Trossard takes Premier League title race to final day
Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League table with a tense 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, ensuring the title race will go down to the final day of the season.
Knocked off their perch by Manchester City’s 4-0 thrashing of Fulham on Saturday, Mikel Arteta’s Gunners needed three points to deny Pep Guardiola’s champions a chance to secure the crown at Tottenham on Tuesday.
While Arsenal were far from their free-flowing best, they got the job done courtesy of Leandro Trossard’s first-half tap-in, which came after another mistake from makeshift United centre-back Casemiro.
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Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils – who were without nine first-team players due to injury – huffed and puffed but ultimately lacked the attacking quality to consistently trouble David Raya.
They stay eighth in the table, three points adrift of Newcastle United in sixth and Chelsea in seventh, and look likely to miss out on European qualification entirely.
Arsenal, meanwhile, sit one point ahead of City at the summit, and they will now hope fierce rivals Spurs can do them a favour against the champions in midweek, in order to keep the title race in their hands going into the final day.
Three of Leandro Trossard’s last four Premier League goals have put @Arsenal 1-0 up ⬆️
Just how important is he to Mikel Arteta’s side? #MUNARS pic.twitter.com/ET3pBI4T6V
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 12, 2024
Despite injuries depriving them of Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and four senior centre-backs, among others, United made an encouraging start, but Rasmus Hojlund was unable to punish a Thomas Partey error as he slipped and sent a wild effort spinning over.
Arsenal hit the front after 20 minutes, and the goal was the result of yet another Casemiro mistake. The Brazilian was caught some 15 yards behind his fellow defenders as he played Kai Havertz onside, allowing the German to cross for Trossard to tap home.
Goalscorer 🤝 Provider pic.twitter.com/DUgttAWVo2
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 12, 2024
The Gunners exerted greater control from there but failed to kill the contest, with Ben White sending a rasping drive just over from a tight angle on the right side of the box.
United still carried a threat, primarily through the quick feet of wingers Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho, and the latter forced Raya into action at his near post after being fed by the former on the stroke of half-time.
Arsenal’s failure to put their foot down offered United more encouragement after the break, but they were found wanting in the final third with Garnacho their only real threat.
Casemiro’s 68th-minute attempt was Man Utd’s first shot on target in this match ✅
Their previous nine efforts had failed to test David Raya’s goal at Old Trafford…#MUNARS pic.twitter.com/zNum1XxxfJ
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 12, 2024
The Argentine bent one shot wide from a promising position, then crashed another effort into the side netting after skipping past White on the break with 12 minutes to play.
At the other end, Andre Onana kept United in the game with excellent saves to deny Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice, while the visitors lost Bukayo Saka to injury following an awkward fall behind the Red Devils’ goal.
The heavens opened at Old Trafford as the game ticked into stoppage time, but there was no storm to come for Arsenal on the pitch as an assured defensive performance got them over the line.
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