Arsenal smashed sorry Sheffield United 6-0 at Bramall Lane on Monday to keep pace with their fellow Premier League title hopefuls.
The win keeps Arsenal in sight of the Premier League lead. An active seven-match Premier League winning streak now includes a combined goal margin of 32-3.
WATCH SHEFFIELD UNITED vs ARSENAL FULL MATCH REPLAY
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli each had a goal and an assist, while Kai Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Ben White also scored to join a Jayden Bogle own goal on the score sheet.
Bukayo Saka and Jakub Kiwior also rang up assists in the win, which made the Gunners the third team this season to breach the 60-point mark.
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Arsenal’s 61 points are a point behind Man City and two back of Liverpool, and the Gunners now boast the Premier League’s largest goal total and is tied with Liverpool for fewest goals conceded this season.
Sheffield United’s 11 games matches the number of points they must make up (11) to avoid relegation back to the Championship. The Blades have won just three PL games this season and have now lost three-or-more games in a row for the fourth time this season.
Arsenal miles clear of most of the Premier League
It’s worth repeating the aggregate score line from this seven-match league winning run, a streak that has its woeful sides to be fair but also includes home defeats of Liverpool and Newcastle United.
32-3.
The Gunners have to be feeling stronger by the day, and they’ll need every bit of fortitude because of what follows Saturday’s visit from Brentford. A must-win Champions League Round of 16 second leg with Porto before a March 31 trip to Manchester City starts a rough Premier League stretch run which also includes Aston Villa, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United.
That won’t stress Arsenal too much given just how dominant they’ve been this season. No one in the Premier League has scored more goals and no one’s conceded fewer, either. Naturally that gives the Gunners the top goal differential in the division.
With Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey back on the pitch, the Gunners have their full complement of weapons and no excuses as they look to chase down Liverpool and Man City to win the Premier League for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
What’s next?
The Blades go to Bournemouth at 10am ET Saturday, 2.5 hours before Arsenal host Brentford.
Sheffield United vs Arsenal live updates, as they happened — By Nick Mendola
Sheffield United vs Arsenal final score: 0-6
Goal: Odegaard (5'), Bogle (o.g. 13'), Martinelli (15'), Havertz (25'), Rice (39'), White (58')
Sheffield United vs Arsenal player ratings (fotmob.com)
Sheffield United vs Arsenal player ratings (fotmob.com)
Sheffield United vs Arsenal player ratings (fotmob.com)
Ben White goal — Sheffield United 0-6 Arsenal (58th minute)
Havertz runs onto jorginho’s lid-opening diagonal ball, and tees up Ben White.
The fullback smashes a left-footed shot home. That’s a half-dozen goals for the Gunners.
Halftime — Sheffield United 0-5 Arsenal
The Blades are booed off Bramall Lane at the break.
They’ve now conceded 71 goals in the Premier League this season, seven fewer than the worst performer last season (Leeds).
Arsenal are.... a lot better than Sheffield United. The Gunners have 80% possession, a 16-1 shot attempts advantage, and an xG score line of 1.84-0.03.
It’s 5-0.
Declan Rice goal — Sheffield United 0-5 Arsenal (39th minute)
Odegaard sends in Saka, who cooks his mark and cuts back for Rice to finish. We saw this exact goal already.
Terrible from the Blades, and so good from the Gunners.
Kai Havertz goal — Sheffield United 0-4 Arsenal (25th minute)
VAR is the only thing that can stop Arsenal today, and even the cameras can’t stop the eye-defying Gunners.
Advantage is played after a violent foul on Martinelli, who winds up with the assist for his ball to Kai Havertz.
Gustavo Hamer is saved by David Raya at the other end.
Gabriel Martinelli goal — Sheffield United 0-3 Arsenal (15th minute)
Chris Wilder probably should’ve made his men aware of Arsenal’s terrific skill in running off the ball and movement in traffic. 3-0.
Oh, and Oliver Norwood is limping off with injury.
Blades own goal — Sheffield United 0-2 Arsenal (13th minute)
USMNT defender Auston Trusty gets cooked by Bukayo Saka, whose cross beats Blades keeper Ivo Grbic and is turned into the Blades goal by defender Jayden Bogle.
Martin Odegaard goal! — Sheffield United 0-1 Arsenal (5th minute)
The Gunners hit the frame inside of the first minute and it was proper foreshadowing from Arsenal.
Declan Rice drives toward goal on the left side and cuts a pass toward goal that turns off a Blades defender.
Kai Havertz lets it go and Martin Odegaard snaps it home. 1-0 to Arsenal.
How to watch Sheffield United vs Arsenal live, stream link and start time
Kickoff: 3pm ET, Monday
TV Channel: USA Network
Online: Online via NBC.com
Sheffield United lineup
Wilder's Blades to face Arteta's Gunners! 🗞️#SHUARS || @premierleague pic.twitter.com/W95R9UVgmq
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) March 4, 2024
Arsenal lineup
🟡 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 🔵
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 4, 2024
Unchanged from last time out against Newcastle United ✅
Let's keep this momentum going, Gunners 💪 pic.twitter.com/ftk1iaoM5I
Sheffield United focus, team news
OUT: Mason Holgate (suspension), John Egan (ankle), Max Lowe (ankle), Chris Basham (ankle), Daniel Jebbison (illness), Rhys Norrington-Davies (thigh), Cameron Archer (calf)
Arsenal focus, team news
OUT: Jurrien Timber (torn ACL - out for season) | QUESTIONABLE: Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Takehiro Tomiyasu (undisclosed), Thomas Partey (thigh)
