Arsenal stunned at the Emirates as Cunha caps wild late comeback for Manchester United

Wow. Bless the Premier League. Even if Michael Carrick’s greatest achievement as interim Manchester United manager has simply been restoring a bit of common sense to the Red Devils’ football, beating Manchester City 2–0 and then Arsenal in consecutive matches is no small feat. Just ask the thousands of United fans who traveled to north London and went wild with the goals from Mbeumo, Dorgu and, above all, Matheus Cunha.

Mikel Arteta welcomed United knowing he could not afford to slip up, and he did. Arsenal lost 3–2. An unthinkable error from Zubimendi, a museum piece of a thunderbolt, another “set piece again” moment, and several outstanding individual performances. Among them, Casemiro’s. One of what appear to be his final games in a United shirt. The clash between Gunners and Red Devils had everything. The title race is as alive as it is chaotic.

Victories for Manchester City and Aston Villa, combined with Arsenal’s stumble, leave Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery four points off the top. Arsenal still lead after 23 matchdays, but if only the four games of the second half of the season were counted, no team has collected more points than Manchester United. Carrick’s side sit fourth. The interim coach already knew what it was like to beat Arsenal, and he still does not know what it means to lose as United manager. The new Ole Gunnar Solskjaer?

But Martin!

Arsenal came out pressing, biting, suffocating and scoring. The Gunners were close to perfect in the opening 45 minutes, hemming Manchester United into their own half and often their own box. Unable to exploit the pace of their forwards on the counter, United relied on Lisandro Martínez and Lammens. The Belgian goalkeeper denied Zubimendi from point-blank range to keep it at 0–0. Martínez could not do the same after battling with Timber.

After a fine switch of play, a cross from Saka and a half-missed volley from Odegaard, the Dutch defender poked the ball between the visiting center back’s legs and this time beat Lammens. What Carrick’s players did not expect was that one of Arteta’s most reliable men would drag them right back into the game.

Martín Zubimendi’s mistake could not have been more out of character. The Spaniard handed the ball straight to Mbeumo. One on one with David Raya, the Cameroon international rounded the Spain goalkeeper and finished with ease. Zubimendi pulled his shirt over his face, fully aware that a lapse in concentration had gifted United an equalizer on the stroke of halftime.

The Premier League goes wild

Spare a thought for anyone who lingered too long getting refreshments before the second half. They missed it all. Including, quite possibly, the goal of the season in the Premier League. Patrick Dorgu’s strike from outside the box after a dazzling three-man combination with Bruno Fernandes. The goal that silenced the Emirates Stadium. A breathtaking hit in the 50th minute that confirmed United’s comeback. Simply outrageous.

But spare an even greater thought for those who left the Emirates with five minutes still to play. English football is madness, and Arsenal and Manchester United proved it once again. With the score at 2–1, Arteta made four substitutions at once. One of them was Mikel Merino. At the moment when Arsenal were most nervous, rushed and desperate, especially with Lammens standing firm, the former Real Sociedad midfielder played the hero again. With a touch of drama, he made it 2–2 in the 84th minute after a poor clearance from the Belgian goalkeeper. Of course it came from a corner.

The end? Not a chance. There was still time for Matheus Cunha’s decisive 3–2. That one truly sent the away end into delirium and shook the Premier League. The Brazilian’s curling right-footed strike from outside the box, just three minutes after the equalizer, will be long remembered by the United fans who made the trip to north London. And by Arsenal supporters too, watching once again as Manchester City and Aston Villa close the gap.

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Arsenal

• 1 David Raya
• 5 Piero Hincapie Reyna (57')
• 2 William Saliba
• 6 Gabriel
• 12 Jurrien Maduro
• 41 Declan Rice
• 36 Martín Zubimendi (57')
• 8 Odegaard (57')
• 9 Gabriel Jesus (57')
• 7 Bukayo Saka
• 19 Trossard (74')
• Substitutes
• 23 Merino (57')
• 4 Ben White (57')
• 49 Myles Lewis-Skelly
• 3 Cristhian Ibarguen
• 14 Viktor Gyokeres (57')
• 13 Arrizabalaga
• 10 Eberechi Eze (57')
• 20 Nonso Madueke (74')
• 11 Martinelli

M. United

• 31 Senne Lammens
• 5 Harry Maguire
• 23 Shaw
• 2 Diogo Dalot
• 6 Lisandro Martínez
• 18 Casemiro
• 8 Bruno Fernandes
• 16 Amad Diallo Traore (87')
• 37 Kobbie Mainoo
• 13 Patrick Dorgu (80')
• 19 Bryan Mbeumo (68')
• Substitutes
• 10 Matheus Cunha (68')
• 1 Altay Bayindir
• 30 Benjamin Sesko (80')
• 7 Mason Mount
• 15 Leny Yoro
• 12 Tyrell Malacia
• 3 Noussair Mazraoui (87')
• 26 Ayden Heaven
• 25 Manuel Ugarte

Substitutions

Mikel Merino (57', Martin Ødegaard), Eberechi Eze (57', Martín Zubimendi), Viktor Gyökeres (57', Gabriel Jesus), Ben White (57', Piero Hincapié), Matheus Cunha (68', Bryan Mbeumo), Noni Madueke (74', Leandro Trossard), Benjamin Sesko (80', Patrick Dorgu), Noussair Mazraoui (87', Amad Diallo)

Goals

1-0, 28': Lisandro Martínez, 1-1, 36': Bryan Mbeumo, 1-2, 49': Patrick Dorgu, 2-2, 83': Merino, 2-3, 86': Matheus Cunha

Cards

Referee: Craig Pawson
VAR Referee: Paul Tierney, Dan Robathan
Declan Rice (63',Yellow), Eberechi Eze (90',Yellow)

Standings

Standings	Pts.	P	W	D	L
1 ARS	50	23	15	5	3
2 MNC	46	23	14	4	5
3 AST	46	23	14	4	5
4 MNU	38	23	10	8	5
5 CHE	37	23	10	7	6

Standings	Pts.	P	W	D	L
2 MNC	46	23	14	4	5
3 AST	46	23	14	4	5
4 MNU	38	23	10	8	5
5 CHE	37	23	10	7	6
6 LIV	36	23	10	6	7