On nights such as this one, with the rain pouring down and facing a rival with no pressure, when your top adversaries have already triumphed earlier in the weekend, it is possible for championship contenders to unexpectedly stumble.
The issue was that no one seemed to notify Mikel Arteta and Arsenal about it. The only things that fell apart in this game were the records. With their seventh consecutive league win, bringing them within two points of Liverpool at the top, Arsenal made history by becoming the first English team to secure three consecutive away wins with a five goal difference. In all honesty, this game could have been won by an even bigger margin than the six goals declared by the visitors against a struggling Sheffield United team.
Arteta and his team were expected to achieve victory, but what stood out was the way they won. Arsenal played incredibly for the first 45 minutes, with no major mistakes. While their opponent’s incompetence helped, the way Arsenal attacked was impressive. The tempo was established from the beginning, as Bukayo Saka hit the crossbar and Gabriel Martinelli had a near miss. Just four minutes later, Martin Ødegaard scored the first goal and opened up the potential for more.
By the 15-minute mark it was 3-0 as a superb ball across goal was turned into the net by Jayden Bogle and Martinelli added the third. Even then, so early into proceedings, it was a case of how many Arsenal would win by. The answer was six, with five of them coming before half-time, but Arteta and his players clearly eased off the gas, perhaps with one eye already on Saturday’s game against Brentford, when victory would move them top of the Premier League before Liverpool and Manchester City square off on Sunday.
Arteta commented that it was an excellent evening. He acknowledged that it was a challenging location to play at, but the team’s strong start set the tone for the game. They displayed a powerful and positive attitude, showcasing their skill in the attacking third. The team stayed focused and determined, which is something Arteta admires. He emphasized the importance of keeping up this level of performance and momentum.
Chris Wilder decided to change formation and remove Oliver Norwood after the third goal, but it didn’t make a difference. Despite having an additional defender to defend against, Arsenal demonstrated their superior skills when Kai Havertz scored their fourth goal with ease against a helpless Ivo Grbic. The home fans started leaving six minutes before half time as Saka once again caused chaos in the opponents’ defense, setting up Declan Rice for a stunning fifth goal. This caused speculation among fans about how many records and goals Arsenal would achieve by the end of the night.
After the restart, they noticeably lessened their intensity, as shown by the choice to swap out Saka during halftime due to him feeling unwell. It was a wise move to not take any chances with the 22-year-old, and Sheffield United was undoubtedly relieved to see him leave. However, the harm had already been inflicted. This marks the fourth consecutive home game where they have conceded five or more goals, and a shocking total of 72 in the league this season.
Wilder reflected on their disappointing performance, recognizing their significant gap in skill and pace compared to Premier League teams. Despite thinking they had a solid plan, elementary defensive errors led to their downfall and they were outclassed by their opponents. This has resulted in their inevitable relegation to the Championship.
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Thankfully, Wilder and his team received some relief as Arsenal toned down their intensity. While there was only one goal in the second half, it was the most impressive of the game. Havertz set up Ben White for a beautiful curling shot that flew past Grbic, bringing the final score to six. If Arsenal had desired more goals, they likely could have achieved them. The only cause for concern for Arsenal was Martinelli being substituted due to a foot injury which will be further evaluated in the upcoming days.
By then, three sides of Bramall Lane were at least half empty. This proud old club appears increasingly resigned to its fate and, on nights like these, it’s not difficult to see why.
However, it should be noted that, even though Wilder’s team played poorly, they were completely dominated by Arsenal’s impressive performance in the first half. In contrast to last year, when their chance at winning the title crumbled, they are currently on a roll at the most crucial moment. Undoubtedly, Liverpool and Manchester City are also aware of this.
Source: theguardian.com
