Timber and Saliba on target as Arsenal condemn Amorim to first loss as Man Utd manager

Arsenal rallied with a ruthless second-half performance to end Ruben Amorim’s honeymoon in charge of Manchester United in brutal fashion with a 2-0 win.

Thomas Partey had missed from a corner at point-blank range to warn The Red Devils that Arsenal remained a danger from the set piece despite missing Gabriel through injury, and the visitors had no answers in the second period.

Arsenal hit their stride after half-time and Jurrien Timber’s glancing header set them on course for victory before Partey made amends by heading into William Saliba’s back to double a lead that Manchester United never looked likely to overcome.

Amorim’s heavily rotated side played for a goalless draw from virtually the first minute and showed almost no threat in attack, dropping back into the bottom half of the Premier League as Arsenal cut two points from Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table.

Manchester United’s best chances also came from dead balls as Diogo Dalot, Antony and Matthijs de Ligt came closest to hitting back – the latter only denied by a wondrous David Raya save at full stretch – but for every such opportunity there were two or three moments of set-piece panic inflicted by The Gunners.

And despite the absence of Gabriel, Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal were untroubled in open play.

Partey could not make any meaningful contact on the first of many dangerous deliveries early on as Arsenal otherwise struggled to penetrate the opposition, but Mikel Arteta’s half-time adjustments worked wonders as Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Partey all found much more space to work in and helped cut United to pieces.

The Norwegian could have had a second goal in two games had he pulled the trigger slightly earlier, and Leandro Trossard was a threat from the bench, replacing Gabriel Martinelli who saw a goal ruled out for offside. Arsenal will not face a top-eight side in the Premier League until 2025 as they look to chase down Arne Slot’s Liverpool.

Any illusions Amorim had about the scale of the chasm separating United from England’s leading sides will have surely shattered at the Emirates Stadium as The Red Devils were so conspicuously second-best to an Arsenal side that are themselves only just finding their feet in this season’s campaign.

Rasmus Hojlund is still yet to recapture the magic Amorim created with Viktor Gyokeres at Sporting CP and barely had any service from a rotated support cast with Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee – who have scored all five of Amorim’s Premier League goals – both dropped in London.

Neither player made any impact in 30 minutes as a substitute, though neither did their replacements behind Hojlund, while Bruno Fernandes occupied a deeper role and gave his all, but was rather overrun in the second half.

United finished the first period with more possession, but had no attempts on goal to show for it and barely any meaningful time in Arsenal’s half with the ball, then were found wanting when things hit top gear after half-time.

One of the few silver linings was a long-awaited debut for Leny Yoro, who was injured against Arsenal in pre-season, but Tyrell Malacia was hooked at half-time after struggling against Bukayo Saka.

Unfortunately, Arsenal’s set piece coach Nicolas Jover isn’t eligible for this award, otherwise there would be no contest.

Instead, Saka was Arsenal’s most incisive threat from open play and bagged an assist, but it’s fellow creator Declan Rice who was the biggest factor in Arsenal’s domineering charge to the finish.

He helped pick the visiting defence apart, starting many of the moves that won those lethal corners as well as swinging in the perfect delivery for Timber’s opening goal.

Arsenal: Raya 7, Timber 8, Saliba 8, Kiwior 7, Zinchenko 6, Odegaard 7, Partey 7, Rice 8, Saka 7, Havertz 6, Martinelli 6. Subs: Trossard 7, Merino 6, Jorginho N/A.

Manchester United: Onana 6, Mazraoui 5, De Ligt 6, Maguire 6, Dalot 7, Ugarte 5, Fernandes 6, Malacia 5, Garnacho 6, Mount 5, Hojlund 4. Subs: Diallo 6, Rashford 5, Zirkzee 5, Yoro 7.

7’ – HUGE CHANCE! No Gabriel, no problem! Almost… Arsenal employ their usual rush from the corner and Partey has a free header just a yard or two from the near post. It seems a certain goal, until he can’t make any meaningful contact and the ball bounces out for a goal kick, with Partey’s head in his hands.

42’ – SO CLOSE! And out of absolutely nowhere! Mount volleys from distance but catches it horribly, slicing it towards the corner flag and an apparent goal kick. Maguire doesn’t get the memo though, chasing hard and pulling the ball back to Dalot, who flashes a shot across the face of goal and just wide.

54’ – GOAL! ARSENAL 1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED (TIMBER): What did we say earlier – no Gabriel, no problem? Arsenal strike again from a corner, rushing to the near post and Timber’s glancing header is enough!

65’ – SO CLOSE TO STRIKING BACK! Arsenal aren’t the only threat from set pieces! Fernandes lifts a wonderful outswinging cross that De Ligt meets firmly and directs back across goal. It’s perfectly orchestrated but Raya is more than a match, producing a superb and photogenic save at full stretch to his left.

73’ – GOAL! ARSENAL 2-0 MANCHESTER UNITED (SALIBA): It doesn’t matter how they go in! Arsenal switch the point of attack for this set piece, swinging the corner to the back post and Partey heads back across the crowded six-yard box, deflecting off Saliba’s back and into the net. This is surely game over.