Arsenal delivered another statement win in its English Premier League, 2023-2024 title challenge by thrashing last placed Sheffield United 6-0 to stay in touch with Liverpool and Manchester City.
Some home fans left their seats and were seen heading to the exits inside Bramall Lane after 25 minutes when Kai Havertz made it 4-0 on Monday, adding to strikes from Martin Odegard and Gabriel Martinelli either side of an own-goal by Jayden Bogle.
With supporters in the away end singing “We’re gonna score in a minute,” Declan Rice slotted home a fifth in the 39th minute.
It meant Arsenal scored five goals in three straight away league games – after West Ham (6-0) and Burnley (5-0) – and tied the record for most goals scored in the first half of a league game. The visitors weren’t finished there, with right-back Ben White becoming the sixth different scorer when lashing a left-foot shot into the far corner in the 58th.
At that stage, Arsenal looked a good bet to threaten the most goals scored by a team in a league game and the competition’s biggest margin of victory, with three clubs – Liverpool, Leicester and Manchester United (twice) – having won 9-0 down the years.
However, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s decision to make a raft of substitutions – including removing Bukayo Saka at halftime and others like Rice and Jorginho later on – broke his team’s rhythm and Sheffield United’s players could breathe slightly easier.
Still, it was a good night for Arsenal’s goal difference, which is now far superior to that of Liverpool and Manchester City.
English Premier League, 2023-2024 Result:
Sheffield United-0 vs Arsenal-6 (Odegard 5, Bogle 13-og, Martinelli 15, Havertz 25, Rice 39, White 58).