Arsenal hit their straps to knock Sheffield United for six
Arteta’s men respond and then some after title rivals’ victories
RAMPANT Arsenal made history with a 6-0 win away to shambolic Sheffield United as Mikel Arteta’s side moved back to within two points of the Premier League summit. Having seen title rivals Liverpool edge past Nottingham Forest and Manchester City defeat Manchester United, Mikel Arteta’s men knew they had to respond at the Championship-bound Blades.
Arsenal did so in style and could easily have struck more than the five first-half goals they managed at Bramall Lane, where the Monday evening mauling was completed by a Ben White thunderbolt.
This was the Gunners’ seventh straight Premier League win and saw them become the first English league side to win three consecutive away games by five or more goals.
By contrast, the Blades have now conceded five or more in four successive home games in all competitions – not exactly the fight boss Chris Wilder promised from his rockbottom side.
Instead, United fans watched one the most humiliating first halves in Premier League history, with a Jayden Bogle own goal coming between efforts from Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli in the opening 15 minutes.
Kai Havertz and Declan Rice made it five by the half-time, which was greeted by boos from the Blades fans who had not already headed for a pint or an early exit.
White brilliantly fizzed home Arsenal’s sixth – the 10,000th goal in club history – as Arteta rung the changes, including taking off injured Martinelli after withdrawing Bukayo Saka at the break.
Arteta resisted the urge to rest any stars in South Yorkshire as his unchanged side dominated with unerring ease from the outset.
Saka rattled the woodwork inside the opening 70 seconds after a Rice attempt was blocked, with Martinelli seeing his follow-up cleared off the line by Jack Robinson.
Arsenal smelt blood and, shortly after a fizzing White ball flew across the face of goal, a slight deflection took a Rice cross into the path of
Odegaard to apply a cool fifth-minute finish.
The embarrassment had just begun for the Blades, who saw Bogle inadvertently backheel a low Saka cross into his own net at the back post in the 13th minute.
The away end had barely caught their breath by the time they were celebrating again two minutes later.
Arsenal all too easily went from back to front in a move that ended with Martinelli receiving a return pass from Jakub Kiwior in the box and scoring with a strike that went in via a deflection.
The third goal led furious Wilder to make a 17th-minute substitution, moving to a back five as Ben Osborn replaced experienced midfielder Oliver Norwood.
The switch did little to stymie Arsenal, who not only displayed quality but fighting spirit.
Martinelli looked like he wanted it more when dispossessing Blades skipper Anel Ahmedhodzic, who could only watch on as Havertz slammed low past Ivo Grbic in the 25th minute.
Tempers threatened to boil over when Bogle received a booking for a frustrated challenge on Odegaard, who soon slipped in Saka to pull back for Rice to sweep home a first-time effort six minutes before the break.
Blades boos greeted the half-time whistle and Wilder made three further changes at the break, while Fabio Vieira replaced star turn Saka.
“Your support is appreciated and needed,” the Bramall Lane stadium announcer said before the second period got under way.
There was a slight improvement from the Blades after the break, but Arsenal were still a threat.
Martinelli tried to score before White made it six with a 58th-minute stunner.
Havertz brilliantly controlled a Jorginho pass and laid the ball off for the defender to lash home a leftfooted effort in front of the away fans.
There was a worrying sight for Arsenal fans in the 64th minute when Martinelli hopped off, supported by a medic and Jorginho.
The Brazil international came off as part of a triple change that saw Thomas Partey make his return to action.
Grbic brilliantly clawed away substitute Gabriel Jesus’ effort in the 82nd minute as Arsenal settled for six in the Steel City.
“We know it’s a tough place to come,” said Odegaard. “We took control of the game, we knew they wanted to play direct and we had to be ready for that. When we had the ball, we were in a good mood today … In the end it was solid, a nice performance.
“We wanted to keep the momentum going. We wanted to keep it up. Especially when you come to places like this, it can be a bit tricky.”