It’s going down to the wire. Arsenal have earned a critical 1-0 win at Manchester United, a victory that ensures the Premier League title race will go all the way to the final day of the season next weekend.
Leandro Trossard struck in the 20th minute at Old Trafford to ensure Arsenal will take defending champions Manchester City to the final round of games on Sunday.
Anything other than a win against United for Mikel Arteta’s team could have seen City clinch the title with victory at Tottenham on Tuesday.
But Arsenal duly delivered on Sunday (Monday AEST) and moved one point ahead of their title rivals in second place.
Arsenal will host Everton in the final round of games, while City are at home against West Ham.
“Today we wanted to really knock at that door and open that box of dreams and live the last and final day of the season in front of our people with the opportunity to win the Premier League,” Arteta said.
“Everything is at stake. We have had no margin for error since January.”
But defeat for United was the latest blow for under-pressure manager Erik ten Hag, whose team lost for the 14th time in the league this season and extended a damaging run that has featured just one win in their last eight games in England’s top division.
Arsenal benefited from slack defending from United when makeshift centre back Casemiro was slow to push up and played Kai Havertz onside.
The Germany forward took advantage and drove into the box before crossing for Trossard to convert from close range.
For now, Arsenal have done all they can to keep the pressure on Pep Guardiola’s team, and it’s a big improvement on last season when a late collapse by the Gunners allowed City to wrap up a third successive title with three games to spare.
While the title is still in City’s hands, they will have to win the remaining two games to be certain of a record fourth-straight English league title.
Arsenal are aiming to be crowned champion for the first time since 2004, when Arsene Wenger’s team went an entire league campaign without defeat to earn the nickname of the “Invincibles.”
The current class cannot match that feat, but with 27 wins and 89 goals they have set two new club records in the Premier League era.
“That’s not progress, that’s history,” Arteta said. “That’s very difficult to do, especially in the league where we are playing now.”
The visit to Old Trafford always looked like their biggest test during the run-in and history was not on Arsenal’s side, having won only once in their last 16 games at the home of United.
After Arsenal’s early lead, it was a surprise that Arteta’s team did not build on that advantage and instead ceded long periods of possession to United, without ever looking likely to concede.
The second half was also short of openings until substitute Gabriel Martinelli weaved his way through United’s box and forced Andre Onana to push away an effort that was heading for the top corner.
The United goalkeeper had to produce two more saves in quick succession — first to prevent Aaron Wan-Bissaka from heading into his own net and then to palm away Declan Rice’s long-range effort into the bottom corner.
© AAP
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