Man Utd dodge nadir, Arsenal do enough, Everton undeniably Dyche’s – F365’s Blackout

Manchester United won when they had everything to lose, Arsenal made hard work of beating Burnley, while Everton are now getting the rewards for Dyche-ball…

UNITED TAKE THREE POINTS FROM HIDING TO NOTHING
Respite is only ever brief for Erik ten Hag but the Manchester United boss can breathe a little easier for the next fortnight after the Red Devils edged out Luton at Old Trafford.

It wasn’t pretty but it hardly matters. United had nothing but points to gain and plenty more to lose against the Premier League new boys who pushed Liverpool hard last week.

United asserted more control over the Hatters than Liverpool managed at Kenilworth Road but it was a familiarly stodgy attacking performance. When the hosts penetrated Rob Edwards’ side, their finishing, yet again, lacked the necessary composure and ruthlessness.

It took Victor Lindelof to show United’s forwards how it’s done, the first instance of potency arriving on the hour just as the home fans were struggling to stifle their frustration.

Lindelof’s inclusion again came at the expense of Raphael Varane who seems to have p*ssed off Ten Hag somehow. Defensively, United were sound if relatively untested. Going forward, though, it was a performance Stretford Enders have already forgotten.

Marcus Rashford’s confidence remains in tatters; Alejandro Garnacho, on from the start, reinforced his impact-sub tag; and Rasmus Hojlund is still goalless in the Premier League, wasting a couple of golden opportunities.

Inevitably, there were injuries. Christian Eriksen was withdrawn in the first half with a knee problem while Hojlund’s hamstring strained in the second. So many non-contact injuries cannot be a coincidence.

Still, Ten Hag will take just a twist and a twang given the United boss had it all to lose.

Report: Man Utd 1-0 Luton: Lindelof scores winning goal as Ten Hag earns crucial three points

GUNNERS DO JUST ENOUGH TO BEAT BURNLEY
Arsenal made it difficult for themselves but ultimately overcame a poor Burnley side at the Emirates.

A week on from their controversial defeat to Newcastle, the Gunners got back to winning ways but allowed the Clarets to score a cheap equaliser and got a man sent off late on. If Fabio Vieira was dispatched for an early bath a little bit earlier, the visitors could have got something out of the game. They looked pretty dangerous at 10 v 11.

Vincent Kompany set his side up to get a result – which he does every single week. They were pressing high with a line of three attackers but struggled to create any clearcut chances or catch out their hosts. The first big save came courtesy of James Trafford, who acrobatically parried Bukayo Saka’s top-corner-bound strike over the bar.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson had the biggest chance of the first half and should have scored. It was an impressive save from David Raya, mind.

Just as Arsenal looked like they were headed into the break at 0-0, Leandro Trossard bravely headed in at the back post, colliding with Trafford and the woodwork. It looked pretty painful but it was worth it.

Mikel Arteta’s side looked like they did not want to grab the opportunity to go joint-top of the Premier League, allowing the visitors back into the game as Gabriel Magalhaes deflected in Josh Brownhill’s powerful effort.

Suddenly, the Gunners realised going top with Manchester City was a good thing and William Saliba got them back in front three minutes after the equaliser. The ease at which he towered over Trafford in the Burnley goal was worrying. It might be time to bring back Arijanet Muric, who is quite unlucky not to be Kompany’s first-choice goalkeeper this season.

Oleksandr Zinchenko’s spectacular scissor volley secured the points for the hosts but Vieira did his best to make things tricky again by getting himself a straight red card. It was deserved. Studs up, knee-high. It was a baffling challenge.

Burnley tried to seize the opportunity but once again their quality was lacking. Again. If they had caught Arsenal on a different day, it could have been five or six, but they weren’t really at it.

Kompany has a lot of work to do over the third international break of the season. There is not enough quality in that team. Luckily for Burnley, they are struggling down at the bottom of the Premier League next to Bournemouth, Luton Town, and Sheffield United, who are equally as pants.

As for Arsenal, we are just thankful Mikel Arteta can go to bed tonight a happy man. Well, maybe one of us isn’t thankful.

Report: Arsenal 3-1 Burnley: Trossard, Saliba, Zinchenko score as Gunners go joint-top of Premier League

EVERTON GAINING MOMENTUM FROM DYCHE-BALL
Everton were never going to be a quick fix but, after nine months, Sean Dyche can look at his side and now see himself in the reflection.

From the soft-centred Toffees he took over in February, Dyche’s Everton are not only hard to beat, they are becoming difficult to stop.

Palace tried and twice succeeded in pegging back their visitors. But Everton’s third lead, given to them late by Dyche’s impressive half-time substitute Idrissa Geuye, was not to be relinquished.

Possession was – willingly. Everton aren’t arsed about having the ball, and nor are Palace normally. Both sides have averaged close to 41 per cent this season but the visitors were comfortable taking even less at Selhurst Park, confident of making more of it than Palace.

With a shade over a third of the possession, only to Liverpool, Arsenal and Brighton have Everton ceded more of the initiative this season. Dyche, though, has never been concerned with passing without purpose. Win it; get it wide; cross it and react.

It isn’t to everyone’s taste but, in an age obsessed with passing out from the back and building through the thirds, there is a refreshing authenticity to Everton. Dyche has them scrapping for each other and few can argue that they don’t deserve the points accrued from a run of four wins in seven matches.

In all competitions, it is now six wins and only two defeats in their last nine. The backbone absent under Dyche’s predecessors is evident in the fact they have won three of their last four on the road. Prior to that, it took a Premier League season’s worth of matches to achieve the same number of away wins.

Report: Crystal Palace 2-3 Everton: Gueye scores late winner as Dyche’s side extend good run of form