What we saw at the Emirates yesterday was something special.
One of the best Premier League games of recent years and a victory for Arsenal that will give them serious momentum in the title race.
At the halfway point of the campaign, Arsenal have hit the 50-point mark.
Last season, they finished with 69 points. The way they’ve kicked on so far so quickly is remarkable.
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Title run-inTo hold off Manchester City in the title run-in will be hard, very hard.
That’s because City have been down this road so many times before. Arsenal are new to this kind of pressure.
But they have shown no sign of feeling the pressure so far.
Experience and steel counts in the title run-in. So does the depth of your squad. City should be ahead of Arsenal in these areas, but they will take stopping.
Eddie Nketiah was top class yesterday and he is one of many bright talents at the club.
It was actually Liam Brady who brought him to Arsenal in his early teens and you can see that he can be something really special.
But the brightest star of all is Bukayo Saka.
He is a brilliant player, one of the best young footballers in the world.
Saka is so dangerous in the way he cuts from the right-hand side. He’s both a creator and a scorer.
Martin Odegaard in midfield is top class too. He has really grown into a proper leader.
I do worry about a lack of quality in Arsenal’s central defence and Aaron Ramsdale has had to bail them out a fair few times this season.
But Arsenal are a tremendously exciting team to watch. They have so much going for them and are only going to get better.
There’s a joy about their football that is wonderful, intoxicating too.
QualityI’d love to see the Gunners win the title because they’re not trying to buy the league.
They have brought players through the ranks and don’t have anything like the resources of a City or Newcastle United.
It was special to be treated to an Arsenal/United game of this quality, because it’s been a while. Think of the way it used to be.
The 21-man brawl in 1990 that led to points deductions for both Arsenal and United.
The dramatic FA Cup semi-final replay nine years later which was won by Ryan Giggs’ stunning individual goal.
Remember the battle at Old Trafford in 2003 when Patrick Vieira was sent off for kicking out at Ruud van Nistelrooy?
That game finished with the Dutchman missing a penalty and Martin Keown’s celebration of the miss triggering a melee.
A year later, there were bizarre stories of pizza being thrown at Alex Ferguson.
And no-one will ever forget the way Roy Keane and Vieira squared up to each other in the tunnel before Arsenal’s home game with United in February 2005.
RivalryBack then, you never left a game between Arsenal and United feeling short-changed.
The rivalry between the two clubs — and between Ferguson and Arsene Wenger — had become so intense that matches between the two had a real edge to them.
But Ferguson gradually got the upper hand and he had the Gunners sussed during the latter part of his United career.
Because of what had happened over a few years in the late 90s and early noughties, games between United and Arsenal were still hyped up.
The weight of that rivalry — the first great one of the Premier League era — was piled on top of the fixtures.
But, before yesterday, when was the last time that both teams were on a rapid upward curve?
Managerial impactThe change is largely due to the impact made by managers Mikel Arteta and Erik ten Hag.
Arteta is further down the road, even though he is younger than the Dutchman by 13 years and he has a younger squad than that at United.
How often have we pointed out the flaws in character that have held Arsenal back since the glory days?
It’s too early to say that Arteta has sorted out that major issue, but there are encouraging signs that it’s being dealt with.
Look at how the Gunners responded to Marcus Rashford’s early strike yesterday — they were level within seven minutes.
As for Rashford, there was plenty of talk of him leaving Old Trafford last summer but Ten Hag has managed him brilliantly and got the best out of him.
When he turned up late one morning, Rashford was dropped — and he took it on the chin. There was no great drama from player or manager.
ConfidenceRashford’s goal yesterday means he has scored in eight of his last nine games for United.
This goal was up there with his best. Hitting the bottom corner from that distance is technically very difficult but Rashford is bubbling with confidence now.
It’s great to see as he is a very impressive young man as well as being a fine footballer.
United’s problem is that they’re far too dependent on Rashford in attack.
I can’t understand why Ten Hag brought Wout Weghorst in on loan.
He’s nowhere near the level required. The same applies to Antony, even though he cost them a hefty fee.
United played well in the first half yesterday but, bar a brief flurry, the second half was all Arsenal.
A top-four finish would be a good season for United.
For Arsenal, their sights are set higher now. Their two games with City will be decisive.
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