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Manchester United‘s victory over Arsenal on Sunday was another remarkable result, and the manner of their triumph was particularly impressive.
Similar to their performance in last weekend’s Manchester derby, this win ultimately hinged on the fact that United’s key players are now performing at their best. Observing the team’s core at the Emirates Stadium, each player appeared to embody the quality they are known for.
Harry Maguire’s defensive work was exceptional, while Casemiro showcased his extensive experience in midfield. Bruno Fernandes, playing in his preferred number 10 role, delivered an outstanding performance, and Bryan Mbeumo posed a constant threat upfront, effectively holding up the ball and unsettling the opposition with his pace and energy.
While Manchester United scored two excellent goals, their victory was not solely dependent on individual brilliance or isolated moments of magic.
Instead, the entire team contributed significantly to the win, a testament to manager Michael Carrick’s ability to foster collective performance.
Manchester United’s starting lineup against Arsenal mirrored that of their 2-0 victory over Manchester City the previous week.
Comparisons between this United performance and those under Ruben Amorim are inevitable, with the team appearing transformed.
Carrick’s motivational and communicative skills undoubtedly influenced the players, but the most crucial factor was their apparent comfort within the team’s structure.
As I mentioned on Match of the Day, the players appear happier, exhibiting positive body language, a desire for the ball, mutual trust in possession, and a palpable increase in confidence.
While seemingly simplistic, the significance of deploying players in a formation that suits them and is well-understood cannot be overstated, especially after such a compelling performance and result.
In this instance, the team adopted a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 formation, with Fernandes operating as a number 10 behind Mbeumo. Amad Diallo and Patrick Dorgu readily tracked back, leveraging their experience as wing-backs to fulfill their defensive duties.
Consequently, United sometimes formed a back six when necessary, yet Diallo and Dorgu maintained their winger instincts when the team had possession.
With Fernandes supporting Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro, who effectively shielded the back four, each player understood their responsibilities.
Fundamentally, Manchester United’s formation and player instructions facilitated a robust defense and rapid transitions into attack, exploiting their pace to create dangerous opportunities.
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Cunha scores stunning late winner as Man Utd beat Arsenal
Securing a victory at the Emirates requires excellence on both sides of the ball.
A strong defensive showing – organized and well-drilled – is essential, with a collective understanding of when to sit deep and focus on thwarting Arsenal‘s attacking play.
Simultaneously, readiness to capitalize on possession and advance forward is crucial, whether through counter-attacks or sustained build-up play, posing a significant threat in the attacking third.
Manchester United achieved all of these objectives from the outset, troubling Arsenal by not merely defending deep but also attempting a press, a bold strategy at the Emirates that proved effective.
Coupled with Arsenal‘s nervousness or complacency, this created opportunities for Manchester United, which they nearly exploited.
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So many positives to take – Carrick
Arsenal began the game with confidence, dominating possession and territory. However, their early lead seemed to galvanize Manchester United.
United suddenly played with greater freedom and took more risks, aided in part by Arsenal, to claw their way back into the match.
From Mbeumo’s equalizer onward, Manchester United exuded confidence. The 1-1 score at halftime bolstered their belief, and Dorgu’s stunning goal after the break gave them something to protect, allowing them to exploit counter-attacking opportunities.
At that juncture, Arsenal‘s decision to make four substitutions shortly after falling behind struck me as a somewhat panicked move by Mikel Arteta.
While the home crowd desired a change to revitalize the team, among the players substituted were Martin Odegaard, who appeared sharp, and Gabriel Jesus, who had shown glimpses of quality. I believe these simultaneous substitutions disrupted Arsenal‘s rhythm and momentum.
The risk inherent in making multiple substitutions at once is that those introduced will not immediately make an impact. Arteta may have deemed it a risk worth taking – one of his substitutes, Mikel Merino, did score from a corner – but United were still performing well at that point, and we know how potent Arsenal are from set-pieces.
At 2-2, with six minutes remaining, a draw seemed a reasonable outcome for both teams, but Manchester United’s belief and quality on the counter remained undiminished.
Matheus Cunha’s late winner was a phenomenal strike and a reward for United’s approach, which was not merely to contain Arsenal but to actively unsettle them.
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Totally unrealistic to win every game – Arteta
Even when Arsenal led 1-0, I remarked that I had never seen them make so many mistakes.
Their lack of composure was unexpected, as even in games where their attack is not free-flowing, they typically maintain control.
That control was conspicuously absent on this occasion.
I attribute some of this to the pressure of competing for the title. Maintaining composure is challenging even for the best players when the stakes are high.
During my time at Liverpool, we had only one genuine title challenge, in the 2001-02 season, and as we approached the end, each game felt increasingly significant for everyone involved.
We had limited experience dealing with that level of pressure, and we struggled to cope, ultimately finishing as runners-up, seven points behind Arsenal.
That can happen to any team on a given day, particularly at home with the heightened expectations surrounding Arsenal at the moment. The concern arises if such occurrences become frequent.
Sunday’s defeat represents a pivotal moment in their season, as we consider whether the issues that plagued them against Manchester United will be amplified in their next game, or whether this setback will provide the necessary impetus for improvement.
Arsenal have secured only two points from their last three games but remain four points clear at the top of the table with February approaching. They would undoubtedly have accepted that position at the start of the season.
They possess exceptional players, a powerful and physical team with impressive depth, and now have more experience in this situation.
Therefore, I anticipate a positive response this time.
While Manchester United exposed Arsenal‘s vulnerabilities, demonstrating that even the Premier League’s best defense can make mistakes and offer opportunities, it’s important to maintain perspective: this was their first home defeat of the season.
This was the first time I have witnessed them looking susceptible, but that does not necessarily indicate that this will define the rest of their campaign or that they will collapse from this point.
That question will undoubtedly be posed by the media this week, with speculation about whether they will falter under pressure.
However, I do not believe they will.
They simply needed a wake-up call, and Manchester United certainly provided that.
Danny Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.
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