EPL: Arsenal dent Manchester United top-four hopes with 3-1 win

Arsenal dealt a blow to Manchester United's hopes of a top-four Premier League finish as Nuno Tavares, Bukayo Saka and Granit Xhaka struck in a 3-1 win on Saturday that revived the home side's chances of Champions League football next season. Arsenal were rewarded for their blistering early pace as Tavares tapped home in the third minute after United goalkeeper David de Gea pushed away a curling effort by Saka, following some poor defending by the visitors at The Emirates. AS IT HAPPENEDSaka doubled the Gunners' lead from the penalty spot after a foul on the winger in the build-up to a strike by Eddie Nketiah that went in but was ruled out as offside by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

United's sluggish display overshadowed fleeting moments in which they threatened and was another reminder of the challenge facing incoming manager Erik ten Hag, though the visitors got one back as Cristiano Ronaldo swept in Nemanja Matic's cross. The Portuguese forward's 100th Premier League goal came after a traumatic week personally after the death of one of his newborn twin babies.

In a show of support, Arsenal fans gave the United number seven a round of applause in the seventh minute, as Liverpool supporters had done in their fixture on Tuesday which the Merseyside club won 4-0. United improved in the second half but their woes deepened as skipper Bruno Fernandes hit the post with a poor effort from the penalty spot following Tavares' handball, before a 70th-minute thunderbolt from Xhaka sealed the win for the Gunners.

That came after a fine save by Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale to push Diogo Dalot's effort on to the post -- the second time in the game the player hit the woodwork -- on a frustrating day for United, who also had a