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Arsenal started at a blistering pace with Alexis Sánchez shining and it was game, set and match for Arsène Wenger’s team inside 20 minutes

 Updated 
Sun 4 Oct 2015 12.53 EDTFirst published on Sun 4 Oct 2015 10.00 EDT
Mesut Ozil scores the second goal for Arsenal.
Mesut Ozil scores the second goal for Arsenal. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
Mesut Ozil scores the second goal for Arsenal. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

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Curtis Mayfield’s Move On Up blasts out at the Emirates. Wenger grins on the sideline, Van Gaal stares bemused in to the distance. Arsenal were scintillating in the opening 20 minutes and the game was out of United’s reach by the time they woke up and began playing. They dominated possession in the second half but too many players under-performed and Arsenal defended well. What a terrific day for the North Londoners – they enter the international break in second, splitting the Manchester teams with City leading. Thanks for reading. Until next time – ahem, the Madrid derby in 40 minutes – goodbye!

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90 min +2: From the goal-kick Arsenal head for one more attack and Oxlade-Chamberlain comes so close to a late fourth, finding only the crossbar in his way after a deft chip over an onrushing De Gea.

89 min: Wilson makes progress through the centre before finding Martial. He ends up on the floor again but, admirably, does not look for a penalty – again he simply lost his footing. The ‘olés’ are out from the Arsenal fans now.

86 min: Giroud has a big chance to cap Arsenal’s performance with a typical Giroud goal – unmarked with the result already decided – after Oxlade-Chamberlain’s square pass sets him up perfectly. The Frenchman shoots tamely at De Gea.

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83 min: The final minutes should – should – be played out without too much action. Although Valencia has won a corner following a deflected attempt from range. That’s taken short and United go back to passing in a U-shape.

81 min: And United’s final change sees James Wilson make his first appearance of the campaign. Juan Mata comes off.

80 min: Third Arsenal change sees Sánchez hobble off clutching his groin but with a standing ovation from the home support with Kieran Gibbs on in his place.

78 min: United dawdle in a defensive area and Carrick, being closed down, leaves a pass to De Gea short and the keeper has no option but to hack in to touch.

77 min: Arsenal are sitting back deeper and deeper with each passing minute but the manner in which they are keeping United at bay, allowing them the ball in unthreatening areas, is quietly impressive.

75 min: Giroud is coming on for Walcott, who has been terrific and looks disappointed to be coming off. Oxlade-Chamberlain enters the fray in place of Özil, another of Arsenal’s impressive performers.

73 min: Arsenal break. Özil finds Monreal advancing on the left and feeds him. The defender steadies before returning the pass to the Germany midfielder but his shot is easy for De Gea.

72 min: United continuing to dominate possession but all Mata can muster is a shot that floats over from 20 yards.

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70 min: United work it across the edge of the box. Gabriel is not focused but Schweinsteiger’s pass towards Fellaini is misjudged and the move breaks down.

68 min: Carrick’s pass finds Schweinsteiger eight yards out via a slight Rooney deflection but the German does not anticipate the ball’s path and his first touch is poor, allowing Cech to come out and deny the former Bayern player.

Manchester United’s Bastian Schweinsteiger is denied by Petr Cech. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
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66 min: Smalling is almost caught out by Walcott on the edge of the area. There are sighs from the crowd who realised a yard or two more and the Arsenal striker would have been straight through on goal.

64 min: Valencia fouls Sánchez and United’s spell of territorial dominance is ended for a moment at least. Wenger has switched Arsenal to a 4-5-1 now.

62 min: Rooney has a shot … Cech is down to save well. The ensuing corner from Mata is headed away by Coquelin at the near-post. The tide has very much changed now. United are suddenly dominant. But can they be picked off on the counter if too many push forward?

60 min: Martial dribbles in to the area and eventually ends up on the deck under pressure from Gabriel. Arsenal fans boo but, to be fair to the United striker, he is not looking for a penalty. The ball had run out of his control.

58 min: And when committing so many forward they are now more culpable to be punished on the counterattack. Ramsey and Walcott break but the move ends when the former cannot get his shot away just inside the United box.

56 min: United are at least being competitive now. They are committing people forward and have lots of possession without really getting in to good positions to work Cech. Tthere are too many performing poorly still, not least Rooney.

A frustrating day for Wayne Rooney and Manchester United. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
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55 min: Martial wins a corner. Young takes it and tries to find Fellaini but Arsenal clear. They break on the left through Özil. The German reaches halfway and is met by a cynical shove from Rooney. He is the latest to be booked.

52 min: That United free-kick comes to nought and Arsenal are back on the attack. Carrick is soon booked for chopping down Ramsey on the edge of the area. Özil’s attempt comes off the wall and his rebound, headed for the bottom left, is deflected for a corner.

51 min: Coquelin booked for taking down Rooney, who is furious. If anything he should be angry with himself. On a better day he would have been past the Arsenal player but had taken a poor touch which allowed Coquelin the opportunity to tackle in the first place.

49 min: Better from Young. He cuts in from the left and gets past Ramsey. But his shot from 25 yards is easy for Cech.

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47 min: Valencia’s first act is to give away possession, trying to find Fellaini in front of him on the right.

Half-time: Arsenal 3-0 Man Utd

45 min +2: Schweinsteiger loses the ball in an advanced position. Arsenal are allowed to attack and Sánchez gets kicked in the achilles by the Germany World Cup winner. He is in a bit of pain but that’s the break and Arsenal are jubilant.

45 min: There will be two minutes added. Arsenal don’t want it to end, certain United players will be desperate for respite.

Bastian Schweinsteiger, Wayne Rooney and Daley Blind with heads down for Manchester United. Photograph: John Peters/Getty Images
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44 min: Just as I say that Martial has a chance to turn inside the area after Mertesacker lands on his arse when trying to cut out Darmian’s cross from the right, but Martial shoots straight at Cech and the keeper saves.

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43 min: United play the ball around in a U from right then back before going left. Then back from the left and to the right. And again. And once more. Eventually Young crosses from the left and Gabriel heads away. This has been such a terrible performance from United, however, that a spell in possession even with nothing to show for it is a positive.

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