Manchester United take vital three points versus Arsenal

Manchester United secure much-needed win

Winless in their last four home league matches, all three points were crucial today for Manchester United to stay afloat in the English Premier League table.

United wrapped up a tough stretch that saw them play Liverpool, Spurs, Atalanta, City, Villarreal, Chelsea and Arsenal in the last month-and-a-half. Fortunately, the Red Devils’ fixture list is much easier in December. United face all three teams in the relegation spots and play only one team sitting in the top half of the table — Brighton, currently in ninth.

Games will be coming thick and fast as per usual in the EPL during this time of the year. But a stretch against weaker opponents should help new interim manager Ralf Rangnick ease himself into the job.

Rangnick was in attendance for Thursday’s match against Arsenal. He was treated to a very entertaining match that saw United fall behind early thanks to a bizarre coming-together between David de Gea and Fred.

De Gea stayed on the ground in search of a call from referee Martin Atkinson, but it never came. VAR looked at the incident and rightfully awarded Arsenal the goal. Truly a bizarre incident that left many people, including myself, questioning why De Gea didn’t get up to save the shot before seeking out treatment.

Perhaps it is a result of the goalkeeper overprotection we have grown used to seeing in today’s game.

United took some time to settle into the match but found the net right before halftime with a Bruno Fernandes strike that snapped his 15-game scoreless streak. Jadon Sancho combined with Fred who set up Fernandes with a perfect cutback.

A few minutes after halftime, Cristiano Ronaldo powered United ahead as he scored his 800th career goal — an incredible achievement.

Arsenal quickly answered with a Martin Odegaard goal to level the match at 2-2 with a similar finish to Ronaldo’s that had come just 2 minutes earlier.

But Ronaldo wasn’t done yet. He coolly fired a penalty down the middle for the last laugh and to move his goal-scoring tally to 801 career goals.

Manchester United pulled out a hard fought 3-2 victory over an Arsenal side that has been playing some very impressive football over the last month or so — outside of their thrashing against Liverpool.

I feel the need to single out Fred for his performance. Apart from the strange incident with de Gea that resulted in Arsenal’s first goal, he played a quality match. Fred assisted Bruno on his goal, won the decisive penalty late in the match and then made a crucial block to deny Saka in the final moments of the game.

Fred is usually the recipient of a lot of criticism from United fans, sometimes justified, but tonight he played a key role in the Red Devils victory.

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A home win and a massive three points that moves United into seventh.

The match was also Michael Carrick’s last at the club. Carrick announced after the match that he was leaving the club after spending 15 years in Manchester. A true club legend.

Rangnick will take over managerial duties on Sunday and is set to make his debut when United host Crystal Palace.