Arsenal win from set-pieces to narrow the title race gap

A turn of Jurrien Timber’s head, and maybe a first real twist in the title race. Arsenal’s 2-0 win followed enough twists on the night itself.

- MIGUEL DELANEY

From a position at half-time where it looked like Liverpool would go 11 points clear, Mikel Arteta’s side have instead cut that lead to seven points. It feels like the first time that the leaders have been stripped back in months, while Arsenal are now building a real momentum.

They look like they can start to fly into one of those long unbeaten runs, even if this victory came from some of their earthier qualities. There weren’t quite the multi-angled attacks of the five-goal wins over Sporting and then West Ham United. Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United wouldn’t allow that, for their part. Arsenal instead beat them with what has become a real weapon of choice, as they scored twice from set-pieces. Amorim insisted that that was the sole “difference”.

Arteta tried to play it down – but that was maybe understandable when his team weren’t as productive in open play. He even made a point of arguing how many goals they’d scored outside of set-pieces last season. Such moments were still the one area where United didn’t defend well, and it was often pitiful. They were far too easy to get at there, and Marcus Rashford stunted his own recent momentum with the manner he gave away the corner for the clinching William Saliba goal.