By Samuel Peters
English Premier League leaders Arsenal were left stunned on Sunday as Manchester United came from behind to secure a dramatic victory at the Emirates, handing the Gunners their third defeat of the 2025–26 season.
Under new manager Michael Carrick, United arrived in North London with renewed belief as they looked to turn their fortunes around, and that confidence showed as they matched Arsenal stride for stride in the opening stages. The first 28 minutes saw both teams exchange attacks, though clear-cut chances were limited.
The deadlock was broken a minute later in unfortunate fashion when Lisandro Martínez diverted the ball into his own net, giving Arsenal the lead. However, United responded positively and were rewarded eight minutes later when Bryan Mbeumo capitalised on a costly back-pass error from Martin Zubimendi, firing past David Raya to level the scores at 1–1 heading into halftime.
The visitors wasted little time after the restart and needed just five minutes to turn the match on its head. Patrick Dorgu produced a moment of brilliance, latching onto a pass from captain Bruno Fernandes before unleashing a thunderous strike off the crossbar and into the net.
With United in front, Arsenal increased the pressure in search of an equaliser, pushing numbers forward and pinning the visitors back. Their persistence finally paid off in the 84th minute when Mikel Merino found the net to restore parity.
But the celebrations were short-lived. Almost immediately after the restart, Matheus Cunha delivered the decisive blow, curling a stunning 25-yard strike into the bottom corner to seal a memorable victory for Manchester United.
The result marked a statement win for Carrick’s side and a rare setback for Arsenal, as the Premier League title race took another dramatic twist.
