Manchester United vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction
Relive all the action from Old Trafford as Michael Carrick oversaw his final game as interim manager
Cristiano Ronaldo reached 800 career goals as his brace secured Manchester United a much-needed victory against Arsenal as interim manager Ralf Rangnick saw his new side triumph from the stands.
A lot has changed at Old Trafford since their last home game 26 days ago, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer losing his job after that loss to Manchester City was compounded by a shocking defeat at Watford.
United coach Michael Carrick has steadied the ship during an unbeaten three-match caretaker stint that ended with an entertaining 3-2 victory against Arsenal at a bouncing Old Trafford.
It was only their second win in nine Premier League games and a timely shot in the arm ahead of Rangnick’s first game in charge against Crystal Palace this Sunday.
The German has signed a deal until the end of the season and Thursday’s match will have given him food for thought, having seen the quality and ongoing concerns first hand from the directors’ box.
Finding a way to keep clean sheets will be key if this season is to be a success for United, although there was little that could be done to prevent Emile Smith Rowe’s bizarre opener.
David De Gea was rolling around in pain when the Arsenal youngster struck, with the VAR instructing referee Martin Atkinson to award the goal as it was the Spaniard’s team-mate Fred that hurt the goalkeeper.
Bruno Fernandes, making his 100th United appearance, levelled before half-time, with Ronaldo turning home Marcus Rashford’s cross to bring up 800 goals for club and country early in the second half.
But Arsenal took just two minutes to bring this helter-skelter clash back level as Martin Odegaard found the net with a low finish - good work undone 16 minutes later by his rash challenge on Fred inside the box.
Atkinson awarded the penalty after the VAR advised he watch the pitchside monitor, with Ronaldo keeping his cool in front of the Stretford End to lash home what proved to be the winner. Relive all the action below:
Man Utd 0 - 0 Arsenal
12 mins: Chance for Ronaldo! Fred presses up against Partey in the middle of the pitch and wins the ball. He prods it up to Ronaldo who spins and hits one from range only to pull it well wide of the right-hand post.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Arsenal
11 mins: Chance! Partey skips around McTominay in the middle of the pitch and links well with Emile Smith Rowe who’s drifted inside from the left wing. He receives the ball, turns towards goal and slots it into the feet of Aubameyang. The Arsenal captain shifts the ball away from Lindelof and hits a soft effort at goal but David De Gea dives low to his left and keeps it out.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Arsenal
8 mins: Fred loses the ball to Thomas Partey who drives towards the box but lose control of the ball and allows Victor Lindelof to clear. The midfield battle between Partey and Mohamed Elneny against Scott McTominay and Fred is interesting. Arsenal are probably having the better of it so far.
United sweep up the pitch and work the ball out to Diogo Dalot on the right wing. He cuts inside and hits a left-footed shot but only sends it straight at Aaron Ramsdale in Arsenal’s goal.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Arsenal
5 mins: Man Utd have to deal with three consecutive corners but manage to keep Arsenal out. Marcus Rashford makes a goalline clearance to deny Martin Odegaard before Maguire heads the third set piece away and sends Bruno Fernandes flying forward on the conuter-attack. Sancho is up with him and receives the ball. He works it over to the left wing but is met with Arsenal defenders and forced to pass it back to Fernandes. He sends a quick cross into the box but can’t find a teammate and the Gunners work the ball clear.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Arsenal
2 mins: Chance! Manchester United win the ball from the throw in but Jadon Sancho gives it away with a loose pass into his own box. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang intercepts the pass and hits one at goal but Harry Maguire gets in front of the shot and blocks it out for a corner.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Arsenal
Kick off: After both knees take the knee to applause from the crowd the Gunners kick off the match. The ball is sent long down the right side and Alex Telles heads it out for an Arsenal throw in.
Man Utd vs Arsenal
Here come the teams. This one should be a cracker. Old Trafford is packed and both these teams will want to win.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leads out the visitors to a chorus of boos from the Manchester United fans before Harry Maguire walks out the home team.
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Gary Neville warns Ralf Rangnick of Manchester United’s ‘disjointed and disconnected’ squad
Gary Neville has warned Manchester United’s new interim manager, Ralf Rangnick, that he is inheriting a “disconnected and “disjointed” squad.
Rangnick was granted a work permit on Thursday but will watch United’s Premier League fixture against Arsenal from the stands at Old Trafford, having not yet had the chance to properly work with his players.
Neville said his dream scenario for the remainder of the season would be a top-four finish and victory in the FA Cup, but is under no illusions over the task Rangnick faces to coax the best out of United’s current squad.
Gary Neville warns Ralf Rangnick of Manchester United’s ‘disconnected’ squad
‘They have lost all their confidence, haven’t really got a system of play and are not very good defensively’
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Aubameyang to score tonight?
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could become the first Arsenal player to score in three consecutive away appearances against the Red Devils if he finds the back of the net tonight.
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Arteta vs United
Since re-joining the club in 2019 Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal haven’t lost to Manchester United in the Premier League and won this fixture at Old Trafford last season. Speaking about how he prepares for the game Arteta said:
The confidence that we have to prepare the matches to win, and we first of all have to respect the opponent that we will have in front of us, but with the end goal, the mindset, the confidence, the desire to win the game and have that belief straight away.“
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