Arsenal finish with a flourish to win thriller against Manchester United

Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus fired Arsenal to a stunning 3-1 stoppage-time victory against Manchester United as a thrill-a-minute clash came to an unforgettable conclusion.

Last year’s Premier League runners-up hosted the side that finished third on Sunday afternoon as these teams looked to kick on from more unconvincing starts than their respective points tallies suggested.

Marcus Rashford brilliantly put Erik ten Hag’s United ahead in the first half at the Emirates Stadium, only for Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard to impressively level 110 seconds later.

Pulse pounding.#ARSMUN pic.twitter.com/qOkpKziF0Z

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 3, 2023

The match looked set to end in an absorbing draw after a penalty for a foul on Kai Havertz was overturned following a pitchside review, before the VAR ruled out substitute Alejandro Garnacho’s late winner for narrowly straying offside.

United’s wholehearted celebrations were cut short and there was still time for more drama in a jaw-dropping ending.

A deep corner found Rice to slam home his first Arsenal goal off the heel of Jonny Evans in the sixth minute of stoppage time, before substitute Jesus coolly added gloss for Mikel Arteta’s men.

United left the capital shell-shocked at the end of an afternoon that began with their fans chanting for the Glazers to sell and their team surviving a scare.

Havertz failed to get away a clean shot when Diogo Dalot’s headed clearance deflected off team-mate Anthony Martial, with Lisandro Martinez’s quick thinking then denying Eddie Nketiah.

Arsenal looked emboldened by that moment. Rice headed over from a corner that followed some important interventions by under-the-cosh United, who did not manage a shot until the 27th minute. It