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That’s all from us today folks, we hope you enjoyed the game!
Arsenal move up to ninth in the table with this victory, but the Gunners will now turn their attentions back to the Europa League, as they face Slavia Prague on Thursday, with the first leg finishing 1-1. Meanwhile Sheffield United remain rock bottom and it is only a matter of time before their relegation is confirmed. They face Wolves next weekend.
Arsenal secure a comfortable 3-0 victory over Sheffield United, after a goal from Martinelli and a Lacazette brace. They led 1-0 at the break and despite a positive start by the hosts in the second half, they didn’t test the Gunners and they punished them. The second goal came after Pepe was denied by Ramsdale, but the keeper could only push it straight into the path of Martinelli who had a tap in from close range. Lacazette then got his second late on, after a lovely through ball by Partey.
90′ + 4′ FULL-TIME: SHEFFIELD UNITED 0-3 ARSENAL
E. Ampadu
Yellow Card
90′ + 4′ Ampadu is booked late on for a foul on Nketiah.
90′ + 2′ The pace of the game has dropped a lot in the last few minutes, with United just keeping the ball in the Arsenal half, but they aren’t getting into the final third and Arsenal look happy to run the clock down.
90′ There will be a minimum of four minutes added time played at the end of the second half.
E. Nketiah
A. Lacazette
89′ There will be no hat-trick for Lacazette, as he comes off and he’s been replaced by Nketiah.
87′ Lacazette is the sixth Frenchman to score 50 Premier League goals for a single club, with four of the six doing so for Arsenal (also Thierry Henry, Olivier Giroud and Robert Pires).
T. Partey
Assist
85′ Arsenal caught United out on the break and Partey slotted the ball through the lines for Lacazette to run onto and his team-mate produced a fine finish.
A. Lacazette
Goal
85′ GOAL! Lacazette gets his second of the game and he makes it 3-0! What a ball it is in behind the United defence by Partey to release Lacazette, who sprints through on goal. He only has Ramsdale to beat and coolly slides a shot into the bottom left corner of the net. Three goals and three points for Arsenal.
Mohamed Elneny
Martinelli
83′ Arsenal have also made a change, with Martinelli the man coming off and he has been replaced by Elneny.
L. Mousset
O. McBurnie
83′ McBurnie hasn’t been on the pitch for very long, he comes off with an injury and Mousset is his replacement.
82′ Almost! Good run in behind by Martinelli and it’s an excellent through by ball Pepe, but his team-mate just can’t quite reach it in time and Ramsdale gathers.
Pablo Marí
Yellow Card
80′ The first yellow card of the game is shown to Mari, after he catches McBurnie late and the striker now seems to have an issue.
78′ There isn’t long left to play now and it looks like Arsenal are going to see the game out, they look very comfortable with their two-goal advantage. United haven’t tested Leno at all.
76′ Willian goes for goal from a free-kick, but the United wall does well and makes the block and the hosts then clear the danger.
75′ Free-kick to Arsenal in a very good position now after Ampadu sticks out a leg and brings Lacazette down right on the edge of the area. Willian might fancy a crack at it.
73′ London teams have won each of their last three Premier League visits to face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane (West Ham, Tottenham, Chelsea), as many as sides from the capital had won in their first 24 visits to the ground in the competition (W3 D6 L15).
Martinelli
Goal
71′ GOAL! Martinelli doubles Arsenal’s lead, it’s 2-0! The hosts try and play out from the back, but Lundstram plays a sloppy pass straight into the path of Pepe in the final third. The winger sprints forward and tries to slide the ball into the bottom left corner of the net. Ramsdale makes an excellent save, but the rebound then falls straight to the feet of Martinelli, who has a tap-in from just a few yards out.
Willian
B. Saka
69′ Here comes the enforced Arsenal change, with Saka limping off the pitch and he has been replaced by Willian.
68′ Another issue now for Arsenal, but this time it is Saka down with an injury. There didn’t seem to be any contact and Saka immediately drops to the ground in pain. It looks to be a muscle injury and he may not be able to continue.
66′ Martinelli is hobbling off the pitch now, it looks like he might try and run off the injury. So hopefully it’s nothing too serious for the winger.
65′ It looks like Martinelli has got an issue here after a collision with Ampadu and the winger seems to be in some pain. The medical staff are on the pitch giving him some treatment.
O. McBurnie
D. McGoldrick
64′ The other change sees McGoldrick replaced up top by McBurnie.
R. Brewster
O. Burke
64′ The hosts have made a double substitution, with Burke the man coming off and he has been replaced by Brewster.
62′ Arsenal are just starting to find their groove again now, with Saka starting to get on the ball more often and inject some pace into the game.
60′ Still no sign of any changes for either side here, surely the hosts have to make one or two in order to try and get back into the game? Meanwhile Arsenal look very comfortable with their 1-0 lead.
58′ Despite Xhaka playing out of position for Arsenal today at left-back, the hosts haven’t tested him at all down that wing. You would think that they would try and test the midfielder.
56′ Decent effort! Pepe lays it off to Lacazette on the edge of the box, who tries to curl the ball into the top right corner of the net. However, it isn’t the greatest of strikes and it flies well wide.
54′ None of Sheffield United’s last 16 Premier League games have finished level (W4 L12), with only Manchester City (19) on a longer current run without a draw.
52′ Brilliant run down the left wing by Burke. He sprinted past Chambers, but then seemed to be caught in two minds about whether to cross or shoot and this indecision allows Chambers to chase him down and make an excellent clearance.
50′ There have been a few more forward passes by United, they played far too many sideways and backwards passes in the opening half, so they just couldn’t get up the pitch to create opportunities.
48′ The hosts are keeping the ball nicely in the opening few minutes of the second half, with Arsenal letting them have it in their own half of the pitch.
46′ Bright start here by United, with McGoldrick firing an effort towards goal from the edge of the penalty area, which takes a deflection and they win an early corner.
46′ The second half is under way!
A second goal for Arsenal would probably wrap up the win and three points here, moving them up to ninth in the table. Meanwhile the hosts have it all to do. McGoldrick went close early on, but that is the only chance they’ve had.
Arsenal lead 1-0 at the break, after a lovely move by the visitors saw Lacazette score his 12th Premier League goal of the season. The visitors have dominated much of the half and could have scored a few more, with Saka and Martinelli both going close. Meanwhile United have been forced to sit deep and soak up the pressure. Much improvement is needed in the second half if they are to get back into the game.
45′ + 2′ HALF-TIME: SHEFFIELD UNITED 0-1 ARSENAL
45′ + 1′ VAR CHECK! Lacazette meets a low Pepe corner at the near post and he flicks it on, which sends it flying towards Norwood, who has an arm raised, but there wasn’t much he could do about that. The referee doesn’t award anything on the pitch, but VAR will just check it. However, they agree and nothing is given.
45′ There will be a minimum of one minute added time played at the end of the first half.
44′ Decent effort! Norwood delivers a lovely ball into the box from the right, which is headed away, but it falls straight to Egan, who takes a touch and then volleys an effort towards goal from a tight angle. However, it is too close to Leno, who makes a good save.
42′ Blocked! McGoldrick throws himself at a shot from Martinelli, which seems to be heading on target and the United striker has to get across and make an excellent block to turn it behind for a corner.
41′ There’s not long left to play before the end of the first half, will Arsenal double their lead before the half-time whistle?
39′ Sheffield United are the lowest scorers in the Premier League this season, netting just 17 goals in their 30 games. They’ve only scored more than once in a match on three occasions this term, with two of those coming against Manchester United (also 2-1 vs West Brom).
37′ There are a few frustrated United players out there on the pitch now, they’ve played a few sloppy passes, which is just handing possession straight back to their opponents.
35′ The hosts are trying to push forward and put Arsenal under some pressure themselves, but the visitors look very comfortable and they’ll be eager to double their lead as soon as possible.
A. Lacazette
Goal
33′ GOAL! Lacazette breaks the deadlock for Arsenal and makes it 1-0! It is a superb goal by the Gunners, quick one-touch football, with Partey playing it into the feet of Lacazette on the edge of the box, who passes to Saka. He then flicks it to Ceballos, who feeds Lacazette again after his run in behind the United defence. The striker coolly slides the ball into the back of the net.
Dani Ceballos
Assist
33′ It is a lovely team goal from Arsenal, between Partey, Saka and Ceballos, who plays the final one touch pass into the path of Lacazette, with the hosts unable to get anywhere near them.
31′ Decent effort! Martinelli cuts inside from the left wing, gets into a central position and then curls an effort towards goal, which seems to be a straightforward one for Ramsdale to save. However, it takes a wicked deflection off Norwood, which almost fools the United keeper, but he manages to reach it and makes the stop.
30′ We’re at the half an hour mark now and it remains goalless between Sheffield United and Arsenal. The visitors have been the better side, with a couple of good chances, but no goals as of yet.
28′ The game is very scrappy at the moment, both teams battling it out in midfield. Arsenal are on top in terms of possession and they are showing some spells of quality, but it isn’t sustained and Ramsdale is yet to make a save.
26′ This will be Sheffield United’s 24th consecutive Premier League game starting the day bottom of the table – only six teams have ever had a longer such run in the competition, most recently Aston Villa in 2015-16 (28 games).
24′ CHANCE! Lovely move forward by Arsenal, they catch United out on the counter-attack, with Lacazette lays it wide to Martinelli down the left and he races into the box. The winger should cross to a team-mate in the penalty area, as he had plenty of options. However, he opts to go for goal himself and drills it into the sidenetting.
23′ Ramsdale tries to drill a ball out from the back, but he fires it straight into Lacazette! Luckily for the United keeper, it flies straight back at him and he has a comfortable catch to make. However, that could have been an embarrassing one.
22′ Ramsdale is called into action as he races out of his goal to get the ball ahead of Ceballos as a long ball is chipped over the top. The keeper timed that well and got to it first to clear the danger.
20′ When the Blades do get on the ball, they just seem to be playing it sideways in their own half, rather than getting forward and pushing Arsenal back. The visitors are doing a good job of pressing them high, to keep them penned in.
18′ Saka has been very lively for Arsenal so far, he is constantly switching with Lacazette up top, in order to confuse the hosts defence. No more chances for the Gunners just yet though.
16′ United have everyone back behind the ball defending now, they are having to soak up a lot of Arsenal pressure, as the visitors continue to push forward.
14′ The hosts are playing well so far, but whenever Arsenal up their game and pick up the pace, they seem to be getting caught out at the back.
12′ Sheffield United are unbeaten in all four home Premier League matches against Arsenal (W2 D2), winning their last two 1-0 in 2006-07 and 2019-20.
10′ CLOSE! United work the ball into the final third and Arsenal fail to clear the danger, despite having more numbers back. It then falls to Osborn, who spots the run of McGoldrick in between Mari and Xhaka and the winger finds him. The striker takes a touch and then fires an effort towards the bottom right corner of the net. However, it flies just wide of the post.
8′ Good move by Arsenal! They work it well down the right wing and Saka gets forward, drilling a low ball into the box towards Lacazette. However, Ampadu gets across brilliantly and makes the block.
7′ Let off for Stevens! Holding chips a ball over the top of the United defence and Stevens fails to deal with it, which allows Pepe to sneak in. However, as he cuts inside, he slips and then the flag goes up for offside.
6′ It is all Arsenal in the opening few minutes of the game, with Sheffield United struggling to get a touch on the ball early on, just sitting deep and soaking up the pressure.
4′ Arsenal are lining up in a bit of a different formation than expected, with Saka expected to play at left-back, but it looks like Xhaka is taking that role, with Saka playing just behind Lacazette up front.
2′ CLOSE! Martinelli finds space in front of goal and then slips the ball through to Saka to his left and he then smashes a powerful strike towards the near post. However, he puts too much on it and it flies narrowly over the crossbar. Not too far away at all.
1′ We’re under way!
The teams are out on the pitch and kick off is just a few minutes away, stay tuned for all the match action!
Meanwhile Mikel Arteta has made five changes to his starting line-up, with Bellerin, Gabriel, Cedric, Rowe and Willian missing from the side that drew in the Europa League in midweek. Chambers, Mari, Pepe, Ceballos and Martinelli all come into the team.
The hosts have made three changes to their side, with Jagielka, Bogle and McBurnie all dropping to the bench and they have been replaced by Ampadu, Egan and Burke
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Bernd Leno; Calum Chambers, Rob Holding, Pablo Mari, Bukayo Saka; Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey; Nicolas Pepe, Dani Ceballos, Gabriel Martinelli; Alexandre Lacazette.
SHEFFIELD UTD SUBS: Jayden Bogle, Oliver McBurnie, Rhian Brewster, Kean Bryan, Wes Foderingham, Lys Mousset, Phil Jagielka, Max Lowe, Iliman Ndiaye.
SHEFFIELD UTD (3-5-2): Aaron Ramsdale; John Egan, Ethan Ampadu, Enda Stevens; George Baldock, Oliver Norwood, John Lundstram, John Fleck, Ben Osborn; David McGoldrick, Oliver Burke.
The visitors are also without a win in their last four games in all competitions, as they suffered a 3-0 defeat against Liverpool last weekend, to sit 11th in the table and then drew 1-1 with Slavia Prague on Thursday in the Europa League.
Sheffield United have lost three consecutive Premier League defeats and they’ve been knocked out of the FA Cup by Chelsea. Relegation to the Championship almost looks inevitable, with just 14 points to their name this season and only eight games left to play. They suffered a 2-1 defeat against Leeds United last time out.
Hello and welcome to our LIVE match commentary of the Premier League clash between Sheffield United and Arsenal at Brammall Lane.
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