Two goals in under 4 second-half minutes from Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pépé gave Arsenal a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United.
This means United have lost all 4 games this season and their seventh in a row. The Blades are now on their worst run of form since the 1975-76 season.
The first half was a largely drab affair with the first shot coming from a tame Eddie Nketiah header in the 28th minute. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tried to take the game by the scruff of the neck and forced Blades goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to be alert as he tipped the gunner’s curling effort over the bar just before the break.
There was a fairly contentious moment when David Luiz tugged the shirt of Oliver Burke as he ran through on goal, but neither the referee nor VAR thought it was a red card offence
The introduction of Nicolas Pépé in the 55th minute drew new life into the game and within 5 minutes Arsenal had the opener. Tidy link-up play gave Bellerín space down the right and his dinked cross found Saka at the back post, who headed the ball into the roof of the net.
Minutes later, a 19-pass move gave Pépé space down the right. He was too quick to catch and as he found himself with space in the box, he placed the ball into Ramsdale’s far corner to double the Gunner’s advantage.
Arsenal appeared to be in cruise control as they kept the game ticking by knocking the ball around their own half, with Dani Ceballos appearing at the heart of the Gunners’ authority of the ball.
However, they couldn’t keep a clean sheet as in the 83rd minute David Mcgoldrick’s sweet strike gave the Blades a lifeline. His effort and Sheffield United’s first of the season was hit too sweetly and with too much power for Leno to get close to it.
The momentum switched towards Sheffield United who piled on the pressure but struggled to create a clear opening.
Sheffield United goalkeeper Ramsdale went up for a couple of Sheffield United corners as they desperately searched for an equaliser. Arsenal, however, soaked up the pressure and hung on giving them a narrow victory over the Blades.
Sheffield United are now placed in 19th in the table and have failed to pick up a point in their first 4 games of the season.
With consecutive games away at Liverpool, at home to Manchester City and then away to Chelsea coming up, United will hope for an alternative outcome in their next game in 2 weeks time where they face Fulham, who have also failed to pick up any points this season.
They will hope that record-signing Rhian Brewster, who couldn’t play against Arsenal as he wasn’t registered in time, will prove to provide them with more goals as their woes in front of goal continued.
Arsenal on the other hand climb into the top 4 with their third victory in 4 games as they look to fight to reclaim a champions league spot for the first time in 3 years.
Line-Ups
Arsenal: Leno, Bellerín, Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney, Ceballos (Xhaka 82’), Elneny, Saka (Maitland-Niles 87’), Willian, Nketiah (Pépé 58’), Aubameyang
Unused Substitutes: Lacazette, Rúnarsson, Holding, Willock.
Sheffield United: Ramsdale, Basham (Sharp 76’), Egan, Robinson, Baldock, Stevens, Berge, Lundstram, Osborn (Fleck 63’), McGoldrick, Burke (McBurnie 56’)
Unused Substitutes: Lowe, Norwood, Foderingham, Ampadu.
Bookings
Arsenal: None
Sheffield United: Berge (38′)
Half-time: 0-0
Full-time: 2-1
Report: Quickfire Gunner’s double cements Blades’ place in the relegation zone
