Arsenal Dominates but Not Enough Against Manchester United

One of the most exciting games fans were looking forward to was Manchester United visiting Emirates Stadium to play Arsenal. Both teams have been struggling all season due to important players being injured.

Arsenal dominated at the beginning of the game. In the 13th minute, Jack Wilshere got a chance to score, after David De Gea gave the ball away to Alexis Sanchez. Wilshere received the ball from teammate Daniel Welbeck and went one-on-one against De Gea who dove to his left and made the save. Arsenal continued to dominate throughout the first half, although United looked better towards the end of the half.

Just a few minutes into the second half, Arsenal lost Wilshere with an ankle injury. This turned out to be a huge loss for the Gunners.

In the 55th minute, Wayne Rooney played a ball to Ashley Young on the left wing. The cross went towards Maruone Fellaini, but as Arsenal goalkeeper Wojcech Szczesny went up for the ball, he crashed against teammate Kieran Gibbs and the ball landed right at the feet of Antonio Valencia, who fired the ball back across the goalmouth. The ball got deflected by Gibbs who was on the ground and went into the back of the net. With no shots on target, United were now stunningly ahead 1-0. After the goal, Arsenal had to make another substitution due to another injury and brought in their third goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Antonio Valencia’s shot is deflected into the Arsenal net by Kieran Gibbs for an own goal to give Manchester United the lead, 22 November 2014. (NBC Sports/gfycat.com)

Arsenal continued to dominate and were close to tying the game, but could not make the breakthrough. In the 84th minute, Sanchez gave the ball away to Fellaini, who passed it ahead to Angel Di Maria as the counter began. Di Maria found Rooney in space, and the captain took the ball into the Arsenal box and chipped it over Martinez to make it 2-0.

Wayne Rooney chips the ball over Emiliano Martinez to make it 2-0 for Manchester United, 22 November 2014 (btsports/highlighthub.com)

8 minutes were added on, after the lengthy injury stoppage for Szczesny, and in the 95th minute, Mikkel Arteta sent a wonderful cross to Oliver Giroud, who was returning after a lengthy injury layoff, and he managed to beat De Gea. It was too little, too late, as the game ended 2-1 in favor of the Red Devils.

Arsenal’s Oliver Giroud, right, scores a goal during the match between Arsenal and Manchester United, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)

With this defeat, Arsenal lost their 23-game home win streak and dropped to 8th place. Manchester United went up to fourth with the precious away win.

 

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Antonio ValenciaArsenalJack WilshereKieran GibbsManchester UnitedOliver GiroudPremier LeagueWayne Rooney