Da Silva double sinks Sheffield
The Gunners striker let fly from the edge of the area after eight minutes to put the visitors in charge before doubling their advantage with another precise finish early in the second half.
Denilson’s deflected long-range effort sealed a comfortable evening’s work for Arsenal as they maintained their unbeaten start to the season without really breaking sweat.
Said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger of da Silva’s goal: “It was a quality first strike and technically he played well. We do not put any pressure on the timing, we just know when a player comes to a club it takes more or less six months.”
And despite fielding a virtual reserve side Wenger, whose first-choice team are top of the Premier League, was pleased with the performance.
“The confidence is high and that contributes to make a difference,” he said.
England winger Theo Walcott, who hit the post in the second half, was also impressed with Eduardo.
“The first goal came out of nowhere. He showed tonight what he can do,” he said. “Throughout the whole season the first team have been doing well and tonight we showed what the rest of the squad are capable of.”
As expected, Wenger shuffled his pack, with not one member of the side which kicked off Sunday’s draw with Liverpool named in the his starting line-up.
Neither goalkeeper was troubled in the opening seven minutes, but a moment of brilliance from Eduardo soon changed that.
Bendtner slid the ball across to his strike partner on the left edge of the area and the Brazilian-born Croatia international hammered an unstoppable drive past Ian Bennett at his near post.
It was a case of deja vu early in the second half when Eduardo notched his second of the game with another clinical finish after 50 minutes.
The 24-year-old, who has scored 10 goals in as many games in Croatia’s European Championship qualifying campaign, raced onto Kieran Gibbs’ defence-splitting pass and calmly slotted beyond the onrushing Bennett into the bottom-left corner.
Walcott’s profligacy was apparent when he rounded Bennett, but could only hit the post with the hard work done. However, the game was put beyond doubt in the 69th minute when Denilson’s 25-yard strike hit United skipper Chris Morgan and looped over the wrong-footed Bennett.
The experience of Gilberto came to the rescue of Wenger’s young side midway through the second period when the Brazilian retreated to the Gunners line just in time to hook Lucketti’s goalbound effort to safety.
Bennett, Bromby, Morgan, Armstrong, Lucketti, Carney, Montgomery, Tonge (Gillespie 74), Stephen Quinn (Alan Quinn 63), Sharp, Stead (Webber 63).
Fabianski, Justin Hoyte, Song Billong, Diarra, Gibbs, Diaby (Perez 88), Denilson, Silva, Walcott (Lansbury 83), Bendtner, Eduardo (Barazite 85).
Mike Dean (Wirral).
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