Manchester United fell to their first defeat of 2020 with Arsenal scoring twice at the Emirates on New Year’s Day. United seemed to lack everything a professional football club should have from the very first minute of the match. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs to start inspiring this team to achieve as two wins after a defeat is not progress, it is two steps forward and on step back.
Arsenal started well in the match showing more desire to get an early goal. That came in the eighth minute through Nicolas Pepe after Sead Kolasinac, who was booked in the third minute, played the ball into Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, then playing in Alexandre Lacazette but the ball was deflected into Pepe who finished well beating David De Gea and putting his team 1-0 up. United needed to defend a lot better.
Arsenal doubled their lead in the 43rd minute of the match after Harry Maguire gave away a corner. Pepe took the corner aiming for Lacazette at the near post. De Gea could only parry the ball away from goal, then the loose ball bounced off a United defender where Sokratis Papastathopoulos was waiting, smashing the ball into the roof of the net. United looked dejected, out of ideas and looking to avoid a big defeat.
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Goals: Nicolas Pepe 8′, Sokratis Papastathopoulos 43′
Assists:
Manchester United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Matic (Mata 81′), Fred; James (Greenwood 58′), Lingard (Pereira 58′), Rashford; Martial
Substitutes Not Used: Romero; Jones, Young, Williams
Bookings: Sead Kolasinac 3′, Bukayo Saka 82′
