Manchester United smash underperforming Arsenal

 Manchester United thrashed an understrength Arsenal 8-2 at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. Despite Arsenal grabbing a goal just before the break to give them a little hope United proved too strong for the Gunners as they scored 5 goals in the second half. Arsenal were missing 8 key players as Sagna felt ill just before the match while Vermaelen suffered an injury mid-week. Gervinho, Song and Frimpong were all suspended so french defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin made his first team debut whilst Traore played at left back in place of Sagna. Reserve team players Gilles Sunu and Oguzhan Ozyakup were on the bench.

Man United took the lead just 21 minutes into the game through defensive errors from Arsenal as Anderson chipped a ball into the box where Welbeck got his head to the ball to put it into the back of the net.

Arsenal then had a great chance to grab an equaliser as Evans brought down Walcott in the box and a penalty was awarded. Van Persie stepped up to take the penalty but it was poor and De Gea dived to his right hand side to keep out the shot.

7 minutes after the goal United grabbed a second as Traore's header outside the box fell to Ashley Young who got past Coquelin before curling a shot beyond Szczesny and into the goal.

Walcott celebrates his goal

4 minutes before half time Manchester United grabbed a third goal from a free kick as Jenkinson brought down Young on the edge of the box and was booked. Rooney took the free kick and curled the ball towards Szczesny's near post and into the goal to extend United's lead.

Moments before the break Arsenal finally got a goal. Rosicky playing the ball through to Walcott who slotted the ball through the legs of De Gea to get Arsenal's first league goal of the season.

The score at half time was Man United 3-1 Arsenal.

20 minutes into the second half Manchester United made it 4-1. Rooney winning a free kick on the edge of the box before taking it himself and putting the ball past Szczesny who didn't even move and into the back of the net.

3 minutes later United made it 5. Rooney playing the ball through to Nani in the box who chipped the ball over Szczesny to give Man United a commanding 4 goal lead.

Rooney then almost had his hat-trick as he went to lob Szczesny from distance but was only denied by the post.

Before long Manchester United had the ball in the back of the net again. This time the scorer was Park as he played a one-two with Young before firing past Szczesny to make it 6-1.

With 15 minutes left to play Arsenal got a consolation goal as Jones' header only found Jenkinson who headed the ball back into the box to Van Persie who smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Young scores his second goal

Then all of a sudden Arsenal were down to 10 men for the third consecutive league game as Jenkinson was shown a second yellow card for bringing down Hernandez.

Arsenal's day then got even worse as Man United were awarded a penalty after Walcott brought down Evra. Rooney took the penalty and slotted the ball to Szczesny's left for United's seventh and his hat-trick.


In the last minute United completed the rout as Ashley Young got his second of the game as he curled the ball from the edge of the box and beyond Szczesny for Manchester United's eighth.

The final score finished Manchester United 8-2 Arsenal.

The teams lineups:

Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Jones, Evans, Evra, Nani(68), Cleverley, Anderson(68), Young, Rooney, Welbeck(34).
Subs: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Fabio, Giggs(68), Park(68), Berbatov, Hernandez(34). 

Arsenal: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Koscielny, Djourou, Traore, Coquelin(62), Ramsey, Rosicky, Walcott(83), Arshavin, Van Persie(83).
Subs: Fabinaski, Miquel, Lansbury(83), Ozyakup, Oxlade Chamberlain(62), Sunu, Chamakh(83). 

My Arsenal man of the match: Francis Coquelin


Referee: Howard Webb
Attendance: 75,448