Danny Welbeck helped end Manchester United’s 25-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, scoring Arsenal’s second in a 2-0 win over his former team which handed Arsene Wenger a first top-flight triumph over Jose Mourinho.
The Portuguese coach tempted fate by making eight changes from Thursday’s Europa League win over Celta Vigo and it ultimately backfired, with the hosts consigning them to their first league defeat since losing 4-0 to Chelsea in October.
After a particularly frenetic start which saw each side waste good opportunities, Arsenal looked the more purposeful going forward and spent long periods probing a stubborn United defence which included Premier League debutant Axel Tuanzebe.
But the best chance of the half fell to Wayne Rooney, who pounced on a defensive error before being denied by Petr Cech.
Arsenal ultimately took charge in the second half, though, with Granit Xhaka’s deflected strike breaking the deadlock, before Welbeck scored against his old club for the third time to effectively wrap things up before the hour mark.
