Match report: Arsenal 1 Manchester United 3

Goals from Antonio Valencia and a double from the in-form Jesse Lingard were enough to see off an Arsenal side who had not lost at home since January. But the Reds' superb victory was down in no small part to De Gea, who was in scintillating form. The only negative of the afternoon was the red card for Paul Pogba, who will miss the next three matches including next Sunday's huge derby clash.

Both sides were unchanged from their midweek victories, with Nemanja Matic deemed fit enough to start after going off injured at Watford and Alexandre Lacazette also selected despite being initially being ruled out of the game with a groin injury.

The Gunners were on a 12-game winning run on their own patch, but the hosts were the architects of their own downfall early on with the Reds ahead inside four minutes. Laurent Koscielny's pass to Sead Kolasinac was easily intercepted by Valencia who played a one-two with Pogba before slotting home brilliantly through the legs of Petr Cech.

Seven minutes later, Arsenal lost possession again and United took full advantage. Lingard flicked the ball off Shkodran Mustafi’s toe and found Romelu Lukaku who slipped a pass into Anthony Martial and the Frenchman’s sublime lay-off allowed Lingard to instantly sweep the ball in off the post.

The Reds looked almost unstoppable in attack, but Mourinho’s men were thankful for a combination of vital De Gea saves and some last-ditch defending which ensured United ended the half well in control. De Gea knew little about his first brilliant stop as Lacazette’s shot deflected off the keeper on the ground and up onto the bar, before Granit Xhaka fired just wide.

The Spaniard held on to a well-struck Mesut Ozil volley, before pulling off a superb double save, diving to palm away Hector Bellerin’s drive and then claiming Kolasinac’s bobbling effort.

The best save of the lot though came on the stroke of half-time, and from his own player. An Alexis Sanchez free-kick was swung in and the ball ricocheted off Lukaku forcing De Gea to claw the ball away from almost inside his own net.

Four minutes after half-time, De Gea could do nothing to prevent the Gunners grabbing one back as Sanchez’s cross found Ramsey, who had burst through the defence which stood still expecting offside and could only watch on as Lacazette fired the ball home.

United responded almost immediately as Lingard found himself through at the other end and, after Cech had deflected his attempted chip onto the post, Martial’s follow-up from a matter of three yards rebounded back off Nacho Monreal and away from danger.

It was time for more De Gea heroics on 55 minutes when the stopper saved one-handed from Lacazette, before reacting immediately to block Sanchez’s effort from point-blank range with his foot.

There was to be no let-up in the action as United reclaimed the two-goal advantage quite brilliantly just after the hour-mark. Lukaku set Lingard clear who found Pogba down the right and the marauding midfielder held off the attentions of Koscielny to cross for Lingard to tap into an empty net. 

You hoped that would be enough for United to see out the game but things were made more difficult when Pogba was shown a red card for a foul on Bellerin on 74 minutes. A three-match ban is expected to follow with the Frenchman set to be a massive miss in next weekend’s Manchester derby.

More De Gea saves and a couple of penalty claims by Arsenal followed but United held out for a vital victory in one of the most absorbing encouters of the season. Now for the derby.

TEAM LINE-UPS AND KEY STATS

Arsenal: Cech; Koscielny (c), Mustafi (Iwobi 15), Monreal; Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka (Welbeck 70), Kolasinac (Giroud 77); Ozil, Sanchez; Lacazette.
Booked: Bellerein, Koscielny, Sanchez.
Subs not used: Ospina (GK), Mertesacker, Coquelin, Wilshere.

United: De Gea; Valencia (c), Lindelof, Smalling, Rojo, Young (Rashford 90); Matic, Pogba; Lingard (Darmian 76), Martial (Herrera 67); Lukaku.
Booked: Rojo, Herrera.
Sent off: Pogba.
Subs not used: Romero, Blind, McTominay, Mata.

TALKING POINTS

Lingard at the double: Fresh from his superb solo effort in midweek, Lingard kept up his scoring antics with a fantastic double at the Emirates. Both goals were team works of beauty and Jesse’s finish for the first was particularly impressive. His constant pressuring of the Arsenal defence throughout the evening played a big part in United’s victory and it was he who snatched possession in the lead-up to his first strike.

Dave saves: You could have been forgiven for losing count of the amount of not just saves David De Gea made during a fraught 90 minutes, but quite incredible saves. The United stopper could do nothing about Arsenal’s goal, but the Gunners will wonder how they did not find another way past the Spaniard. His best save of the lot arguably came from his own player when he kept out Lukaku's deflection.

Matic gives everything: Jose said before kick-off that Nemanja Matic "wants to play," despite the manager's feeling that he was not completely fit, but you’d never have known after that performance. The midfielder was as brave as ever as he made some vital blocks, including one from Lacazette in the first half and, after Pogba’s dismissal, he was a real calming influence in front of United’s dogged backline.

Manchester derby awaits: United's next game in the Premier League is, quite simply, the biggest of the season. Today's result means the Reds have cut Manchester City's lead to five points, but the Blues can extend it to eight again with victory over struggling West Ham on Sunday. Then all eyes will be on Old Trafford next Sunday afternoon, with United knowing victory is a must.

WHAT THEY SAID...

Jose Mourinho: "I loved the way my team played and fought. But I also have to say that Arsenal played, in some periods, amazing attacking football, creating difficulties for us. But I have to say that my players deserve all the great words. I don’t know so many more in English! But amazing, phenomenal, fantastic, and deserved the three points.

“The plan was, when they had the ball, we all had to defend, starting with the attacking players, and when we have the ball, we had to try to counter-attack fast and try to score goals, which we did. We had the ball against the post, we had this last situation with [Romelu] Lukaku facing Petr Cech and, of course, they can say they had chances but we fought and we had a great goalkeeper too and I think we deserve [the win].

“They [the players] had the intelligence to play tactically according to the moments of the game because the game, we started in a way and then, when [Shkodran] Mustafi comes off, they changed and we changed and then later, playing with 10 men, we had to change again so I think it was hard for the players from the mental and tactical point of the view.”  

David De Gea: "It was a difficult game. I'm really happy. We scored two quick goals but at the end of the first half we lost control of the game. In the second half they scored the first goal and [then with] the sending off of Paul, it was difficult. It's a win and I think all the team defends really well for the 90 minutes. We need to look forward to the next game."

Jesse Lingard: "We had to dig in deep. The lads really worked hard today. We hit them on the counter-attack with three important goals; we pressed them high and they made mistakes for the goals. At first we had to organise and get in to position, but [then] I felt the time was right to go and press. The attacking players have the freedom to go and play and enjoy themselves. We've found a good connection over the last few games, so hopefully we can carry it on."