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2019 Pressure Mounts On Unai Emery Manchester United
After Arsenal Lose To Leicester
13th, Jame Vardy Return To Winning Ways
R e d - h o t
November piled the pres- Against Brighton

sure
on
Arsenal boss
| Unai Emery as
the Leicester anchester United injected fatigue after beating Partizan the stadium announcer confirmed
EXAMINER the Gunners. Mtivity into their Premier Belgrade on Thursday and that the VAR was checking for a
striker contin-
some much-needed posi-
ued to haunt
unnerved the normally reliable
red card.
League campaign by comprehen-
Teenager Williams and his
Albion backline from the outset.
The forward scored his ninth goal in nine starts
Rashford was unable to follow
IRISH against the Gunners to inspire the Foxes to a 2-0 win sively beating Brighton on an after- a superb, weaving run with a fit- team-mates was relieved to see his
noon when Marcus Rashford went
high foot on Steven Azalte remain
and into second in the Premier League.
Vardy, the top flight’s 11-goal leading scorer, also from the sublime to ridiculous. ting finish with the hosts’ first a booking.
set up James Maddison’s clincher as Emery’s side Having faced uncomfortable clear-cut chance, but Solskjaer’s Brighton goalkeeper Mathew
slumped to a limp defeat at the King Power Stadium. questions during the previous side would make the break- Ryan was equally relieved when
Alexandre Lacazette wasted Arsenal’s best chance international break following a through in the 17th minute. he failed to deal with a Fred shot
and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a goal disal- shock loss at Newcastle, the mood Victor Lindelof and Fred were and it bounced back off the bar – a
lowed but the visitors were poor. around Old Trafford this time is involved in a move that ended let-off Brighton capitalized on as
The Gunners, winless in the Premier League for one of optimism. with Andreas Pereira racing Pascal Gross swung over a corner
over a month, slipped eight points behind the top four Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are through the middle. that Dunk was all too easily able
with Emery’s position under increasing scrutiny. up to seventh after comfortably Dale Stephens’ tackle looked to to meet with a thumping header
Leicester now sit five points behind leaders defeating Brighton 3-1, with an have ended that attack, only for home.
Liverpool – who host Manchester City on Sunday – effort from Andreas Pereira and the ball to fall kindly for Martial, But rather than wilt, United ral-
after a deserved fifth straight win. Davy Propper’s own goal putting with the Frenchman cutting back lied and within two minutes
Trailing Leicester by six points before kick-off the United on course for a victory that for the Brazilian to hit a strike that restored their two-goal cushion.
Gunners desperately needed the win and Lacazette Rashford wrapped up after Lewis went in off the unlucky Albion Fred’s pass put Martial behind
should have put them ahead after 14 minutes. Dunk had reduced the deficit. midfielder. the Brighton backline and the
The hosts started brightly but Arsenal created the The England forward’s thump- Matters would soon get worse Frenchman kept his composure
first opening when Hector Bellerin crossed for ing strike off the underside of the for Graham Potter’s men after when forced wide, playing back
Aubameyang. bar capped a fine overall display, Dunk was booked for a late, clum- for Rashford to smash home off
He failed to find the finish and the ball rolled for although the 22-year-old will not sy challenge on Daniel James. the underside of the bar.
Lacazette, who could only fire wide from six yards. want to see back his inexplicable Fred produced a fine delivery Only the England forward will
It allowed the Gunners to briefly look dangerous close-range miss. from the resulting free-kick, lead- know how he failed to score a
and Lacazette’s weak shot was gathered by Kasper Rashford’s confidence did not ing to a bundling McTominay quickfire second. James superbly
Schmeichel. appear to be knocked by that, effort being prodded over the line raced down the right and sent a
They had contained any early Leicester threat but though, as the Brighton goal came by Propper. low cross over to Rashford, who
were guilty of poor distribution as Emery’s men tried under siege towards the end of The VAR checked Harry inexplicably screwed wide at the
to play out from the back. just United’s fourth Premier Maguire’s involvement and, 140 far post with the goal at his mercy.
Sloppy passing continued to blight the Gunners League victory of the campaign. seconds after the ball crossed the It was a remarkable miss but
and Bellerin, making his first Premier League start Albion never looked like secur- line, Old Trafford was able to cel- United were undeterred as
since January after injury, gifted the ball to Ayoze ing their first ever win at Old ebrate fully. Williams and James quickly had
Perez to fire over. Trafford, where Scott It was a rare set-piece goal by attempts, before Rashford fol-
Encouraged, Leicester pressed and only Calum McTominay’s serious-looking United against an Albion side lowed some wonderful footwork
Chambers’ telling touch on Perez’s low cross denied injury late on was a concern. looking far more threatening from with a shot saved at the near post
Vardy after 33 minutes. It was a better afternoon for fel- dead balls. by Ryan.
Arsenal were there for the taking but the Foxes’ low academy graduate Brandon Martial saw a handball appeal Martial and Rashford both
lack of intensity aided the visitors. Williams, who left to a standing rejected and Pereira was denied went close as the match came to a
Maddison’s free-kick flew just over three minutes ovation after impressing on his from distance as United returned disappointing end as McTominay
before the break and Harvey Barnes miscued a head- first Premier League start. from the break strongly, but there went down with an injury that
er. United showed few signs of were a few nervy moments when saw him leave on a stretcher. C
Yet the hosts came closer four minutes into the
second half after finally upping the tempo.
Fine work from Ricardo Pereira saw him cross for
Wilfred Ndidi but his 16-yard effort slammed off the
bar.
Arsenal then thought they had opened the scoring
after 55 minutes when Aubameyang converted Sead
Kolasinac’s cross, only for the striker to be correctly
ruled offside.
But Leicester finally took control with 22 minutes
left when Vardy continued his excellent record
against the Gunners.
A sweeping Leicester move ended with Youri
Tielemans swapping passes with Barnes and Vardy
found the corner from 12 yards.
Four minutes later Bernd Leno denied Vardy a sec-
ond before Maddison wrapped up the points with 15
minutes remaining.
Pereira fed Vardy and he teed up Maddison to drill
in a fine low effort from the edge of the box. C