Arsenal 2 Man Utd 0: Amorim tastes defeat for first time at hands of fierce rivals as Arteta closes gap on Liverpool

IF Arsenal do mount a proper title challenge this season, they'll do it by riding a love train.

That’s the line-up of Gunners players who rush in from behind the back post every time they win a corner, pack the opposition six-yard box - and frequently score.

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Here, Ruben Amorim suffered his first defeat as Manchester United boss as Arsenal netted from two of these familiar set-piece routines - off the head of Jurrien Timber and the right buttock of William Saliba.

That fortunate effort from the French defender was the 22nd goal Arsenal had scored from a corner in the Premier League since the start of last season - seven more than any other club.

Mikel Arteta’s tactics owe more to Tony Pulis than Arsene Wenger but nobody at the Emirates will give a stuff if they can give Liverpool a run for their money.

As Arne Slot’s men finally dropped a couple of points in a classic at Newcastle, the Gunners were grinding it out against an unadventurous United side who came for a point and ended with nowt.

Arteta’s men are now within seven points of leaders Liverpool, and trailing second-placed Chelsea on goal difference.

There is hope, however slim, after this third straight convincing league win.

Amorim’s side barely had a shot on goal until a David Raya wonder save denied Matthijs De Ligt midway through the second half.

But the corner count of 13-0 told its own story. You simply cannot afford to afford Arsenal so many set-piece chances when they are the undoubted masters of that art.

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Guru Nico Jover will take even more plaudits after this - and for all the talk of Amorim’s tactical genius, United were supremely unconvincing at this defensive basic.

Amorim is still at the bingo master stage with his team selections as he grapples with the various permutations among his squad.

There were six changes from the 4-0 thumping of Everton - including the benching of Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee, who between them netted all four goals on Sunday.

Mason Mount, a player Amorim has expressed his "love" for, was handed his first league start since August - against his best chum Declan Rice.

Arsenal’s defensive resources were being stretched Gabriel and Ricardo Calafiori joining Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the injury list, with Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko both drafted in.

On a filthy old night in north London, the first half was a tough old watch.

There was precious little devilment from Arsenal and United found it all too easy to sit in their shape and threaten on the counter.

Gabriel Martinelli had the ball in the net early on but Kai Havertz had been well offside.

Arsenal’s only real threat was from their trademark corner-kick routines - Thomas Partey mistiming a header from point-blank range and the ball cannoning wide off his shoulder.

Martinelli blazed wide after Andre Onana had punched a dangerous Saka corner out from beneath his bar.

Amorim sat on his haunches, stroked his chin and watched the chess. Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane would have hated it.

It wasn’t until the 43rd minute that United had a shot - Diogo Dalot drilling wide across goal.

Yet there wasn’t a single effort on target from either side during one of the most forgettable halves of football you could ever imagine watching.

Tyrell Malacia, who booked in a tangle with Havertz just before the interval, was hooked at half-time to make way for Amad Diallo - the stand-out star of Amorim’s early reign.

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Soon after the second half got away, Liverpool had their lead cancelled out at Newcastle and there was just a glimmer of hope that some sort of title race might occur. And that Arsenal might be part of it.

Rice soon had a shot deflected over and then, after a lengthy injury delay as Matthijs De Ligt received treatment, Arsenal forced another corner and finally seized the lead.

Arsenal were packing the six-yard box every time they won a set-piece and this time Rice delivered to the near post, where Rasmus Hojlund failed to connect and Timber snuck in behind him to glance a header past Onana.

Amorim immediately turned to his bench and sent on Rashford and Zirkzee, along with debutant defender Lenny Yoro, who had been injured in pre-season following a summer move from Lille.

His first task was to help deal with another couple of Arsenal corners, Manuel Ugarte clearing the next one off the line after a Rice in-swinger.

Diallo gave Zinchenko the run-around and was hauled down on the edge of the area by the Ukrainian full-back, who was booked.

Fernandes delivered the free-kick and De Ligt’s towering header forced a magnificent clawing save from a full-stretched David Raya - the Arsenal keeper’s first meaningful action of the night, midway through the second half.

Zinchenko was soon withdrawn in favour of Mikel Merino, with Thomas Partey moving to right-back as Leandro Trossard replaced Martinelli.

Then came the second, a corner conceded by Rashford attempting to play keepy-uppy on his own goal line.

Saka swung this one in from the right, Partey nodded back from beyond the far post as the ball cannoned in off Saliba’s backside.

Havertz should have completed the job soon after when latched on to Odegaard’s sweet pass only for Onana to block the German at near post.

From another corner, Merino headed wide across goal.

And Partey then went close from - you guessed it, yet another corner.