Manchester United vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction
Relive all the action from Old Trafford as Michael Carrick oversaw his final game as interim manager
Cristiano Ronaldo reached 800 career goals as his brace secured Manchester United a much-needed victory against Arsenal as interim manager Ralf Rangnick saw his new side triumph from the stands.
A lot has changed at Old Trafford since their last home game 26 days ago, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer losing his job after that loss to Manchester City was compounded by a shocking defeat at Watford.
United coach Michael Carrick has steadied the ship during an unbeaten three-match caretaker stint that ended with an entertaining 3-2 victory against Arsenal at a bouncing Old Trafford.
It was only their second win in nine Premier League games and a timely shot in the arm ahead of Rangnick’s first game in charge against Crystal Palace this Sunday.
The German has signed a deal until the end of the season and Thursday’s match will have given him food for thought, having seen the quality and ongoing concerns first hand from the directors’ box.
Finding a way to keep clean sheets will be key if this season is to be a success for United, although there was little that could be done to prevent Emile Smith Rowe’s bizarre opener.
David De Gea was rolling around in pain when the Arsenal youngster struck, with the VAR instructing referee Martin Atkinson to award the goal as it was the Spaniard’s team-mate Fred that hurt the goalkeeper.
Bruno Fernandes, making his 100th United appearance, levelled before half-time, with Ronaldo turning home Marcus Rashford’s cross to bring up 800 goals for club and country early in the second half.
But Arsenal took just two minutes to bring this helter-skelter clash back level as Martin Odegaard found the net with a low finish - good work undone 16 minutes later by his rash challenge on Fred inside the box.
Atkinson awarded the penalty after the VAR advised he watch the pitchside monitor, with Ronaldo keeping his cool in front of the Stretford End to lash home what proved to be the winner. Relive all the action below:
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Unwanted records
Manchester United can lose three consecutive top-flight home matches without scoring for the first time since 1963 if they lose to Arsenal tonight.
United recorded a league-low 17 shots in November, while they have faced an unrivalled 60.
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Carrick on Arteta
Man Utd caretaker boss, Michael Carrick, spoke about his playing rivalry with Mikel Arteta and how the Arsenal coach has adapted to his role as a coach. Carrick said:
He was a terrific player, very technical, and that’s the way his teams plays and obviously the way he has coached them in that style shows what type of player he was.
“I think he’s done a very good job at Arsenal and you can see they’re going in a certain direction and been pretty strong with that. So credit to him for that and it’ll be interesting to see how they get on for the rest of the season.”
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Arteta on Martinelli
The Arsenal fans have been wanting to see more of Gabriel Martinelli since he’s recovered from injury and they’ll get their chance tonight. Speaking of Martinelli’s lack of game time, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said:
It’s part of the pathway. I understand that we want to play all the players, but we can only play 11 of them.
“We have such a young team and we have to find the right pathway with the right timing within the pathway because it can look in a different different way and I think it’s very clear what we want to do with Gabi [Martinelli].
“His determination is absolutely top and he will continue to do that. He has the capacity to start games, no doubt about it.”
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Leaky devils
Manchester United have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 14 home fixtures in all competitions, the second-longest run in their history following a sequence of 21 matches between April 1958 and March 1959.
If they go 1-0 down on Thursday, it will mark the first time United have conceded nine successive Premier League goals without reply at Old Trafford.
Man Utd vs Arsenal: 'Football needs to be very careful with player workloads’ says Arteta
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has joined Marcelo Bielsa in expressing concern over the fixture calendar and insisted football needs to be careful over the load being put on players.
Leeds boss Bielsa admitted earlier this week to having “serious doubts” over the future of the sport at the elite level due to the amount of games being played.
Arsenal will play eight times in December, beginning at Manchester United on Thursday, and Arteta says there is reason to be cautious about overworking players.
Mikel Arteta: Football needs to be very careful with player workloads
The Gunners visit Manchester United on Thursday for the first of eight fixtures in December
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Flying Gunners
Arsenal have won seven times in their last 10 league games with two draws and just one defeat. The Gunners are unbeaten in all eight league fixtures in which they’ve scored this season.
But, only Norwich City have scored fewer Premier League away goals than Arsenal’s three, while the Gunners have failed to score in a joint-club record four of their opening six league games on the road.
Man Utd vs Arsenal: United struggles
Manchester United have won just once in eight Premier League matches with two draws and five defeats.
Their tally of five points during that period is their fewest over an eight-game spell since recording four between December 1989 and February 1990.
And, they could lose seven home fixtures in a calendar year for the first time since 1986 if the Gunners are triumphant tonight.
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Cristiano Ronaldo backed to adapt to Ralf Rangnick’s style at Manchester United
Michael Carrick has no doubt Cristiano Ronaldo will thrive under Ralf Rangnick at Manchester United
There has been debate over how five-times world player of the year Ronaldo will fit into Rangnick’s tactical plans at Old Trafford, particularly with the German likely to implement a pressing style.
Rangnick was confirmed as United’s interim manager until the end of the season this week, although, with the former Leipzig boss awaiting a work permit, Carrick remains in caretaker charge for Thursday’s visit of Arsenal.
Cristiano Ronaldo backed to adapt to Ralf Rangnick’s style at Manchester United
The new manager is likely to implement a high pressing style of football
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Team changes
Manchester United make three changes to the team that drew 1-1 at Chelsea last weekend. Cristiano Ronaldo returns to bolster the forward line with Nemanja Matic dropping out leaving Scott McTominay and Fred as a holding midfield duo.
Harry Maguire replaces Eric Bailly and Diogo Dalot is in for Aaron Wan-Bissaka in two changes to the defensive line.
Mikel Arteta makes two changes for Arsenal. Gabriel Martinelli starts in place of Bukayo Saka in attack, while Mohamed Elneny comes into midfield for Albert Sambi Lokonga.
Saka and Lokonga both start on the bench.
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Line-ups
Man Utd XI: De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Maguire, Telles, McTominay, Fred, Sancho, Fernandes, Rashford, Ronaldo
Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tavares, Elneny, Partey, Martinelli, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang
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