Man Utd v Arsenal player ratings: Saliba and Trossard star to keep title race alive
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Arsenal managed to hold on and secure a slender 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. This result has ensured that the battle for the Premier League championship will continue and be decided on the last day of the season.
During the first half, Mikel Arteta's team took the lead when Leandro Trossard scored after receiving a cross from Kai Havertz. However, they struggled to play at their usual high level against Erik ten Hag's struggling team. Nonetheless, they showed strong defensive skills, as illustrated by William Saliba's outstanding performance, earning him the man-of-the-match title. As a result, they are now at the top of the league before Manchester City's upcoming game against Tottenham midweek.
This is the evaluation of the players.
Andre Onana, who wears the number 7 jersey, was unable to stop Trossard's goal from happening, but he did make a fantastic save to stop Martinelli's attempt at scoring and keep his team in the game.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who wears the number 6, may have had the ability to prevent Trossard from scoring Havertz's cross, but he did an excellent job of blocking Rice's shot in the second half. He also made a well-timed tackle to stop Martinelli's counter-attack from a corner, which demonstrated his skills as a defender.
Casemiro, who wears number 4 on his jersey, made a mistake during Arsenal's first goal by unintentionally allowing Havertz to be onside. This happened because he was not quick enough to move up the pitch. He is finding it difficult to adjust to playing as a center-back, which is not his usual position.
In the match, Jonny Evans did not make any major mistakes and it wouldn't be fair to hold him responsible for the goal that Arsenal scored.
Throughout most of the season, Diogo Dalot has been deemed United's superior defender. He effectively silenced Saka and showed potential while moving forward.
Kobbie Mainoo is only 6 years old. He sometimes felt intimidated when playing against Partey and Rice, but he looked calm and collected when he had the ball.
Sofyan Amrabat, 6: He showed one of his better performances while playing for United. He was active and competitive in the midfield and a much better companion for Mainoo than Eriksen, who was vulnerable against Crystal Palace.
Amad Diallo, who is only 6 years old, had a very good first league start this season. He showed a lot of positivity and seemed to be very optimistic. However, there were times during the game where he seemed to be a bit unsteady and didn't show much composure when he was attacking.
Scott McTominay, who wore the number 4 jersey, appeared to be lacking full fitness upon his return to the starting eleven. He had a difficult time making a significant impact in the midfield position.
Alejandro Garnacho is only 6 years old but he is considered to be the strongest attacker on United's team. However, he missed a great opportunity to try and score a goal against Raya, the Arsenal goalkeeper, from the edge of the box.
Rasmus Hojlund who is six years old was not at fault for the lack of opportunities he had up front. However, he was mostly left to fend for himself with very few chances.
Other options: Antony with a score of 5, Willy Kambwala with a score of 6, Christian Eriksen with a score of 5, Omari Forson with a score of 5, and Ethan Wheatley with a score of 5 are potential substitutes.
David Raya, a talented goalkeeper, was hardly challenged by United's attackers during the football game. However, whenever necessary, he expertly handled any crosses that came his way. Additionally, he made excellent use of his feet to maintain possession of the ball and keep the game moving smoothly.
Ben White, who is only 6, allowed Garnacho to enter the field too easily for the Argentine's strongest attempt at scoring. He also faced difficulty controlling the unstable winger at certain points in the game.
William Saliba, aged 9, remained calm and collected while playing in defense. He managed to take the ball away from Garnacho in an excellent move during the second half, just as he was about to score a goal for Arsenal's opponent.
Gabriel, who is eight years old, played solidly with Saliba and easily managed to contain Hojlund.
Seven-year-old Takehiro Tomiyasu had a nice battle with Diallo in the initial period. However, he managed to silence the United winger in the latter half.
Thomas Partey, who wore the number 6 shirt, appeared collected and at ease when faced with pressure, despite making a few mistakes early on such as giving away possession to McTominay. He executed some smooth moves and timely tackles to aid his team in dominating the midfield area.
Declan Rice, with a score of 6, was not at his best during his time with Arsenal. However, he managed to avoid making any mistakes and contributed to the team's overall effort.
Martin Odegaard, number 7: He didn't showcase his best skills as a playmaker, but he worked hard and put in a diligent effort as the captain of Arsenal.
Bukayo Saka, who wears the number 6 jersey, was unable to make a significant contribution to the match and was substituted during the second half.
Kai Havertz was a great leader on the field and was quick to take advantage of Casemiro's mistake, resulting in a goal for Arsenal.
The player known as Leandro Trossard performed with great energy on the left side of the field and made an impressive goal in the first part of the game.
Alternate options: Gabriel Martinelli, six; Gabriel Jesus, five; Jorginho, five; Jakub Kiwior, six.