Arsenal vs Manchester United: Instant Reaction

Reacting quickly to this match

Oh boy, that was a hell of a match.

I feel like I both need a nap and like I could run a marathon. I am pumped up but also exhausted. The emotions after this one are still running high.

Headline: Arsenal have the hearts of Champions

Arsenal may not end the season as the Champions, Manchester City are just a ridiculously talented team that I expect to push Arsenal all the way. In this match however, Arsenal did show that they have the grit and the mentality to be in the race.

It would have been easy at times to have folded in this match.

Rashford smashed a worldie 2% chance.

Ramsdale and Tomiyasu miscommunicated, leading to a goal that was not the norm for Arsenal.

Arsenal could have folded and been deflated after those but they fought back. Not only did they fight back, but they dominated.

I have been making a habit of being off Twitter during matches and instead focusing on my own notes. I posted the stats at half time and I was surprised that some of the reaction was that they thought Manchester United had played better in that half. I was seeing things at a full time where there is a similar type of reaction where perhaps they should have gotten a result.

That’s trash. They didn’t deserve anything from this match.

They tried to play direct and into space but it never really came off. They had one spell of pressure after Arsenal went ahead but still struggled to create anything of note. It took a mistake for them to get their second, and from there they had just one additional shot.

From the 60th minute until the end of the match, it was one-way traffic.

In that period Arsenal created 11 shots, 5 shots within 12 yards, 1.5 xg, 83% field tilt (116 final third touches to 20), with 37 touches in the box.

Arsenal just dominated things in this match, prevailing in a situation that felt like a must-win after Manchester City closed the gap to 2 points (with 2 games in hand). This is something that Champions do, and while there is still a ways to go, Arsenal really did show today that they have the heart of champions.

50 points at the halfway point. Amazing.

Stock Rising: Eddie Nketiah