Manchester United moved into the Premier League top four with a 2-1 victory over hosts Arsenal on Saturday evening at the Emirates Stadium.Arsenal dominated possession and created the better scoring chances but fell behind in the 56th minute on a Kieran Gibbs own goal. With the Gunners forced to chase as a result, Manchester United grabbed their second goal on the break five minutes from time as Wayne Rooney converted United's first shot on target.Substitute Olivier Giroud pulled a goal back for Arsenal in stoppage time.The result, which sent Manchester United into the top four on goal differential, leaves the two clubs in very different circumstances.For United, it was their first away victory in the league this season. And for first-year manager Louis van Gaal, it could serve as the result that kick-starts the season. The Red Devils, who have 19 points through 12 matches, will try to maintain their momentum at home to Hull City next weekend.For Arsenal, on the other hand, it's the latest disappointing result in what is becoming a disastrous season. Having lost their last two league matches, the Gunners are off to their worst start since 1982, and fans are increasingly calling for the club to part ways with longtime manager Arsene Wenger. Saturday's loss ended a 23-match unbeaten run at the Emirates Stadium.Arsenal currently sit in eighth place with 17 points after winning just four of their first 12 league games. The Gunners' next Premier League match is at West Brom next Saturday.Making matters worse for Wenger's side were injuries to midfielder Jack Wilshere and goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. Manchester United lost Luke Shaw to injury as well.Despite the final scoreline, Arsenal settled into the match first and quickly took control. A first opening arrived in the fifth minute, as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain played in Danny Welbeck. But Welbeck was unable to beat United goalkeeper David de Gea from a tight angle.Welbeck headed over in the ninth minute, and Wilshere shot straight at De Gea four minutes later. De Gea then made a big save in the 14th minute to deny Wilshere one-on-one.Manchester United were forced into an early substitution when Luke Shaw limped off in the 16th minute. Ashley Young replaced him on the left side of United's formation.Arsenal continued to create half-chances as the first half wore on. In the 22nd minute, Alexis Sanchez played in Oxlade-Chamberlain, who tried to round De Gea. Instead, De Gea kept pace and used his legs to save the Arsenal man's low shot.United made a few forays forward, Angel Di Maria curling a shot wide in the 35th minute. Three minutes later, Di Maria broke forward down the right again before picking out Rooney, whose shot deflected wide.With the match still scoreless at half-time, Arsenal reasserted control at the start of the second 45 minutes. But the hosts still couldn't find a way past De Gea, who saved once again from a tight angle on Welbeck in the 49th minute.Arsenal had looked more likely to score until that point, but the match quickly swung in United's favour. In the 55th minute, Wilshere limped off with an ankle injury, replaced by Santi Cazorla.One minute later, United took an unlikely lead entirely against the run of play. There seemed to be little danger as Szczesny came off his line to punch away a cross, but the ball fell to Antonio Valencia, who tried his luck with a shot from the right.Even then, a goal seemed unlikely. Valencia's shot appeared to be heading well wide, but Gibbs redirected the ball into his own net for an own goal. Making matters worse for Arsenal, Szczesny had to leave the match moments later, the result of a collision with Gibbs on the initial cross moments earlier.United had not mustered a single shot on target to that point, but suddenly, the visitors found themselves in front. Arsenal piled forward in search of an equaliser, but the Gunners offence continued to misfire.Oxlade-Chamberlain picked out Sanchez with a cross in the 62nd minute, but Sanchez's header was too close to De Gea, who saved easily. Six minutes later, Cazorla shot straight at De Gea after Welbeck had headed down a high ball near the edge of the box.With time running out, Wenger introduced Giroud to the attack. The Frenchman, who was making his first appearance since suffering an injury on Aug. 23, headed over from a corner in the 77th minute.The Gunners continued to chase the game, and inevitably, the all-out attacks led to openings for United. And in the 85th minute, Rooney pounced.United broke forward quickly following another failed Arsenal attack, Di Maria freeing Rooney with a simple pass down the middle. One-on-one with substitute goalkeeperDamian Emiliano Martinez, Rooney chipped in for United's second.Arsenal were all but finished, and United nearly had a third goal in the third minute of stoppage time following another counter. This time, Di Maria had the one-one-one with Martinez, but he chipped wide of the target.It was a reprieve for the home side, and in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Giroud took advantage, lashing in a fierce shot from distance to score Arsenal's first goal and set up a potentially tense finale.But that was the only goal Arsenal could muster, and after nine minutes of stoppage time, United had their first away win of the season.GradesReactionArsenal manager Arsene Wenger (via Arsenal.com):Its a game that we dominated for 80 per cent of the time and we havent dominated a game like that against Manchester United for a long time. At the end of the day we were not efficient enough in the final third, defensively, and we made a mistake at the back which they took advantage of. Thats the story of the game. We had plenty of chances. Their keeper is man of the match. That tells you the story of the game.Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal (via ManUtd.com):It was a fantastic result. We had a lot of injuries and in spite of that we have won. In an away match, it is very difficult. Arsenal are a very good team, an attacking team and that I knew in advance.That is why I chose this strategy and at the end I can laugh, but at the same time, you can imagine that if Arsenal could have scored one of the four or five chances in the first half then maybe this would have been another game.Read more World Football news on BleacherReport.com
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