Cunha’s 87th-minute strike gives Red Devils dramatic 3-2 victory as Gunners’ lead at the top is cut to four points
Matheus Cunha scored an 87th-minute wondergoal as Manchester United stunned Premier League leaders Arsenal in a dramatic 3-2 victory at Emirates Stadium.
Victories for title rivals Manchester City and Aston Villa earlier this weekend piled the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s team, and they went ahead just shy of the half-hour mark through Lisandro Martinez’s own goal.
However, Bryan Mbeumo punished Martin Zubimendi‘s error to equalise, before Patrick Dorgu lashed a bouncing ball in off the woodwork to complete the turnaround early in the second half.
Arsenal substitute Mikel Merino thought he had salvaged a point, but he was outdone by Cunha, who curled home superbly from distance only two minutes and 58 seconds later.
United’s second win in as many games under Michael Carrick moves them above Chelsea and Liverpool into fourth, with Arsenal’s lead at the top now only four points.
How the match unfolded
Arsenal put United under pressure from a series of early set-pieces, with Senne Lammens having to push Zubimendi’s close-range header over the crossbar.
The Gunners went ahead in fortuitous fashion in the 29th minute, as Martinez sliced his attempted clearance from Martin Odegaard‘s shot into his own net.
But mistakes crept into Arsenal’s game, and after William Saliba‘s sliding intervention put Bruno Fernandes off, Zubimendi’s poor pass was intercepted by Mbeumo, who rounded goalkeeper David Raya and slotted home in the 37th minute.
Matters got worse for Arsenal five minutes into the second half as Dorgu linked up beautifully with Fernandes, with the ball sitting up kindly for the Dutchman to send a sensational strike swerving off the underside of the bar and in.
Lammens turned Bukayo Saka‘s drive around the post as Arsenal upped the pressure, and when the resulting corner provoked a goalmouth scramble, Cunha was unable to hack Merino’s stab off the line.
But Cunha had the final say as he curled a sublime effort around Gabriel and into the bottom-right corner, provoking wild celebrations among the travelling fans.
Premier League pundit David Seaman:
On Martin Odegaard’s substitution: “Taking off your captain – it was a real surprise to me. He’s our playmaker. To bring him off at 58 minutes, it changed everything because Declan [Rice] had to drop back…It was a strange substitution, and bringing four on [at once] really disrupts the momentum of the team.”
22:05
Arsenal
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta:
“First of all you have to give credit to Man Utd. We gave them a goal that was unusual and painful and then they had two brilliant moments when they have incredible strikes from the edge. We weren’t at our best today.
“In the first 30 minutes, we were in total control and played the game we wanted to play. They scored a goal and then after that we gave the ball away unnecessarily in dangerous areas. We started to lose control and it became a chaotic game.”
22:04
Man Utd match-winner Matheus Cunha:
“To be part of moments like this is something you dream of. Everyone said to me ‘It’s big games for big players.’ To score the match-winner is something you dream of.
“Every single training I try to have this shot. The guys say ‘You need to shoot from outside of the box, you shoot better!’ This league is so tight, every team defends so well. In these kinds of moments, you only get one chance, and you need to be ready.
“Being my national team team-mate, I know how big he is when he tries to block shots. But when I see the chance to put the ball in the corner, I try to.”
22:01
Manchester United
More from Michael Carrick:
On how he has turned Man Utd around: “I give a lot of credit to the staff and the players, in terms of what they have invested and the way they have bought into it. It is a really collective feeling and it great when it comes together and everyone is in it.
“We won’t overcelebrate to give Arsenal in their stadium but when you have a result like that it is only right that we appreciate our supporters.
Is this a long-term project? “We said two weeks ago when we came in that we make every decision for the greater good for the football club. My job is to keep improving the team and not getting carried away with two massive results. It is always about what’s next and keeping our feet on the ground. I’m enjoying it and will continue to do what I can.”
21:59
Manchester United
Man Utd interim head coach Michael Carrick:
“I am massively proud. It is very difference to last week, two very different games. They put us under pressure in different ways and we never had as much threat as we did last week. To come here and score three goals in the manner we did – going one down and then coming back and then the setback – the boys had to put a lot in today.
“Last week the flow of the game was with us but in this one we had to dig deep. It was a massive effort and I’m proud of the players.”
21:57
Manchester United
Premier League pundit Michael Owen:
On Matheus Cunha’s goal: “I watched him drift in from the left-hand side. As soon as he touched it, I thought: this is where he comes alive. He’s unbelievable from outside the box – long-range shots.”
21:55
From The Scout:
Bryan Mbeumo (£8.2m) scores his second goal in as many Gameweeks to help Manchester United to victory and receives maximum bonus in the process. It is his third double digit haul of this campaign.
21:53
Manchester United
Premier League pundit Owen Hargreaves:
On Patrick Dorgu’s goal: The strike is so pure. Sometimes, on that volley, it just needs to sit up to you…What a finish, he’s absolutely on fire at the moment. It’s amazing.”
21:51
Arsenal
More from Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard:
“In the first half especially we had some giveaways that gave them some dangerous counters. In the second half there was a lot of duels that they won. We couldn’t get into that rhythm of creating chances and attack. There are a lot of factors in the game but those are a few of them.
“It was never going to be easy. We know every game in this league is big challenge. Now it is time to work harder than ever. We are still top of the league so we have to keep going and bounce back straight away.”
EPL and Photos:Getty Images.
