Ruben Amorim suffered his first Premier League defeat in charge of Manchester United at Arsenal on Wednesday night.
Goals from Jurrien Timber and William Saliba secured a 2-0 win for the Gunners, with both efforts coming from corner kicks in a match where Manchester United could not deal with Arsenal’s deliveries into the box.
The result leaves Manchester United 11th in the Premier League – while Arsenal sit third.
While it was Timber and Saliba to bag the important goals for Mikel Arteta, it was Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli who received a mention from Ruben Amorim in his post-match interview.
Ruben Amorim shares interesting theory about Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka after Arsenal 2-0 Manchester United
Speaking after Manchester United tasted defeat at the Emirates Stadium, the 39-year-old suggested that the England international and the Brazil international never seem interested in scoring goals themselves when faced up against defenders, instead preferring to cross and potentially win a corner.
Amorim said: “On every occasion (that) Saka and Martinelli has (a) one against one, they go outside (the defender), they cross. They know if the cross is going well, they can score. If it is a corner, they can score.”
Arsenal have now scored 22 goals from corners since the start of last season – seven more than any other Premier League side – so the Portuguese tactician could well have a point with his theory on Saka and Martinelli, who failed four trials at Manchester United before moving to north London.
When you’re so prolific at putting the ball in the net from corners, why not try to win that type of set-piece at every possible opportunity?
Mikel Arteta proved the system works without Gabriel Magalhaes
Gabriel Magalhaes is often the one to score for Arsenal from a corner – netting four goals in all competitions already so far this season.
The Brazil international is such a threat in the air – his head is almost like a magnet to the ball – that few others get the chance to nod a corner in themselves at Arsenal, leaving some to wonder whether Nicolas Jover really has cracked the code, or whether the Gunners simply have an elite aerial threat.
However, it was there for all to see on Wednesday that Jover really is earning his money as Arsenal’s set-piece coach.
The Gunners looked like they were going to score with each of their 13 corners against Manchester United, and came inches away from netting more than just two goals.
Whatever Jover has worked on at London Colney, it is paying off in some fashion.
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