Patrick Dorgu scored a stunning goal in Manchester United’s 3-2 win at Arsenal on Sunday and revealed a simple mindset behind his brilliant strike.
It was a fantastic contest at the Emirates which saw Arsenal take the lead on 29 minutes through a Lisandro Martinez own goal after dominating the early stages of the match.
The Gunners then started to struggle, though, and gifted Manchester United an equaliser as Martin Zubimendi misplaced a pass and put Bryan Mbeumo through on goal.
Dorgu then produced his immense hit on 50 minutes, putting the visitors ahead in some style.
Mikel Merino got an equaliser for Arsenal late in the game, but Matheus Cunha scored the winner on 87 minutes, with another fine strike, finding the bottom corner from range.
Dorgu’s will likely be remembered as the goal of the game, though, as he hammered in a volley from outside the box after exchanging passes with Bruno Fernandes.
Posting alongside pictures of himself celebrating the goal, he wrote on social media: ‘In that position I just have to smash it ❤️😅’
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Dorgu has been pushed further forward under interim manager Michael Carrick, playing on the left wing in his 4-2-3-1 set-up and it has been extremely successful.
The Denmark international scored in the 2-0 win over Manchester City and has now scored in back-to-back wins, which have started Carrick’s reign in perfect fashion.
The 21-year-old has kept Cunha out of the starting XI so far under Carrick, but the Brazilian has also shone from the bench.
Dorgu came off on 81 minutes with what looked like it could be a hamstring injury, but Carrick says he is hopeful it was just cramp.
‘He came off with hopefully a little bit of cramp, but hopefully it’s nothing worse,’ said the Red Devils boss.
‘He ended up coming off but I think it just shows what he put in with his performance. But yeah absolutely delighted for him, just hope he’s not too bad.’
Asked whether he was sure it wasn’t a hamstring issue, he said: ‘At this stage it’s hard to tell. We’ll just have to wait and see but for sure we’re hoping that it’s not too bad.’
Carrick hailed the impact of the Dane, both going forward and his work defensively for the team.
‘Pat’s been a big player for us in the last couple of games in so many ways,’ Carrick said. ‘Attacking-wise, obviously he’s scored two goals but I think in terms of the threat and his athleticism and his quality coming in as well, the connections.
‘Defensively he’s been immense as well, down the side with Luke and doubling up against two teams that ask a lot down the sides.
‘It’s a big, big job for him. Delighted for him because the two goals he’s scored are very different but you get that because he’s put so much into the performances. It’s nice to see him smiling and happy.’
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.
