Manchester United had its worst-ever start to a Premier League game and still managed to win
Man United recovers from ‘horror start’ to win. Arsenal held to draw after also conceding earlyBy MATTIAS KARENAssociated PressThe Associated PressLONDON
LONDON (AP) — Manchester United had its worst-ever start to a Premier League game and still managed to win. Arsenal gave away a goal after less than a minute and couldn’t quite pull off a similar comeback.
United bounced back from conceding two goals in the opening four minutes to beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 at Old Trafford on Saturday and avoid an early inquest following a dispiriting loss at Tottenham last weekend.
Arsenal also thought it had turned the game around against Fulham when it took a 2-1 lead in the second half, only to concede an 87th-minute equalizer from a corner for a 2-2 draw at Emirates Stadium that ended the Gunners’ perfect start to the campaign.
For United, it was the first time the club had trailed by two goals after four minutes of a Premier League game, but captain Bruno Fernandes completed the comeback from the penalty spot in the 76th minute after Forest had gone down to 10 men.
“Horror start,” United manager Erik ten Hag said. “But the character of the team was brilliant. We stayed so calm and so composed. We stuck to our belief, stuck to our plan, played some good football and scored three good goals. It was a great comeback.”
For Arsenal, not quite.
While Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah scored second-half goals for the Gunners, they couldn’t quite see out the win in the driving rain as Joao Palhinha was left unmarked to slot home the late equalizer after a corner. That was despite Fulham also having gone down to 10 men by then after a second booking for Calvin Bassey.
It continued a trend of Arsenal giving away sloppy goals at home, which contributed to the team’s late-season collapse as it finished second behind Manchester City in the previous campaign.
“We have to show another level of commitment and desire and ‘over my dead body,'” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “With 10 men, you cannot concede a goal.”
Everton still can’t score a goal, as Sean Dyche’s team went scoreless for a third straight defeat after conceding a late winner against Wolverhampton in a 1-0 defeat.
Brentford drew 1-1 at home against Crystal Palace, while Brighton tried to maintain its perfect record when it hosted West Ham in the late game.
In the early kickoff, Tottenham won 2-0 at Bournemouth to remain unbeaten under Ange Postecoglou. ___
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