LONDON: A dramatic late goal from stand-in centre-forward Ededie Nketiah maintained Arsenal’s five-point Premier League lead after a pulsating 3-2 win over Manchester United in a match whose pace and passion recalled the era when Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson were the duelling managers.

United led against the run of play through Marcus Rashford, Arsenal responded through Nketiah and Bukayo Saka before United levelled with Lisandro Martinez. Arsenal grew stronger in the closing stages. Nketiah’s second goal fuelled the Gunners’ confidence ahead of the clubs’ two meetings in the FA Cup on Friday and in London in the league on February 15.

Arsenal made their usual high-speed start, winning a corner in the first minute. United, missing the suspended Casemiro, struggled to hold the league leaders at bay.

They had a slice of luck in the 17th minute, however, when Thomas Partey gave away possession just inside his own half. Rashford accelerated forward to shoot just inside goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale’s right-hand post.

This was the first goal Arsenal had conceded since winning 4-2 at Brighton on New Year’s Eve. As for United, not since crashing at Brentford in August have they failed to score away from home in the league.

The Gunners responded within seven minutes. Nketiah shot wide, Martinelli shot over the bar and then Nketiah escaped the attention of Aaron Wan-Bissaka to head the equaliser from a Granit Xhaka cross.

The tension proved too much for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. He was shown a yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor for charging down the touchline in protest after Luke Shaw had fouled Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal made what proved a decisive change at halftime. Arteta’s concern about the threat offered by Rashford provoked him into replacing Ben White, who had been booked, with Takehiro Tomiyasu. The switch brought a bonus. In the 53rd minute Tomiyasu provided the return pass for Saka to cut in from the right and shoot Arsenal into the lead.

Saka thus matched Freddie Ljungberg and Thierry Henry as Arsenal players who have scored against United in three consecutive Premier matches.

This time it was United’s turn to provide an instant response. Ramsdale made a superb save from Rashford but then only palmed out an ensuing corner and Martinez dived forward to head a brave equaliser.

Arsenal powered forward in the closing stages. Wingers Saka and Martinelli were always a danger and new signing Leandro Trossard added to the pressure as substitute ahead of Nketiah’s 89th-minute winner.

Haaland hat-trick

Manchester City’s players provided the correct response to Pep Guardiola’s midweek rant by dismissing Wolves 3:0 with Erling Haaland’s fourth hat-trick of the season.

Manager Guardiola had complained, after the 4:2 win over Tottenham, that success after success had made his squad too complacent. Guardiola had also included a lack of passion from the home crowd in his criticism.

His words provoked the answers he wanted. Haaland, who had been without a goal in three appearances until scoring against Spurs, lifted his totals for his first City season to 25 in the league and 31 in all competitions with strikes after 40, 50 (penalty) and 54 minutes.

Haaland headed his first from a Kevin de Bruyne, converted a penalty after Ilkay Gundogan had been fouled by Wolves skipper Ruben Neves then struck his third after keeper Jose Sa had misdirect a pass only to Riyad Mahrez.

The Norwegian’s goals have come in his first 20 Premier League games. This was five goals more than Luis Suarez managed for Liverpool in 2013-14, the previous highest figure at this stage in the campaign. He has also already scored as many Premier League hat-tricks as Mo Salah, and a third of Sergio Aguero’s City record 12.

Only Alan Shearer (five) has scored more Premier League hat-tricks in a single season.

City’s England defender John Stones said: “We know what the manager wants from us in every game. We knew that we had to do that from the off and we did. The patience and desire was there and we were scoring goals and creating chances again. We are champions for a reason.”

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