Moment of magic from Rice but ten Hag furious over on field decisions

EXPLOSIVE FINISH: Arsenal's Declan Rice (right) and team-mate Gabriel celebrate following victory over Manchester United. Pic: James Warwick

Premier League

ARSENAL 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 1

DECLAN RICE took months to complete his record €120m summer switch to Arsenal and repaid some of that fee with a potentially priceless first Arsenal goal to effectively win this dramatic match SIX minutes into injury time. Super substitute Gabriel Jesus scored a second with 100 minutes on the clock to spark scenes of almost unprecedented celebration in the Arsenal squad and mass anger in the United camp.

Dutch manager Erik ten Hag felt Rice's 96th minute goal should have been disallowed and that was just the start of it!

“The performance was right but the result was not on our side and definitely many decisions were against us,” the United coach claimed.

“Let’s start at the penalty given but rejected. Everyone can see it’s a simulation but he did not get booked for it. Then the foul on Hojlund in the penalty area and I don’t think it was even noticed by the VAR. Then the disallowed goal from Garnacho. I think they looked from the wrong angle and it’s onside. Then the final goal. How can they allow that? It’s a clear and obvious foul on Jonny Evans otherwise he would have blocked the shot from Declan Rice. So it’s a lot!” 

Vindicated Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta knows his side can play better, but had said before the match results are all important and that his expensive summer signings will prove their doubters wrong.

Few believed Rice was not a good player, but many baulked at the nine-figure fee. For Arteta, who joked about negotiating difficult journeys to success beforehand, it was all as planned. He joked: “I planned the match just like that.

“I told them (the players) yesterday that was what was gonna happen. I didn’t want to tell the crowd so that there was a bit of emotion there. We all work so hard to live moments like this. Those moments are going to stick with us. To see the crowd so connected with the team again and celebrate in a big match, with the history of these clashes it’s something great. So I’m really happy.”

The match between these great rivals of the Premier League was drifting towards a languid draw before Rice capped a man of the match performance with a quality chest down and half volley from a Bukayo Saka corner. Brazilian forward Jesus, on as a late substitute after his injury lay off ran clear to beat the seemingly invincible United keeper Onana again.

'Rice, Rice Baby!' sang the Arsenal fans as the United end emptied as fast as their early season hopes to challenge their City rivals for the Premier League title disappeared.

Arteta added: “I think Declan had a tremendous performance. When you look at how a holding midfielder needs to dominate his area, how he needs to break up play, how he glided the team together when they were stretched a bit. Then he produced a magic moment to win us the game.

“He did it in training on Saturday. That was when your heart rate was at 80 and now it’s at 190. To produce the same level of quality there when the pressure is on in that moment is just unique. You need to have that quality, that sense and that composure.” 

A riveting game, otherwise lacking in great quality, had not seen such action since midway through the first half when we had two goals in a minute. Christian Eriksen took advantage of a Kai Havertz error on 26 minutes and sprayed a ball out to Marcus Rashford wide on the left.

Ben White, reinstalled to right back in the absence of injured Thomas Partey, failed to close Rashford down and back pedalled as the United man cut inside to whip a right foot shot in off a post and a fully extended Aaron Ramsdale fingertip.

The United fans went mad. The rest here briefly fell numb and dumb – but only for THIRTY FIVE SECONDS.

Almost from the restart, the irrepressible Martinelli again found space on left pulled the ball back for captain Martin Odegaard to run on to and stroke past Onana left-footed from just inside the area. Now the rest of the stadium went mad and one little corner fell, briefly, silent.

Alejandro Garnacho looked to have won the match for United with a break away finish two minutes from time but was splayed off side by the narrowest of margins as recalled defender Gabriel appeared to suck in his belly on the VAR replays ten Hag disputed.

Then came the 96th minute corner which Rice brilliantly chested down before finishing with a half volley and the help of a deflection. Jesus put the game beyond doubt with 100 minutes on the clock thanks, in part, to a wonderful through ball from fellow substitute Fabio Vieira United can try to get back to winning ways at home to Brighton after the international break. Arsenal's next home match, after a trip to winless Everton, is against Tottenham but even the north London derby will struggle to top this finish.

Arsenal: Ramsdale 6, Gabriel 6, White 6, Saliba 6, Zinchenko 7 (Tomiyasu 76), Odegaard 7 (Jorginho 90+9), Rice 8, Havertz 5 (Vieira 76), Saka 6, Nketiah 6 (Jesus, Martinelli 7 (Nelson 90). Subs: Raya, Smith Rowe, Kiwior, Trossard.

Manchester United: Onana 7, Wan-Bissaka 6, Lindelof 5 (Evans 84), Martinez 6 (Maguire 67), Dalot 6, Casemiro 6, Eriksen 6, Antony 6 (Garnacho 84), Bruno Fernandes 6, Rashford 7, Martial 5 (Hojlund 67) . Subs: Bayindir, Reguilon, Pellistri, Gore, Hannibal.

Referee: Anthony Taylor 3 

Att: 60,192