Arteta reveals the way he would have wanted Arsenal to beat Manchester United

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has opened up about his team’s ability to score late goals, jokingly stating that he would have preferred for Bukayo Saka to score early and win the match against Manchester United easily. Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United propelled them to the fifth position on the Premier League table with 10 points after four games.

Reflecting on the late goal by Declan Rice that secured the win for Arsenal, Arteta expressed his preference for an earlier goal. “I prefer that Bukayo Saka puts it in the net a lot earlier. A team needs different tools to win matches,” Arteta told Football.London. He also acknowledged the team’s reaction in the first half, which set the tone and brought some calmness to their performance.

The match itself was filled with excitement and drama. Marcus Rashford opened the scoring for Manchester United in the 27th minute, taking advantage of the early pressure from Arsenal. However, Martin Odegaard quickly equalized for Arsenal just a minute later, leveling the scores at 1-1. The first half ended with both teams locked in a tight battle.

In the second half, both teams had their chances, but it was Rice who ultimately made the difference with his late goal in the 90+6th minute. The goal sparked wild celebrations among the Arsenal players and fans, highlighting their resilience and determination to secure a victory.

The match also saw some controversial decisions by the referee and VAR. Alejandro Garnacho had a goal disallowed due to an offside in the build-up, and a penalty awarded to Arsenal was overturned after VAR consultation. These incidents added to the intensity and unpredictability of the game.

Arteta’s comments about preferring an early goal reflect his desire for his team to take control of matches from the start. While the late goals have been crucial in securing victories, Arteta understands the importance of a strong start and maintaining control throughout the game.

The win against Manchester United will undoubtedly boost Arsenal’s confidence as they head into the international break. With their current form, Arsenal will be hoping to build on this success and continue their climb up the Premier League table in the coming weeks. Arteta’s focus will be on improving their performance from the start of matches and maintaining consistency throughout the full 90 minutes.