Michael Owen says he was ‘surprised’ Matheus Cunha didn’t start at Arsenal and is expecting the forward to come into Michael Carrick’s XI for Manchester United’s next match against Fulham.
Cunha had to settle for a place amongst the substitutes at the Emirates but came on and made himself a hero with a stunning late winner in United’s 3-2 victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal.
It was Arsenal’s first defeat on home soil all season and means the Gunners’ lead at the top now stands at just four points after wins for both Manchester City and Aston Villa earlier in the weekend.
The manner of United’s win made it all the more impressive, with Carrick’s men forced to come from behind after Lisandro Martinez had directed the ball into his own net on the half-hour mark.
Bryan Mbeumo capitalised on a rare wayward pass from Martin Zubimendi to equalise at the end of the first half before Patrick Dorgu put the visitors in front with a thunderous 50th-minute effort.
And just when Mikel Merino appeared to have rescued a point for Arsenal, the Red Devils dug deep and responded again through super sub Cunha to cap off a dream outing in the capital.
‘Everything has got to be perfect but it does sharpen your focus. Three shots on target, three goals. I don’t think it’s a coincidence,’ ex-Manchester United and England striker Owen said of the performance, which saw Carrick’s men move up to fourth.
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‘You don’t get many chances when you’re going to places like the Emirates.
‘Arsenal didn’t defend horrifically at all. There were two unbelievable goals, obviously they will think they could have avoided the first goal, but it’s just amazing isn’t it?
‘Sometimes you just don’t know [with a new manager]. It’s just that confidence or new belief that something will happen.
Metro at the Match: Arsenal 2-3 Manchester United
Metro’s Tom Olver breaks down the winners and losers from Arsenal’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates.
Gabriel Jesus stutters in centre-forward audition
Given the nod over Viktor Gyokeres after an impressive brace against Inter Milan in midweek, Gabriel Jesus will no doubt have been itching to nail down his spot as Mikel Arteta’s first-choice centre-forward.
But with the Gunners utterly dominant in the early exchanges, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard combined to provide the main threat from out wide – with the Brazilian a largely peripheral figure through the middle, in stark contrast with Bryan Mbeumo at the other end of the pitch.
It was more of the same from Jesus as the second half wore on and Mikel Arteta had seen enough by the 58th minute, with his side stumbling in search of an equaliser after a spirited fightback from the visitors.
A huge opportunity missed for the former Manchester City attacker as United threw a cat amongst the pigeons in this year’s title race. It leaves Arteta with a tough call to make up front ahead of Arsenal’s return to top-flightaction at Leeds next weekend.
A rare moment to forget for Martin Zubimendi
Martin Zubimendi helped gift United a route back into the game with a horrible lapse in concentration at a crucial stage in the contest before half-time.
Arsenal’s usually metronomic summer signing has hardly put a foot wrong since joining from Real Sociedad and the Spaniard could scarcely believe what he had done as Mbeumo latched onto his misplaced pass before calmly rounding David Raya and stroking the ball home.
An unwanted collector’s item for Zubimendi and a moment he will not want to repeat any time soon.
Even ignoring his blunder, there was a distinct lack of creativity and urgency from Zubimendi when the hosts badly needed someone to stand up and take the game by the scruff of the neck.
Arsenal match ratings: Raya 7, Timber 7, Saliba 5, Gabriel 5, Hincapie 6, Zubimendi 4, Rice 7, Odegaard 6, Saka 6, Trossard 6, Jesus 4. Subs: White 4, Merino 7, Eze 5, Madueke 5, Gyokeres 4.
A mixed day for Martinez
Martinez has endured surely his toughest period yet as a United player and things went bad to worse for the diminutive centre-back on the half-hour mark at the Emirates.
After being on the end of some scathing criticism from Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, the Argentine will have been desperate to build on his encouraging display against Manchester City.
But another of United’s Class of ’92 was left less than impressed as Martinez – put under pressure from Jurrien Timber – directed the ball into his own net to open the scoring for Arsenal. ‘He should deal with it,’ said Gary Neville on Sky Sports.
Martinez did, though, show great resilience to keep his chin up to help keep the likes of Saka, Trossard and Jesus quiet alongside a near-faultless Harry Maguire at the heart of Michael Carrick’s defence.
Bryan Mbeumo the big-game competitor
Bryan Mbeumo further showed himself to be perhaps United’s most shrewd piece of summer transfer business with just the latest in a long line of eye-catching performances for the club.
He more than deserved his first-half goal, helping force a rare misplaced pass from Zubimendi with some relentless pressing through the middle. The subsequent finish had all the coolness and confidence of a player well and truly at the peak of his powers.
It’s no coincidence that United’s resurgence under Michael Carrick has coincided with Mbeumo’s welcome return from the Africa Cup of Nations.
The £71million spent on Mbeumo will prove to be a steal if the Cameroon international continues in the same vein over the coming weeks and months, adding to his already impressive scoring tally.
Carrick won’t mind Mbeumo’s animated reaction to being substituted for Matheus Cunha in the 68th minute. It’s exactly that kind of character and personality that the club have badly lacked for so long in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Patrick Dorgu comes of age
Michael Carrick was full of praise for Patrick Dorgu’s ‘immense’ performance after a dream derby day for United – and the Dane picked up where he left off this weekend.
It’s fair to say the youngster has had an up-down start to his United career since becoming the first signing of Ruben Amorim’s turbulent reign. But his talent has always been undoubted – it’s just that he is now beginning to showcase that ability on a far more consistent basis.
His 50th-minute wonder strike – which Neville branded ‘the goal of a lifetime’ – was the standout moment of quality… that’s until Cunha provided some serious competition with his stunning effort to win it in the closing stages.
Such a shame that a suspected hamstring injury cut short Dorgu’s showing with ten minutes remaining in the capital. Carrick will be praying it’s not as bad as it appeared and he is able to make a speedy return to the fold.
Man Utd player ratings: Lammens 7, Dalot 6, Maguire 8, Martinez 6, Shaw 6, Casemiro 6, Mainoo 6, Amad 5, Fernandes 7, Dorgu 8, Mbeumo 8. Subs: Cunha 8, Sesko 5, Mazraoui 5.
‘We quantify it but having confidence as a player, having that belief again, it turns you into Superman. It’s quite incredible, you can’t say how or why it comes, but as soon as you start feeling it again and we’ve just seen it: Manchester United have just put in two unbelievable performances.
‘I actually thought they played better against Manchester City last week but they were so clinical today. Three half chances and all three of them went in the back of the net against a serious, serious side.
‘I still think Arsenal will go on and win the league but that’s a real statement from Manchester United.’
Watching back replays of Cunha’s decisive strike, Owen highlighted the composure with which the Brazilian set himself before finding the bottom corner of David Raya’s goal.
‘As soon as he picked the ball up, first touch, I said “goal”… he’s just got amazing power, accuracy, he knows how to set himself,’ he explained.
‘He’s calm in that situation and he uses a man to bend the ball around.
‘This is one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League in this type of area and I just thought, “This is a huge chance”, and bang, back of the net before you could blink.’
According to Owen, Cunha should be a shoo-in to start against Fulham in a week’s time – especially with Patrick Dorgu picking up a suspected hamstring injury at the Emirates.
‘I think this lad is a serious player. Yes, he’s a bit of a maverick, he can probably frustrate at times, but I think he’s got pace, a lovely touch, he can score goals,’ Owen said of Cunha.
‘I was surprised that he didn’t start but saying that, after the performance against Manchester City, I can understand why Michael Carrick didn’t change things.
‘But he will start next game, no question about it, because it looks like Dorgu might have had a hamstring injury.’
Owen was a little confused by United’s decision to bring on Sesko in the closing stages, suggesting it was a ‘risky’ move from Carrick at such an important stage of the match.
‘I tell you what I was surprised about, I wasn’t sure about Sesko coming on,’ the 2001 Ballon d’Or winner said.
‘I thought that was a bit of a risky one, I thought he might bring Mason Mount on.
‘But anything Michael Carrick touches turns to gold!’
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