LONDON —
A record victory for Arsenal. A critical victory for Manchester United.
After Arsenal beat West Ham 6-0 in their biggest away win in their history, United beat Aston Villa 2-1 in an important result in their bid to qualify for the Champions League.
Arsenal might be at their best of the season. At the weekend, Mikel Arteta’s team handed only their second defeat of the season to the leader Liverpool and thus closed the gap in the fight for the Premier League title and was now out of control at the Olympic Stadium, which began to empty when West Ham fell 4-0 down before half-time.
Bukayo Sako had a double and Declan Rice – former West Ham player – added the sixth.
Arsenal are two points behind Liverpool, as is Manchester City. All three contenders won this weekend.
United’s aspirations are to finish in the top four – or five – to advance to the Champions League and it would have been a blow to their aspirations if they had lost at Villa Park.
There is now only a five-point difference – instead of 11 – between United, who are sixth, and Villa, who are fifth, after Scott McTominay’s header in the 86th minute for his team’s third consecutive league win. Rasmus Hojlund opened the scoring for United and has scored five games in a row.
RICE RETURNS
Angry West Ham fans began leaving the stands in droves before half-time, long before their former star condemned the team to the worst defeat in their history.
Rice ran and found the ball before firing in from long range to seal the embarrassing defeat.
Rice became West Ham’s best player and with his unattainable energy and fast runs. He was now part of the Arsenal clinic and the fans booed him at every touch.
Rice’s set-pieces assisted in header goals from centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes before halftime. After Saka’s second, Rice scored, but decided not to celebrate and placed his hands in the air apologetically. He even got some applause when he came off the bench.
Rice signed in July for an estimated £105 million ($138 million) and it appears it was money well spent.
2024-02-11 21:20:22
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