top, and we'll try to do that in the coming weeks."
Carrick appears to have injected new life into Man Utd, but instead deflected the praise coming his way.
"I give a lot of credit to the staff and players in terms of how much they've invested and how much they've bought into it," he said.
"It's alright trying to help them and say certain things but they've got to live it and they have done.
"You can see that with boys coming off the bench and it's a collective feeling. It's great when it comes together and everyone's in it and we can celebrate with the fans at the end. It's important and a big moment.
"My kids were in there, they're not kids anymore, that in itself is emotional, it's the passion, the excitement of these types of games and to come out on top is fantastic."
However, he would not be drawn on whether he was thinking about carrying on next season: "I'm enjoying it. It's a fantastic position to be in. What happens next I'm not going to be answering it every week. I'm enjoying it and I'll continue to do what I can."
Man Utd defender Harry Maguire said his side have "qualities that can hurt teams" after their stunning win.
He told Sky Sports: "I thought the first 20 minutes, Arsenal started really well. They put us on the back foot, but we watched their game against Liverpool and they did the same there.
"After 20 minutes, I thought we got a grip on the game and started being more brave on the ball, and when we started playing through the middle and making passes through the lines, I thought we were comfortable in the second half.
"Their biggest threat was set-plays. They managed to score one and it was a scrappy goal to concede. Like I said, we have qualities that can hurt teams, and we did that today."
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard said "giveaways" cost his side at the Emirates.
"It was not good enough from us and we need some time to analyse it," he told Sky Sports.
"We should've done better but now is the time to stick together more, keep working, push each other more and bounce back.
"First half we were the better team, we scored a goal and had control but a lot of giveaways. We managed to get to 2-2 but then they scored straight away.
"It's never going to be easy in this league, we know that. I thought we were well prepared for the game, we started the game well and in the second we saw the momentum change a bit.
"The performance definitely should've been better from us and we have to take the lesson and keep working.
"Every game is a big challenge, this is part of football. We are still top of the league so we have to keep going and bounce back straight away, that's the only medicine."