Cunha Silences the Emirates as Manchester United Shake Arsenal’s Title Dream
The Premier League title race cracked wide open on Sunday night. Arsenal, leaders and unbeaten for months, were rocked at home as Manchester United stormed the Emirates and left with a stunning 3–2 victory. The moment that decided it came late, loud, and ruthless. Matheus Cunha stepped up from distance and ripped a shot past David Raya, a goal that echoed far beyond North London.
Arsenal started like a team on a mission. The pressure was constant, the tempo high, and United looked uncomfortable from the first whistle. That dominance finally told midway through the first half, though not in the way Mikel Arteta would have drawn it up. A loose clearance spiralled into chaos, Bukayo Saka pounced, and Lisandro Martinez could only turn the ball into his own net under pressure. The Emirates erupted. It felt routine. It was anything but.
United steadied themselves and waited for a mistake. It arrived swiftly and painfully for the home side. A careless back pass from Martin Zubimendi was snapped up by Bryan Mbeumo, who kept his nerve, rounded Raya, and rolled the ball home. One error each. One goal apiece. Suddenly the atmosphere shifted.
After the break, Arsenal never truly regained control. United grew bolder, sharper, more confident in possession. The turnaround was complete when Patrick Dorgu surged forward, took a touch, and unleashed a thunderous strike from range that flew into the top corner. Arsenal protested. VAR checked. The goal stood. Silence followed.
That strike mattered beyond the scoreline. Dorgu, redeployed higher up the pitch, rewarded Michael Carrick’s tactical gamble with his second goal in as many games. It summed up a United side playing with freedom and belief, traits that had been missing for much of the season.
Arsenal refused to fold. They pushed. They probed. And late on, they found a lifeline. A familiar route did the damage. A Saka corner caused panic, the goalkeeper failed to deal with it, and Mikel Merino reacted quickest to bundle the ball over the line. Relief swept the stadium. A point felt rescued.
It lasted three minutes.
United poured forward one last time. Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo combined with purpose and precision, teeing up Cunha on the edge of the box. The Brazilian did the rest. One touch. One look. One devastating strike that screamed past Raya and into the net. Arsenal were stunned. United celebrated wildly.
The result ends Arsenal’s 13-game unbeaten run in all competitions and marks their first home defeat since May. It also tightens the title race dramatically. The Gunners now sit just four points clear of Manchester City and Aston Villa, both winners this weekend. Momentum, once firmly with Arsenal, is suddenly up for grabs.
Pep Guardiola recently called Arsenal the best team in the world. On current evidence, they are still contenders. But cracks are showing. Three league games without a win, missed chances to pull clear, and now a home defeat built on familiar flaws. Arteta’s side still control their destiny, yet the pressure is unmistakably rising. With no major trophy since 2020 and painful memories of past collapses, the coming weeks will test their nerve.
For Manchester United, this was a statement night. Their first win at the Emirates since 2017 underlined a remarkable early run under interim boss Michael Carrick. After beating Manchester City last weekend, United have now taken down the top two in back-to-back matches, climbing into fourth and reviving belief after a turbulent spell that cost Ruben Amorim his job.
Carrick’s imprint is already visible. Braver selections. Clear roles. Players responding. Cunha’s winner may steal the headlines, but this felt like a collective step forward.
For Arsenal, the title race just became very real again. For everyone else, it just got far more interesting.