Declan Rice scored a memorable first goal for Arsenal (Picture: Getty Images)
Arsenal beat Manchester United 3-1 in the most dramatic of fashions at the Emirates on Sunday, with Declan Rice netting deep into injury time before Gabriel Jesus completed the scoring even later in the match.
It looked like the game was going to end level, despite the home side’s control of the majority of the contest, but the summer signing from West Ham made sure that wasn’t the case before the Brazilian placed the cherry on the cake.
Marcus Rashford put the away team ahead 27 minutes into the contest, expertly finishing off a counter-attack completely against the run of play.
The lead lasted less than one minute, though, as Martin Odegaard equalised with a smart finish to immediately end United celebrations.
There was VAR drama as an Arsenal penalty was given and then overturned, while a late Manchester United goal from Alejandro Garnacho was ruled out for offside.
Six minutes past the 90, it was the unlikely hero in Rice who fired home the winner, a deflected shot that proved too much for Andra Onana to deal with.
United pushed for an equaliser but Jesus was sent through on goal and he calmly slotted home to send the Emirates wild and confirm misery for the visitors.
Arsenal were dominant in the first half, making an extremely bright start, and even when that intense pace slowed, the home side remained firmly in control.
Kai Havertz had a great chance to put the Gunners ahead 15 minutes in as Anthony Martial’s fluffed clearance fell to the German inside the penalty area but he completely miscued in a fairly embarrassing moment for the summer signing.
Manchester United were struggling to get out of their own half, but they did in spectacular style on 27 minutes as Christian Eriksen unleashed Rashford in a rapid counter-attack.
The England man was in his favourite position coming in from the left flank and he cut across the penalty box before curling an effort into the far corner, as Aaron Ramsdale got fingertips to the effort but couldn’t keep it out.
The visitors’ joy was short-lived as Arsenal regained parity just 35 seconds later thanks to a smart finish from Odegaard.
Sharp link-up play down the Arsenal left saw Eddie Nketiah lay the ball off to Gabriel Martinelli who found Odegaard unmarked, just inside the area and he made no mistake in finding the bottom corner past the diving Andre Onana.
Arsenal went back to dominating the game after they were back level, with the half-time break changing nothing on that front.
They were struggling to cut through and test Onana, though, but did think they were going to get the chance to when Aaron Wan-Bissaka was adjudged to have brought down Havertz in the penalty area by the referee.
VAR sent the ref to have a look at the screen and the decision was overturned, but it was a controversial one as there was still certainly an argument that it was a penalty, but there was less contact than first appeared and Manchester United were reprieved.
Kai Havertz own a penalty for Arsenal but the decision was overturned (Picture: Getty Images)
Rasmus Hojlund came off the bench to make his debut for the Red Devils and seemed to make a difference even without doing much with the ball at all. The physical presence of the Dane gave United an outlet and something for the Arsenal defenders to deal with which allowed the visitors to play further up the field.
Either team looked capable of pinching all three points at this stage, with Rashford still bright and Bukayo Saka having a good chance but firing straight at Onana as the clock ticked towards 90.
Substitute Alejandro Garnacho thought he had won it for United as he raced onto a Casemiro through ball and found the back of the net, but he was deemed to be offside by VAR by the barest of margins.
Rice got hold of a loose ball in the box from a corner in the 96th minute to somewhat fortunately fire home, seeing his effort flick off Jonny Evans.
Jesus then rounded things off two minutes later, sent through by Fabio Vieira, evading the despairing Diogo Dalot and sliding the ball home.
MORE : Theo Walcott eventually agrees with Roy Keane in Arsenal vs Manchester United debate
MORE : Gary Neville rubbishes claims the Glazers have taken Manchester United off the market
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.