Arsenal (5—0)Sheffield United : Nketiah puts Gunners ahead from Rice

FULL TIME: Arsenal 5 vs 0 Sheffield United Players Ratings

Neketiah 23′ ⚽ 50′ ⚽ 58′ ⚽

Fabio Vieira 88′ ⚽ (Penalty)

Tomiyasu 90+6′ ⚽

Arsenal and Ben White have now agreed terms over a new long-term contract extension.

Final details are to be ironed out over the next couple of weeks before the defender will officially sign his new deal.

How the Gunners got on individually in their Premier League clash with the Blades at the Emirates Stadium

David Raya: Hard to rate because he had so little to do. There was one cross that he claimed well before releasing Martinelli with a lovely sidewinder pass on the counter so we’ll give him a seven. 7.

Ben White: His record of playing every minute in the Premier League this season came to an end, but that’s not because he was anything less than his usual high standard. Sensible from Arteta to rotate a player who is key to his title ambitions this season. 7.

William Saliba: A one-on-one duel with Rhian Brewster was like playing the game on easy mode for him. Wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t break a sweat in another class display. 8

Jakub Kiwior: Essentially played two positions, covering at left back when Zinchenko went forward and defending the middle of the pitch. Rarely tested but decent enough on the ball. 7.

Oleksandr Zinchenko: Played about as high as it’s possible for a left back to go for most of the game. His threat down the left was good. 7.

Declan Rice: A superb assist to break the game open for Arsenal. That’s two assists and a goal in three games. We all know his defensive capabilities but he’s developing into a real attacking weapon recently. 8.

READ MORE: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provides worrying Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey injury update

READ MORE: Every word Mikel Arteta said on Jesus and Partey injuries, Odegaard form and Christmas Eve games

Kai Havertz: The German was decent in build up and did very little wrong. These are the games where you want to see him maybe grab the initiative a little more though. 6.

Emile Smith Rowe: His first Premier League start since May 2022. Did well enough on it and had some good moments in the box. Like Havertz though, you wanted to see him take the game by the scruff of the neck a little more. He has more of an excuse than the German given his lack of minutes though, and Arteta is clearly starting to ramp up his minutes slowly but surely. 6.

Bukayo Saka: An absolute honour for the boy who’s been with Arsenal since the age of seven to wear the captain’s armband from the start for the first team. Decent enough down the right wing where much of Arsenal good play came in the second half in particular. 7.

Eddie Nketiah: Nketiah will always have his critics but he can’t do much more than grab the opportunities he’s given. With Jesus out injured, he more than stepped up with a hattrick that showed his typical poaching instincts as well as a bit of long-range panache with the third. Exactly what Arteta would have wanted to see. 9.

Gabriel Martinelli: Arsenal’s biggest threat in the first half prior to the goal. Unlucky not to grab one himself after a good save from Foderingham. 7.

SUBSTITUTES –

Takehiro Tomiyasu: A real fan favourite. His song was sung from the minute he came on. Decent threat in the final third to go with his usual defensive solidity which culminated in his first goal for the club late on. 8.

Leandro Trossard: Great threat down the left hand side after coming on. Looks to have shaken off his hamstring troubles and is playing to the top of his capabilities as a result. 7.

for Arsenal vs Sheffield United

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provides worrying Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey injury update

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provides worrying Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey injury update

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Arsenal news and transfers LIVE – Man City points deduction, Gabriel Jesus injury, Partey blow

Reiss Nelson: Couldn’t influence the game that much down the right. Yet more proof that the left wing is his best position. 7.

Fabio Vieira: Won the penalty with a good moment of urgency. Stepped up and tucked it away well. 7.

Mohamed Elneny: Came on too late to influence the game. n/a.

Arsenal vs Sheffield United LIVE! Premier League: Match commentary, report, free highlights

First Half: Arsenal 1-0 Sheffield United

Nketiah puts Gunners ahead from Rice cross View post

Odegaard, Gabriel benched for Arsenal; Smith Rowe starts

Sheff Utd bring in Brewster and Slimane for first starts

Arsenal aiming for another home win against struggling Blades

Live Premier League table | Premier League fixtures

Arsenal 1-0 Sheffield United

45+1: Three minutes of added time at the end of the first-half.

Arsenal 1-0 Sheffield United

Tim Sherwood on Soccer Saturday:

“Great play by Saka and Martinelli, who have linked up well, he just cuts it back on to his let foot and hits a great strike into the top lefthand corner and Foderingham pulls off a good save.

“Still 1-0 to Arsenal and total domination…”

Arsenal vs Sheffield United LIVE! Premier League: Match commentary, report, free highlights

Kick Off 3pm: Arsenal vs Sheffield United

Odegaard, Gabriel benched for Arsenal; Smith Rowe starts

Sheff Utd bring in Brewster and Slimane for first starts

Arsenal aiming for another home win against struggling Blades

Live Premier League table | Premier League fixtures

Big day for Brewster

Sky Sports’ Nick Wright at the Emirates Stadium:

“I’m just watching Rhian Brewster warm up with his team-mates over on the far side. Is this the day his Sheffield United career finally takes off?

“The former Liverpool striker has had a tough time of it so far, scoring only five goals in 63 appearances, but, at 23, there is still time to fulfil his potential.

A first Premier League start of the season gives him the opportunity to make his mark, albeit in difficult circumstances.”

Free match highlights

Watch free highlights of this game right here and across Sky Sports’ digital platforms from 5.15pm this afternoon.

Premier League football: Goals and highlights of every match in the 2023/24

Liverpool’s Super Sunday clash with Man Utd at Anfield on December 17 is just one of 19 new fixtures to be shown by Sky Sports over the Christmas period. Check out the full schedule below. It includes three big Arsenal games.

Premier League 2023/24 fixtures, dates, schedule: Liverpool host Manchester United & Wolves vs Chelsea on Christmas Eve live on Sky Sports in December

Saka: We need to be hungrier than Sheff Utd

Here’s Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s captain today, on the challenge that awaits against Sheff Utd and his hopes of registering a goal involvement for a record-equalling seventh consecutive game

Arsenal are unbeaten in 36 Premier League home games against promoted sides (W31 D5), with their last defeat coming against Newcastle United in November 2010.

Arsenal remain unbeaten in the Premier League this season (W6 D3), with no side keeping more clean sheets than the Gunners heading into matchday 10 (four). Mikel Arteta’s side are today looking to record consecutive home clean sheets in the league for the first time since December 2021 (a run of four).

Bukayo Saka has either scored (four) or assisted (three) a goal in seven of his eight Premier League appearances this season, including his last six in a row. The last Arsenal player to score or assist a goal in seven consecutive league games was Alexis Sánchez (April 2016). The last Englishman to do so for the club was Ian Wright (November 1994).

Sheff Utd face another daunting test

Sky Sports’ Nick Wright at the Emirates Stadium:

 

“This will be the second time I’ve seen Sheffield United live this season after their 2-0 loss at West Ham a month ago.

 

“They were blown away in that first half at the London Stadium and a repeat of that performance today could put them in even bigger trouble.

 

“These are testing times for boss Paul Heckingbottom, who did such an impressive job getting the club back up from the Championship but now finds himself with a squad which looks short on the quality required to compete at this level.

“That said, maybe there are crumbs of encouragement. The Blades have pushed all of Manchester City, Tottenham and Manchester United close this season, only succumbing to defeat with late goals, and only losing each game by a one-goal margin.

“If they can put themselves in a similar position heading into the closing stages this afternoon, we’ll find out if this time they can get over the line. It will take a monumental effort in what looks like another extremely daunting test.”

Jones Knows prediction

Arsenal being priced up at 1/11 with Sky Bet shows you how much of a mismatch this one should be. Games like this are tricky to find any so-called intelligent betting angles in but continuing to back the opposition centre forward to score a header against Sheffield United does remain a backable edge.

Anel Ahmedhodzic, John Egan and Chris Basham all remain on the sidelines for the Blades meaning there is a lack of physicality through the heart of their defence. It remains relevant that nine of their 24 Premier League goals conceded have come from crosses with Odsonne Edouard, Chris Wood, Taiwo Awoniyi, Erling Haaland, Callum Wilson, Richarlison, Jarrod Bowen and Bobby Decordova-Reid have all scored via that method in a central area. That makes the 15/2 with Sky Bet on a headed goal being scored by Eddie Nketiah, who is likely to start due to the hamstring injury sustained by Gabriel Jesus, rate as a fun play to follow.

SCORE PREDICTION: 4-0

Premier League predictions: Eddie Nketiah to head Arsenal past blunt Blades | Man City set to thump Man Utd

Arteta: We have to rotate

Here’s what Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has had to say about his team selection this afternoon.

Odegaard benching surprising but understandable

Sky Sports’ Nick Wright at the Emirates Stadium:

“I make this the first time since Arsenal’s 4-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in November 2021 that Martin Odegaard has not started a Premier League game for which he has been available.

“On the one hand, it’s a big surprise to see Mikel Arteta drop his skipper. On the other, it has probably been coming. The Norwegian has fallen well below his high standards in recent weeks. Perhaps a rest will do him some good.

“Arsenal fans will be delighted to see Emile Smith Rowe back in the starting line-up. The 23-year-old has slowly been gaining more minutes this season and he’ll be desperate to show his quality this afternoon. It’s crazy to think a player of his class has not started a Premier League game in a year and a half.”

Brewster, Slimane in for Sheff Utd

Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom has made two changes from his side’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United.

Oli McBurnie is not involved and Cameron Archer drops to the bench, meaning former Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster and Anis Ben Slimane make their first starts of the season.

 

One player who will be eager to impress is defender Auston Trusty, who joined Sheffield United from Arsenal this summer.

Odegaard benched as Smith Rowe starts

Big calls from Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has been benched, with Emile Smith Rowe handed a first Premier League start since the 2-0 loss to Newcastle at St James’ Park in May 2022.

Gabriel Magalhaes is also on the bench, with Jakub Kiwior coming into Arsenal’s defence alongside William Saliba.

In total there are four changes from the 2-2 draw with Chelsea last weekend, with Jorginho and the injured Gabriel Jesus the other players dropping out.

Eddie Nketiah gets the nod up front, with Kai Havertz coming into the midfield. David Raya continues in goal ahead of Aaron Ramsdale, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is at left-back.

Bukayo Saka captains the side.

Sheff Utd team news

Team to play Arsenal: Foderingham, Bogle, Robinson, Trusty, Thomas, Norwood, Souza, Hamer, Slimane, McAtee, Brewster.

Subs: Davies, Baldock, Fleck, Archer, Traore, Osborn, One, Larouci, Brooks.

Arsenal team news

Team to play Sheffield United: Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Rice, Smith Rowe, Havertz, Saka, Martinelli, Nketiah.

Subs: Ramsdale, Gabriel, Odegaard, Tomiyasu, Trossard, Jorginho, Vieira, Nelson, Elneny.

Team news incoming

Stay tuned. We’ll have team news from the Emirates Stadium for you in two minutes.

Did you know?

Sheffield United remain winless in the Premier League this season, taking just one point from their nine games so far (L8). Only the Blades themselves in 2020/21 have taken only one point from their opening 10 games in a Premier League campaign.

Sheffield United have won just two of their 32 Premier League away games against London sides (D8 L22), beating Chelsea 2-1 in October 1992 and Crystal Palace 1-0 in February 2020.

Sheffield United have won just two of their last 19 league games against Arsenal, with those victories coming in consecutive meetings at Bramall Lane in December 2006 and October 2019 (both 1-0)

Man Utd inflict more pain on Blades

Sheffield United suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Manchester United last time out.

“Arsenal head into this game hoping to preserve their unbeaten record in the Premier League this season but there is still a feeling that they are yet to truly hit their stride.

“It’s positive that Mikel Arteta’s side are still picking up points when not playing at their best, of course, but today’s game offers an opportunity to rediscover their attacking flow.

“The Gunners rank seventh for goals scored, with 18, and eighth for expected goals, on 16.19. A porous Sheffield United defence should allow for them to boost those numbers – and their confidence.”

How Arsenal fought back at Chelsea

Watch free highlights of Arsenal’s pulsating 2-2 draw with Chelsea in their last Premier League game.

PL clubs to pay tribute to Sir Bobby

In tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton, Premier League clubs will remember his contribution to English football at all Premier League fixtures this weekend.

A moment’s applause will be held ahead of kick-off to mark his incredible contribution to the game and to recognise the life of a true footballing great.

 

Players and match officials will also wear black armbands during each match as a mark of respect.