Alexis Sanchez’s stunning first-half brace helped Arsenal blow away Manchester United 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium to move second in the Barclays Premier League.
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Arsenal were on the offensive from kick off and swept ahead after just five minutes.
Aaron Ramsey fed Ozil down the right channel, the German World Cup winner ghosting through the penalty area before cutting the ball back to the near post.
Sanchez arrived on queue ahead of the defenders to backheel a sublime finish past David de Gea.
Arsenal went back on the offensive straight away with Walcott dashing past Daley Blind. The England forward played a ball back out to Ozil, who was waiting patiently on the penalty spot to dispatch a cool sidefoot finish into the bottom left corner.
Sanchez then brushed off the challenge of Matteo Darmian before sidestepping Chris Smalling and firing the ball into the top-right corner.
It was now a case of damage limitation for Louis van Gaal’s men, who had come into the match on the back of three straight league wins.
Arsenal should have moved further ahead on 34 minutes when Sanchez chipped a ball over to Aaron Ramsey unmarked at the far post, but the Wales midfielder could only blast his shot high into the Clock End.
As half-time approached, Petr Cech produced a stunning block to deny Anthony Martial at point-blank range after the in-former French forward turned smartly in the penalty area.
The impressive victory moves Arsenal above United on goal difference, and they are now only two points behind new leaders Manchester City heading into the international break.
Elsewhere, Everton and Liverpool fought out a draw at Goodison Park in what proved to be Brendan Rodgers’s final game in charge of Liverpool.
Danny Ings escaped Ross Barkley to head James Milner’s corner past static Everton keeper Tim Howard, but the game’s outstanding performer Romelu Lukaku pounced on Emre Can’s poor clearance to level just before half-time.
In the later kick-off Christian Eriksen stunned Swansea with two brilliant free-kicks after Tottenham striker Harry Kane had scored a spectacular own goal to draw the match 2-2.
Swansea 2-2 Tottenham FT: Possession: 48%-52% Pass accuracy: 79%-85% Shots: 12-19 Interceptions: 18-18 pic.twitter.com/XXBbiqYzMR
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 4, 2015
Tottenham dominated for long periods but could not take their chances in open play and secure what would have been a fourth straight league win for the first time since January 2014.
Twice, they had to come from behind after Andre Ayew’s header and then a horrible Kane mistake had handed Swansea the lead.
England striker Kane has only scored once for Spurs this season, in last week’s 4-1 victory over league leaders Manchester City, but he found his own net when he miscued Jonjo Shelvey’s corner after 31 minutes.
