Erik ten Hag wants Marcus Rashford to commit his future to Manchester United, who the Dutchman is aiming to turn into the best team in world football.

Rashford has scored eight goals in the last eight games and is United's top scorer this season.

The England international is averaging a goal every 124 minutes, having netted 17 in 28 appearances from 12.8 expected goals (xG).

Rashford's deal is up in 2024, but Ten Hag is confident a new contract will be agreed.

"This is the best place to be because we want to construct the best team – first in England, then Europe, then the world," said Ten Hag ahead of Wednesday's EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Nottingham Forest.

"It is confidential, talks between clubs and players, [but] he understands Manchester United is his club and also in this environment, this team, he is playing his best football.

"He is improving, he is giving 100 per cent.

"He can bring his qualities and this team can help him be in the right position to score goals. The team is constructed so that his qualities come to the fore.

"He knows he is important for us and if we want to succeed, we need him."

While Rashford is thriving on one side of United's attack, Antony – a big-money signing from Ajax last year – has struggled after a fast start to his career in England.

Ten Hag is not concerned, though.

"He is not losing games," the Dutchman said of the Brazil winger.

"He is playing and the team is winning and that already gives a message of how well he is performing.

"He can do better. I see space for improvement, and we want him to be more direct."

Erik ten Hag changed his tone and declared he was happy with Manchester United's overall defending this season, despite criticising his team after their 3-2 loss to Arsenal.

United fell 11 points behind the Gunners in the race for the Premier League title, with Eddie Nketiah scoring a late winner at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

After that game, Ten Hag said United's defensive failings had been "unacceptable".

Speaking ahead of an EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Nottingham Forest, Ten Hag explained he was talking about defending of the goals specifically and is otherwise pleased with his team's efforts at the back, although there are lessons to be taken on board.

"I think in a lot of games we defended very well, we had a lot of clean sheets," Ten Hag said.

"Against Man City [in United's recent 2-1 win at Old Trafford], we defended very well. I think, in general, also against Arsenal, we defended well.

"I don't think they had many clean shots, I think the one time was from a free-kick. But the rest were shots from distance, when we had a lot of defenders in between the ball and the goal.

"That's what I meant when I said all the goals were avoidable and it can't happen. That was my point: when you concede three goals in a top game, it is very hard to win the game.

"That is what happened so that is one of the conclusions. It can't happen. We set that conclusion... we have to learn and take this lesson."

Ten Hag – who ruled Diogo Dalot, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial out of the Forest game – also spoke about the importance of winning trophies, with United hoping to end a run without one since May 2017.

The 52-year-old won three Eredivisie titles, two KNVB Cups and a Johan Cruyff Shield in his time in charge of Ajax, and said: "It's about that, it's about winning trophies.

"We have a good opportunity, but we have to go from game to game. So now we play Forest, two legs, so focus on the first leg and don't think further ahead because that will distract. So the aim for tomorrow is to win that game.

“It is the best feeling you can have, winning a trophy. I had the luck in my career to win some trophies and it was magnificent, especially for the fans. It's so great.

“The fans here, they have some experience, especially the older fans. And now it's a period when Manchester United didn't win any trophies and it's too long ago, so we are aware of that fact. We have to do everything to bring a trophy in."

Chelsea are reportedly looking to make a significant investment in a young midfielder, and remain strongly linked to Benfica's Enzo Fernandez as well as Moises Caicedo of Brighton and Hove Albion.

Fernandez, 22, burst onto the world stage as he forced his way into Argentina's starting XI en route to their 2022 World Cup victory, earning the Best Young Player honour in Qatar in the process.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Caicedo has looked right at home in his second Premier League season, starting in all 18 of his appearances this campaign to help propel Brighton up to a surprising sixth on the table.

With Jorginho's future at Chelsea up in the air and fellow 31-year-old N'Golo Kante having not played since August due to a serious hamstring injury, Chelsea are looking for a long-term solution in the centre of the park – and are once again willing to pay up.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA SET TO RETURN WITH FRESH OFFERS FOR FERNANDEZ AND CAICEDO

According to Portuguese publication Record, Chelsea will attempt to secure Fernandez before the end of January, but are aware Benfica will not budge below the player's £106million (€120m) release clause.

The Guardian adds an improved offer for Caicedo "remains a possibility" after their recent bid of £55m was rejected by Brighton, although it is now believed the Seagulls are "scouring the market for potential replacements" for the Ecuador international.

Caicedo is not the only Brighton player their former head coach, now Chelsea boss, Graham Potter has fond memories of, also enquiring about 24-year-old midfielder and Fernandez's Argentinian team-mate Alexis Mac Allister.

ROUND-UP

– Talksport is reporting Newcastle United have interest in 21-year-old Everton forward Anthony Gordon as a replacement for Chris Wood after the big striker left on loan to Nottingham Forest.

– According to Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Manchester United have been put off by Napoli's £88m (€100m) asking price for 24-year-old striker Victor Osimhen and will seek a cheaper alternative.

– Jude Bellingham is expected to reject the latest contract extension offer from Borussia Dortmund, and, per the Daily Star, five clubs will be competing for his services via transfer: Manchester City, United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid.

– The Athletic is reporting Bournemouth are working on an offer of £17.5m (€20m) plus add-ons for 21-year-old Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson, who is also a Southampton target.

– After rejecting approaches from Aston Villa, Fulham and Bournemouth, Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie could get his wish to head to a top club as Arsenal have reportedly entered the race for the £22m-rated (€25m) United States international, per Gazzetta dello Sport.

Declan Rice appears certain to leave West Ham at the end of this season, with the ambition to test himself in the Champions League.

The 24-year-old midfielder is contracted with the Hammers until 2024, with the Hammers having the option of an additional year.

West Ham reportedly want more than £100million for the England international, but may settle for around £80m.

TOP STORY – ARSENAL CONFIDENT OF WINNING RICE RACE

Arsenal are winning the chase to sign West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, who favours a move to the Gunners, according to The Guardian.

Rice has also drawn interest from Premier League heavyweights Chelsea and Manchester United.

The London-born defensive midfielder is excited by the prospect of working with Mikel Arteta, according to the report, and Arsenal's manager has plans to integrate Rice into his starting XI.

ROUND-UP

–  Milan are monitoring Nicolo Zaniolo's situation, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that Tottenham are only offering an initial loan with a buy option, with Roma wanting a €35/40m (£30.7m/35m) guaranteed fee. Zaniolo is keen to join Antonio Conte's Spurs.

– Football Insider claims that Tottenham have offered Spanish winger Bryan Gil to Roma as part of their proposed Zaniolo deal. The report claims he is one of three players Spurs have presented to the Italian club.

– The Sun reports Roma are also in talks with Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech about a move to the Italian capital. The Moroccan has also been linked with Barcelona.

– Inter want to sign Roma's English centre-back Chris Smalling on a free transfer, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. Smalling's contract expires at the end of this season, although he has the option to extend for another year.

– Marseille want to sign Hellas Verona defensive midfielder Ivan Ilic, according to Sky Sport Italia, though OM would leave the 21-year-old on loan at Verona for the rest of the season.

– The Daily Telegraph claims Everton have held talks on the future of manager Frank Lampard, following reports he would be sacked on Sunday.

Erik ten Hag saw Manchester United's defeat to Arsenal as evidence they must "change our mentality" in order to compete "on the top level".

United conceded a late goal for the second time this week, with Michael Olise's equaliser for Crystal Palace followed by an Eddie Nketiah winner at Emirates Stadium.

Nketiah's 90th-minute strike gave Arsenal a 3-2 victory they more than merited, far outperforming United in terms of shots (25-6) and expected goals (2.9-0.3).

United manager Ten Hag still felt the visitors could and should have come away with a point, however.

He relayed the message he had given to his players, telling his United stars they were not yet ready to win major titles.

"Maybe in the next couple of hours, I will realise we are in a good position, realise we are in a good development, good process," Ten Hag said. "But at this moment, I'm annoyed.

"I also told the players: 'If you want to win trophies, titles, we have to change our mentality.'

"It's not possible in a top game you are making three such big mistakes that you concede goals.

"Especially the last goal, you have to feel the game. At that point, a point was the maximum, so you have to take the point. You can't give such a goal away, like we did, at the top level. Then you can't win trophies.

"I think with coaching we can change that. We have already seen the mentality has changed over the last couple of months.

"But we also have to notice today that we still have a way to go to be on the top level."

Those late goals have hugely frustrated Ten Hag, who added: "Players have to realise the game is finished when the ref whistles three times.

"Until that point, you have to do everything right, 100 per cent focus, do the sacrificing, the suffering, follow the rules and the principles."

The manager did not take the opportunity to highlight Casemiro's absence through suspension as key to the result at Arsenal.

"It's obvious that he's a very good player for us, an important player, but I don't want to talk about players who are not available," Ten Hag explained.

Mikel Arteta did not quite envisage Eddie Nketiah could perform to the level he has done for Arsenal this season but backed a player with "a real Arsenal heart and spirit".

Nketiah is now Arsenal's leading scorer this season with nine goals in all competitions, having netted twice in Sunday's 3-2 defeat of Manchester United.

He has four in the Premier League despite only starting five matches – averaging a goal every 147 minutes – after beginning the season as back-up to Gabriel Jesus, who was then injured at the World Cup.

Arteta had faith in Nketiah to step up but acknowledged there was little prior evidence of the "incredible" standard to which the striker is now playing.

"What Eddie's doing is incredible," Arteta said. "We cannot say we saw that [coming] – we were hoping that he could do that, because of the way he is, because of his mentality, because of his qualities and how those qualities fit within the team.

"Losing Gabby was a big blow, and it is a big blow today, but Eddie's responding – and the team – in an exceptional way."

Asked just what he had seen in Nketiah, Arteta replied: "The qualities that he has, how much he wants it, how much belief he has in himself to become Arsenal's number nine, his desire, his background.

"We are with him every single day. He's a special kid, so loved by everybody at the football club.

"He's got a real Arsenal heart and spirit within him, and that's special. You cannot put that into numbers, but he is really, really good."

Nketiah had six shots against United and it looked as though he might have passed up the opportunity to earn a dramatic victory when he was denied by David de Gea six minutes before his last-gasp winner.

But Arteta explained Nketiah's mindset: "The next time he's going to try again.

"He's going to miss chances, and he's going to miss more chances, for sure, but I guarantee you that the next one he's going to try to do it again. He's not going to hide."

With Nketiah keeping Arsenal on track at the top of the table, they have earned a club-record 50 points in a first half of the season Arteta described as "extraordinary".

But the Arsenal manager is not yet content with their progress, believing they remain some way behind defending champions Manchester City, who are five points off the pace.

"I know my team so well," Arteta said. "I know where we are, I know why we are here, I know where we want to be. We are still far from that.

"And I know the level of the other teams – especially one that has won everything in the last five or six years. We are not there yet."

Erik ten Hag has warned Manchester United they must cut out the clangers after going down 3-2 to Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Each of Arsenal's goals followed defensive errors as United failed to clear their defensive lines, with the final hapless attempt to play out from the back gifting the Gunners the possession that led to Eddie Nketiah's 90th-minute winner.

Fourth-placed United are 11 points behind Arsenal after Sunday's result, with hopes of a title challenge in tatters.

It was always unlikely United would be pushing for the trophy, but two last-gasp sucker-punches in London in the space of five days have dealt their hopes a major setback.

United conceded a stoppage-time goal at Crystal Palace on Wednesday that meant they only took a 1-1 draw, while this loss at Emirates Stadium compounds that disappointment.

"I think two games head to head, really close, it's hard to accept that in the end you lose in the final stage of the game," Ten Hag said.

"It can't happen, and we have to accept that, we have to learn the lessons. All the three goals, we could and we had to avoid them. Normally we are better in such situations."

Manager Ten Hag told Sky Sports he did not feel Arsenal's late pressure made it inevitable they would find a third goal.

"I don't think so. We are good in such situations, and it's tough, that's quite clear," Ten Hag said. "We have to defend much better in that situation. We're making wrong decisions and not one player but many more players, and then you concede a goal, and what I said was to avoid the same as the first two goals."

United hit the front through Marcus Rashford and then got level with a header from Lisandro Martinez, after Nketiah and Bukayo Saka nudged the Gunners into the lead.

Nketiah's second, a close-range prod, was Arsenal's reward for pushing hard for a winner as United lost a grip on the game.

"We started the game very well and scored the goal and were leading, and then made mistakes that were unacceptable," Ten Hag added. "We have to learn the lessons and move on.

"We will face the players with this because it can't happen. Good players don't make such mistakes."

Asked if the result might serve as a reality check, Ten Hag said: "It can be. Today we have to accept we are unsatisfied with this defending performance because we can do better.

"We went up 1-0 and the game is starting very well. Then you have to take benefit from that situation, and it can't happen that we concede a goal like we did.

"This is one game. Last week we did very well and kept the opponent away from our own box. If we were in the box we defended much better. Normally we don't concede goals from corners, and today there were two."

When it was mentioned that United have made progress this season, Ten Hag said he could see that, but it came as no consolation.

"We realise that as well," he said. "I just said the same words in the dressing room but also said if you want to win you can't make the mistakes I just mentioned."

Oleksandr Zinchenko revealed he was laughed at by his Arsenal team-mates when he said the club could challenge for the Premier League title.

The Gunners furthered their grip on the top-flight summit with a dramatic 3-2 win over Manchester United on Sunday thanks to Eddie Nketiah's late winner.

The result moves Mikel Arteta's men five points clear of Zinchenko's former club and champions Manchester City, with Arsenal possessing a game in hand as well.

Reflecting on another crucial three-point haul, the Ukraine international talked of encouraging his team-mates to enjoy the moment, after initially doubting their credentials.

"I said to the lads before the game, 'When everyone is going to retire, we're going regret that we didn’t enjoy enough'," he told Premier League TV.

"Everyone realises we have a lot of games ahead of us and we just go step by step. The mentality and spirit is right. That's the key.

"Of course, there is a lot of space to improve but we are [heading] the right way When I arrived, the quality I saw, I realised that we have everything to achieve the big things.

"I started to speak in the dressing room [that] we needed to think about the title. Some of them were laughing, but no-one is laughing now."

Zinchenko will get the chance to face off with old side City once again this coming week when the pair meet in the fourth round of the FA Cup, before Arsenal kick off February against under-fire Everton.

Mikel Arteta revelled in Arsenal's 90th-minute winner against Manchester United on Sunday, explaining the dramatic nature of the victory made it all the more special.

Arsenal restored a five-point gap to second-placed Manchester City in the Premier League by beating United 3-2 at Emirates Stadium.

It looked as though Arteta's men would drop points for only the fourth time this season before Eddie Nketiah scored in the final minute of normal time.

Arsenal had earlier trailed to United, who remain the only team to have beaten the leaders in the league this season.

Nketiah cancelled out Marcus Rashford's opener, but Bukayo Saka's subsequent strike was similarly met with a response from Lisandro Martinez, setting the stage for a memorable decisive goal.

"It was emotional, a lot of passion, a lot of quality," Arteta told Sky Sports.

"It doesn't get much better than that – after the derby away, to come here against this team and play the way we played, with the performance all over the game and especially in the second half, it was incredible.

"To win it in that way makes it even better."

Arsenal had 25 shots to United's six, but they had to stay patient as Nketiah's second goal came with the last attempt of the match.

"I think mentally and emotionally, we were really composed but really determined at the same time," Arteta added. "We managed those moments in the game really well.

"We never panicked, kept believing, kept doing the same things even better than before, and we believed that at the end we could win it."

Arsenal moved on to 50 points, their best return through 19 matches in a Premier League season. They are only the fifth side to reach that mark at this stage.

Still, Arteta is guarded against complacency.

"It's great," he said. "I think we deserve to be where we are because of the way we are playing, but don't get confused – it's about what we do tonight and tomorrow.

"There are still a lot of things we can do much better. There are still big matches."

The dancing feet of Bukayo Saka, the coming of age of Eddie Nketiah, the groans from Manchester red and blue. If this is to be Arsenal's season, then this was a day they'll not forget in a hurry.

A 90th-minute winner from Nketiah, his second goal of the game, settled a modern classic in this great rivalry. Manchester United gave so much to the game, but Arsenal were outstanding and truly worthy winners. It was 3-2 in the end, and the roars of "Eddie, Eddie" were music to the ears of Nketiah and his manager, Mikel Arteta.

What spirit it was that carried the home players. Feeding off a crowd that believes in them, that senses a championship is incoming, the end of a 19-year wait, Arsenal never stopped driving forward, and finally United cracked.

With a 3-1 win at Old Trafford in September, United had already seen to it that this Arsenal cannot follow in the footsteps of the 2003-04 'Invincibles' and go unbeaten through the Premier League season.

But that remains the only defeat the Gunners have had through 19 games, while this was a fifth loss for United, for whom the title is probably now out of reach, their resurgence having hit a bump in the road.

This was the day when Cristiano Ronaldo made his Al Nassr debut, and we witnessed again how United are better off for being without him, Marcus Rashford hitting another exceptional goal for them. Yet United's newest central striker, loanee Wout Weghorst, was largely quiet, while Antony on the right flank flattered to deceive, and you did not need to look far for a stark contrast.

Nketiah, trusted now by Arteta as a frontman for the big occasion, prowled and hassled United's defence and got his rich reward, while Saka's twinkling toes had Luke Shaw in trouble all afternoon long. Saka hit the goal of the game, while Nketiah poached twice from point-blank range.

Saka became only the third Arsenal player to score in three consecutive Premier League appearances against United, after Freddie Ljungberg and Thierry Henry, those Gunners greats of yore, heroes of Highbury.

They've not celebrated a Premier League title since moving to Emirates Stadium, and this particular race is only half-run, but 50 points from 19 games is some start, putting Arsenal five points clear of Manchester City, and they have a game in hand to boot.

Saka had begun to prowl with intent before the breakthrough came, and it went to United, with Rashford sidestepping Thomas Partey and driving a stunning 20-yard shot into the bottom-left corner.

That was a ninth Premier League goal of the season for Rashford, and he has nine in all competitions since returning from England's World Cup campaign, the most of any player from Europe's big five leagues.

United had not lost after scoring the opening goal in a Premier League game since October 16, 2021, when they went down 4-2 to Leicester City, so this boded well. Yet the 26-game unbeaten streak in such games would soon be in peril.

Nketiah got in front of Aaron Wan-Bissaka to head Arsenal level in the 24th minute, with Granit Xhaka's cross from the left giving the Swiss midfielder his fifth assist of the season.

Arteta, furious Shaw was not booked for a challenge on Saka as that battle heated up, later took a yellow card for his troubles.

Arsenal then roared ahead in the 53rd minute, and it was Saka at his majestic best, one-stepping with the ball at his feet on the right, teasing Christian Eriksen before letting fly with his left foot from 25 yards and fizzing the ball into the far bottom corner.

It was Saka's seventh Premier League goal of the season. He'll be going some to better it.

Up to this point, the watching Gareth Southgate would have been enjoying the contest, but England's manager would not have liked the sight of Aaron Ramsdale flapping at a corner soon after, giving Lisandro Martinez the chance to loop in the header that brought United level in the 59th minute.

"This is retro Man United-Arsenal," bellowed Gary Neville on Sky Sports.

Manchester City must have been loving the look of the 2-2 scoreline between their top-four rivals, with City's earlier 3-0 trouncing of Wolves closing the gap at the top, but Arsenal weren't finished. Saka went close, his strike flicking off Eriksen and clipping the outside of the right post.

Arsenal had 69.9 per cent of possession from the 60th to 75th minutes, staking out their prey but unable to make the kill.

They summoned Leandro Trossard in the 82nd minute, the new arrival from Brighton and Hove Albion entering the fray in place of Gabriel Martinelli.

Shaw was booked in the 83rd minute for getting close enough to Saka to stand on the winger's left foot, and from the free-kick Arsenal developed a glorious chance. The ball came through a thicket of players before reaching Nketiah, whose shot was brilliantly pushed wide by David de Gea.

Heads might have gone down in a previous season, but this time Arsenal kept pressing forward.

And then, in the 90th minute, came their reward. Zinchenko's cutback found Martin Odegaard, and with Fred for close company the captain bundled the ball on for Nketiah to toe in from four yards.

Alex Ferguson and David Beckham had taken their seats at Emirates Stadium in the hope of watching United's rejuvenation gather pace, but instead Arsenal put them in their place, clinching a sixth win in their last eight home league games against the Red Devils.

United are perhaps a season behind Arsenal in terms of emerging from years of gloom.

Erik ten Hag's team are not far away, but here they encountered something approaching a finished product. A north London derby win has been followed by victory over United, and it won't be easy street for Arsenal from here on, but once you clear those hurdles, why fear anything?

Which is one way of saying: it's Manchester City next, on Friday, in the FA Cup. Pass the popcorn.

Luke Shaw conceded Manchester United deserved to lose to Arsenal in dramatic fashion due to their "passive" approach to the second half at Emirates Stadium.

United went down 3-2 to the Premier League leaders on Sunday, dealing a significant blow to their own remote title hopes.

The visitors scored first through Marcus Rashford but trailed early in the second half as Eddie Nketiah's leveller was followed by a fine Bukayo Saka strike.

Lisandro Martinez's header got United back on level terms, only for Erik ten Hag's side to retreat to their own penalty area in a dramatic last stand that saw Nketiah eventually score again to take Arsenal five points clear of Manchester City and 11 ahead of their opponents.

Arsenal had 25 shots to United's six, with those attempts worth 2.9 expected goals, while United's shots had a combined value of 0.3 xG.

The Gunners controlled 65.6 per cent of the possession in a second half in which just 15.8 per cent of the action played out in the home side's third of the field.

For that reason, Shaw had few complaints as he reflected on the defeat on Sky Sports.

"I think in the second half we maybe deserved that," the left-back said. "We were a bit passive and just let them control the game completely in the second half.

"To concede right at the end is obviously gutting. We know they're an extremely good side, and we were fighting all the way to that last second.

"In games like this, you need to be concentrated for the full game, because a little lapse in concentration and you'll concede a goal against a very top side.

"Always coming to Emirates, they start really fast. They had two corners in the first minute. We got through that and started to have a bit more control in the game.

"I felt like we were aggressive and we were winning the ball high up the pitch. The first half went well.

"But the second half we backed off a bit and let them fully have control of the game. They were having chance after chance.

"If it was going to be like that, towards the end of the game they're always going to get one more chance."

Nketiah's winner, which arrived with only 48 seconds of normal time remaining, came from the final shot of the match.

Bukayo Saka urged Arsenal to "stay humble" in the Premier League title race but expressed pride at the "really significant" late victory over Manchester United.

Mikel Arteta's side moved five points clear at the summit, with a game in hand over second-placed Manchester City, after Eddie Nketiah's 90th-minute strike snatched a 3-2 victory over United on Sunday.

The triumph saw Arsenal boost their points total to 50 after 19 games, surpassing their previous best of 45 after as many matches in their title-winning 2003-04 campaign.

When asked about the Gunners' remarkable return at the halfway point in the season, Saka told Sky Sports: "That's really significant. It's something we can be proud of, but we have to stay humble.

"It's only halfway through the season and things can change very quickly. But if we keep playing like we have then we'll be in a good place at the end of the season, we just have to keep it up."

The Gunners fell to a 3-1 defeat at United in September, their only loss of the league campaign thus far, but exacted revenge with a vital victory in their tussle with City for the title.

"You can see how much it means to everyone. They're the only team that have beaten us this season, so we really wanted to beat them for the fans," Saka said.

Nketiah cancelled out Marcus Rashford's first-half opener before Saka produced a moment of magic after 53 minutes to edge Arsenal ahead, firing into the far corner after dancing in from the right flank.

That strike saw the England international join Freddie Ljungberg (between 1998-2000) and Thierry Henry (between 2000-2001) as the only Arsenal players to score in three in a row against United in the competition.

On joining Ljungberg and Henry, the 21-year-old said: "Hello Freddie, hello Thierry – I'm happy. I was so close to getting two, but I'm just so happy I got that first one, and it gave me the confidence to keep shooting."

Eddie Nketiah's 90th-minute winner gave Arsenal a thrilling 3-2 victory over Manchester United to restore a five-point gap to Manchester City at the Premier League summit.

Arsenal kicked off just two points clear at the top, having seen City win twice since they last played, but they reestablished a more comfortable cushion at the end of a gripping Emirates Stadium encounter on Sunday.

United – themselves maintaining remote title hopes – scored first through Marcus Rashford, only to require a scruffy second-half leveller from Lisandro Martinez after goals from Nketiah and Bukayo Saka had turned the game on its head.

Only Arsenal looked capable of providing a further twist, though, and it came through Nketiah with seconds remaining of normal time, giving the Gunners surely their biggest win of the season so far.

Cristiano Ronaldo was handed a debut for Al Nassr against Al Ittifaq on Sunday as the veteran striker made his first Saudi Pro League appearance.

Real Madrid's record goalscorer is set to play out the final years of his club career in Saudi Arabia, having signed a lucrative contract through to 2025 in December.

His debut for Al Nassr was delayed as 37-year-old Ronaldo served a two-match ban imposed by the English Football Association for an incident that saw him slap a phone from the hand of a young Everton supporter in a game at Goodison Park last season.

However, he was cleared to make his Al Nassr bow at last, with a new chapter beginning for the player who began his career at Sporting CP and also starred for Manchester United and Juventus.

Ronaldo was handed the captain's armband, having already featured for a Riyadh All-Stars team – scoring twice – against Lionel Messi's Paris Saint-Germain this week.

Wout Weghorst kept his place in the Manchester United team to face Arsenal as Erik ten Hag backed his newest signing against the Premier League leaders.

The on-loan Dutch striker was retained as the focal point of manager Ten Hag's attack, having made his debut in the 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

Weghorst arrived from Burnley after his previous loan at Besiktas was cancelled.

With Casemiro suspended, Ten Hag brought Scott McTominay into his midfield, the only change from the game at Selhurst Park.

It meant Weghorst would be supported by Marcus Rashford, captain Bruno Fernandes and Antony, with McTominay and Christian Eriksen anchoring the visitors' midfield.

Leaders Arsenal's starting XI was unchanged from their 2-0 derby win over Tottenham last Sunday, with Mikel Arteta's team having had their lead clipped to two points after Manchester City's 3-0 victory over Wolves.

The hosts had new recruit Leandro Trossard on the bench, after Arteta brought in the Belgian winger from Brighton and Hove Albion.

This was the first of two games in hand for Arsenal over City, giving them a chance to reassert their early season grip on top spot.

It was a game where fourth-placed United, however, were looking to complete a league double, having beaten Arsenal 3-1 at Old Trafford in September.

United remain the only side to have beaten Arsenal in the league this season.