Arsenal took the lead against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday and Gary Neville digested who should have prevented it from happening
Josh Holland
18:33, 25 Jan 2026
Lisandro Martinez puts into his own net
View Image
Lisandro Martinez puts into his own net to put Arsenal ahead(Image: Getty Images)
Gary Neville has claimed that Patrick Dorgu and Lisandro Martinez ought to have performed better in preventing Arsenal's opening goal during Sunday's Premier League encounter at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners took the lead in the opening period when Martin Odegaard's delivery towards goal was deflected into his own net by Martinez. The defender was grappling with Jurrien Timber within the penalty area and couldn't stop the ball from beating Senne Lammens.
Bukayo Saka had engineered the goal after controlling the ball brilliantly inside the box. His pass to Odegaard was permitted far too readily by Dorgu at the far post before the strike found the net.
"The game was going nowhere, one happy manager and one unhappy manager, but you've got a ball where Arsenal have just put it in the box, they haven't done that much at all," Gary Neville said.
"Dorgu doesn't deal with it very well at all; however, from that moment on, he [Odegaard] just puts it into an area, and he's just too deep, Martinez, whether he's getting pushed back or wrestled with... But once that happens, Timber with him, he has to try and step out, he has to try and clear that area.", reports the Manchester Evening News.
*FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE!Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page*
Bryan Mbeumo managed to equalise before the interval, though, following a dreadful mistake from Martin Zubimendi. Patrick Dorgu put United ahead before Mikel Merino made it 2-2. However, the drama didn't end and Arteta's men suffered another title blow as Matheus Cunha struck a winner.
Neville was quick to criticise Arsenal's tactics after taking the lead. He said: "Well you have to say Arsenal's management and control of the game since going one up has been terrible! They've really gifted United two or three moments and that one is the biggest gift."
During the interval, the Sky Sports pundits analysed how the table-toppers appeared to be faltering against United. "It looked like the goal kind of set Arsenal back a little bit," Roy Keane said.
"They definitely look tentative, they look nervous. It's a bit like the Liverpool game here a few weeks ago. The fans seem nervous, as if they're afraid to embrace the challenge. They're more concentrating on not losing the game."
He added: "A bit of calmness, a bit of composure. And United obviously have had a lot of encouragement.
"You can see it here again, Arsenal, just even trying to keep it at the back. They looked a bit nervous at the back. Lovely, lovely finish and United deserved that. There's definitely tension in the air and they're not dealing with it."
Article continues below
Reflecting on his former side at half-time, ex-Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira said: "It feels tense. There's not enough risk. I want Arsenal to be braver."