Goal-hungry Arsenal slice up Blades to maintain chase
Arsenal's Kai Havertz celebrates scoring the team's fourth goal during the Premier League win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. Photo by Darren Staples / AFP
BEN White scored the 10,000th goal in Arsenal’s history on a night that had you reaching for the record books but which also served as a non-too-gentle reminder to Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola that the Gunners are fully capable of disrupting what some see as a private, two-team title race between the north-west rivals.
Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Declan Rice were also on the mark for Mikel Arteta’s side who recorded a seventh straight league win and maintained their relentless goalscoring run.
From the moment, after 75 seconds, that the sublime Saka thundered a shot against the bar and Martinelli’s follow-up was cleared off the line by Jack Robinson, it was obvious this would be a special night for Arsenal.
By the time Martinelli made it 3-0 on 15 minutes, Blades fans were leaving in their droves and the numbers grew ever larger as Havertz hit a fourth and Rice the fifth still with six minutes left in the half.
In truth, a single goal would have been enough to clinch all three points for the Gunners and keep them breathing heavily down the necks of leaders Liverpool and Manchester City, who will be beating each other up at Anfield on Sunday.
But this was turning into a night that looked like offering more work for the statisticians and Arsenal historians than it would for their goalkeeper David Raya who, by conservative estimates, used his hands once in the first half, and that to save from a Blade who was flagged offside in any case.
Even by the interval, Arsenal had become only the second team in top-flight history to score at least five on three consecutive away outings - after their 6-0 win at West Ham and 5-0 romp at Burnley.
Chris Wilder’s Championship-bound side had, in contrast, become the only side in any professional division in English football ever to concede five goals in three consecutive home games, after 5-0 losses to Brighton and Villa preceding this.
The game before that run started had actually been a 5-2 FA Cup loss to Brighton, meaning this was now a fourth consecutive home game in which Wilder’s team had been beaten five times.
The question was, how many more than five would it be and would Arsenal match the eight scored here by Newcastle in September?
They could certainly have had that tally by the break, with Havertz missing a good chance before Odegaard tapped in the opener on five minutes, after Havertz cleverly let Rice’s cross run across the area.
Odegaard and Saka had chances before the unstoppable Saka tore past the outclassed Auston Trusty and drilled over a low cross which Jayden Bogle could only turn into his own goal.
The third came two minutes later, a nice flowing move involving Martinelli, Odegaard and Havertz which set up Martinelli for a crisp drive that took a slight deflection on its way into the home goal, sending those fans heading for the exits.
Yes, Sheffield have long since known relegation is a certainty and, yes, there was lots to be questioned about their workrate and the way they had been set up by Wilder, who responded by switching from a back four to his usual five-man defence, shielding Trusty from Saka, after that third went in.
But Arsenal were majestic. The slick movement of the ball, the intelligent running and mesmeric shapes and patterns would have caused fits for a good team. And United are not a good team.
On 25 minutes, number four flew in, as Martinelli robbed Anel Ahmedhodzic and the ball broke for Havertz to finish clinically, low into the bottom corner. And the fifth was just about the right half-time scoreline, given Arsenal’s 80% possession, as Saka found the unmarked Rice - was there any other kind of Arsenal player on this evening? - to convert from 12 yards.
Arteta, naturally, could show some mercy at the interval and Gareth Southgate, as well as United defenders, would have been relieved to see Saka taken off to avoid the danger of injury.
His departure dulled Arsenal … a little.
Ahmedhovic was required to head away a Martinelli volley soon after the restart and White waited until the 57th minute to score that record goal, shooting in impressively from 15 yards after more dominant possession and a Havertz pass.
That ensured the night would be remembered for that special 10,000-goal landmark although Arteta’s continued substitutions stifled their momentum and meant the club’s record away win - 7-0 at Standard Liege in 1993 - was beyond them.
Grbic 5; Bogle 4, Ahmedhovic 3 (Arblaster 63, 5), Robinson 4, Trusty 3; McAtee 4 (Baldock 45, 5), Norwood (Osborn 16, 4), Souza 4, Davies 4 (Brooks 45, 5), Hamer 4; McBurnie 3 (Osula 45, 5). Substitutes (not used) Brereton, Foderingham, Larouci, Peck.
Raya 7; White 8 (Soares 64, 6), Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Kiwor 7; Odegaard 8, Jorginho 7 (Partey 64, 6), Rice 8 (Trossard 73, 6); Saka 9 (Vieira 45, 7), Havertz 8, Martinelli 8 (Jesus 64, 6). Substitutes (not used) Ramsdale, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Nelson.
S Barrott 7
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