No team in the 136-year history of English league football had won three consecutive away games by five or more goals before Arsenal took to the Bramall Lane pitch on Monday night. But Sheffield United quickly went the same way as West Ham and Burnley in recent weeks.
The Gunners set their stall out early when Bukayo Saka whacked the bar with not much more than a minute on the clock, and it took barely any longer than that for Martin Odegaard to fire them ahead from the middle of the penalty area in South Yorkshire.
Jayden Bogle’s own goal doubled that lead in the 13th minute after he inadvertently turned Saka’s teasing low cross into the net, while it was then 3-0 almost instantly when Arsenal easily cut through the Blades and Gabriel Martinelli scored with the help of a slight deflection. It was 4-0 after 24 minutes thanks to Kai Havertz’s low finish after Martinelli had pinched the ball high up the pitch.
By the time, Declan Rice got the fifth in the closing stages of the first half, the stands had visibly emptied as disbelieving home fans trudged off into the night. The intensity was slightly less after the break as it took almost 15 minutes for number six, a powerful strike from Ben White. A raft of second-half changes ultimately took the sting out of the Gunners, but the damage was long done.
GOAL rates Arsenal’s players from Bramall Lane…
Goalkeeper & Defence
David Raya (6/10):
Not troubled and even a sloppy pass out from the back started a move that finished with an Arsenal goal.
Ben White (8/10):
Able to occupy a really high position, often pushing in-field like an extra midfielder. Thumped home Arsenal’s sixth doing just that.
William Saliba (6/10):
Comfortable on the ball and never really tested.
Gabriel (6/10):
Even the odd sloppy pass wasn’t punished.
Jakub Kiwior (7/10):
Still very much filling in but is making the most of this run in the starting XI and comes away with an assist for good measure.
Midfield
Martin Odegaard (8/10):
Cool as you like to give his team the early lead and was relentless in creating more chances throughout the first half in particular.
Jorginho (7/10):
Gave real stability to the Arsenal shape and was able to freely pick passes to more creative team-mates while sitting.
Declan Rice (8/10):
Jorginho’s presence as the ‘six’ meant the club record signing could push further forward as an ‘eight’ and his goal was hardly surprising gven how he was able to get forward at will.
Attack
Bukayo Saka (8/10):
It might be cliched, but he cut through Sheffield United like a hot knife through butter. They couldn’t stop him for 45 minutes and will have been delighted to see him rested for the second half.
Kai Havertz (9/10):
His goal was taken well and the player once devoid of confidence has now scored in three successive Premier League games. Set up White for his goal too.
Gabriel Martinelli (9/10):
Tenacity in pressing and trying to win the ball back high up the pitch piled more misery on Sheffield United. But it was a worry to see him helped from the pitch just over an hour in.
Subs & Manager
Fabio Vieira (6/10):
Given the whole second half to impress.
Gabriel Jesus (5/10):
This could have been his chance to get among the goals.
Thomas Partey (6/10):
Back for his first game since October.
Cedric Soares (6/10):
Grateful for the minutes.
Leandro Trossard (5/10):
No real impact on the game.
Mikel Arteta (9/10):
His is a team flying high right now and the boss deserves great credit for the attitude and confidence of the squad. Used his bench wisely too.
