Arsenal secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Manchester United on December 4, 2024, handing Ruben Amorim his first defeat as manager of the Red Devils. The match, held at the Emirates Stadium, saw Arsenal take full advantage of set-pieces, with both goals coming from corners. The Gunners have been known for their effectiveness from these situations under manager Mikel Arteta, and this game was no different. The first goal arrived in the 53rd minute when Declan Rice delivered a well-placed corner that was met by Jurrien Timber, who headed it past United's goalkeeper, Andre Onana, at the near post. United struggled to deal with Arsenal's attacking set-piece play, and shortly after, they were lucky to not concede a second when Manuel Ugarte cleared a goal-bound header from Joshua Zirkzee off the line.
The second goal came late in the match when another Arsenal corner, this time from Bukayo Saka, resulted in a fortunate deflection. Thomas Partey’s header came off Saliba’s back, redirecting the ball past Onana and securing the win for Arsenal. Saliba’s goal was the final blow to United, who had been unable to threaten Arsenal’s defense with any real conviction. Arsenal's dominance from set-pieces has been remarkable, as they have now scored 22 goals from corners since the start of the previous season, the most of any Premier League team. This victory helped Arsenal reduce the gap between them and the league leaders, Liverpool, who dropped points in their recent match, and Arsenal now sit third in the standings with 28 points, level with Chelsea but seven points behind Jurgen Klopp's side.
While Arsenal dominated much of the match, Manchester United did create a few opportunities. In the first half, Diogo Dalot tested Arsenal’s goalkeeper, David Raya, with a shot that narrowly missed the target. Raya was also called into action in the second half, making an excellent save to deny Matthijs de Ligt’s header. United made several attacking efforts, but they were either off target or dealt with by Arsenal’s defense. Despite these chances, United’s overall performance was underwhelming, and they failed to capitalize on moments of pressure. As the match wound down, Arsenal continued to control the game, with Mikel Merino heading wide from another well-delivered corner, and Kai Havertz seeing his shot saved by Onana. The win solidified Arsenal’s position as a serious contender in the Premier League this season, while United, under Amorim’s leadership, will need to regroup after this disappointing result.
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