SHEFFIELD, Oct 22: Diogo Dalot made sure Manchester United could pay tribute to Bobby Charlton with a win.
Dalot curled in a long-range strike in the 77th minute to give United a 2-1 win over Sheffield United on Saturday in an emotionally charged Premier League match played just hours after the announcement that Charlton — United’s greatest ever player — had died at the age of 86.
United captain Bruno Fernandes laid a wreath at the centre of the field before the game, and both teams took part in a tribute that included a period of applause in Charlton’s honour.
Goals from Scott McTominay and Dalot then ensured they remembered him with a victory.
“I felt with the win we gave a little bit of joy on a sad day,” Dalot said. “This is the contribution we could have today and give to the family.”
It wasn’t a convincing performance by United against a team that is in last place in the standings with just one point, but Erik ten Hag now has back-to-back league victories for the first time this season.
And at the end of the game, the away fans were chanting “There’s only one Bobby Charlton” as they were able to end an emotional day on a high note.
Sheffield United had the better start, but it was the visitors who went ahead against the run of the play in the 28th minute.
McTominay, who rescued his side with two injury-time goals against Brentford before the international break, received the ball from Fernandes and his scuffed effort found its way into the bottom corner.
But five minutes later, McTominay gave away a penalty when he handled James McAtee’s cross.
Oliver McBurnie stroked the spot kick home for his first goal of the season.
The hosts kept up the pressure, but United had two chances to take the lead late in the first half as Fernandes clipped the crossbar with a dipping free kick before Rasmus Hojlund was denied by a good save from Wes Foderingham, who rushed out and deflected the ball wide.
Man United gradually took control midway through the second half and Foderingham saved from Hojlund when the Dane should have scored, Marcus Rashford rolled wide at the far post and Sofyan Amrabat thundered a fierce 20-yard effort against the crossbar.
The breakthrough eventually came in the 77th minute when Dalot was afforded too much time on the edge of the area and he curled a shot into the top corner.
Arsenal rally to draw
2-2 at Chelsea
Arsenal rallied from two goals down to remain unbeaten in the Premier League after a 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had looked headed for its biggest statement win yet under Mauricio Pochettino after Cole Palmer converted a first-half penalty and Mykhailo Mudryk caught Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya out of position with a lob from a tight angle shortly after the restart.
But Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez made an even bigger mistake at the other end to gift Arsenal a way back into the game. His pass into midfield in the 77th minute was intercepted by Declan Rice, who had an open net to hit from 25 yards out and didn’t miss.
That rejuvenated the visitors and substitute Leandro Trossard equalized in the 84th by tapping in a cross at the far post.
The halftime break had featured a tribute for Charlton, whose death was announced earlier in the day, with applause ringing out around Stamford Bridge.
Both teams entered the match in good form as Chelsea had won its last two league games after a shaky start under Pochettino, while Arsenal beat defending champion Manchester City at home in the previous round before the international break.
But Chelsea was by far the better team for the first hour, as Pochettino’s decision to field a starting lineup without a recognized striker paid off.
And the hosts were awarded a penalty for a handball by William Saliba after the defender’s outstretched arm blocked a header from Mudryk. Palmer calmly sent Raya the wrong way to open the scoring in the 15th minute.
Rice – one of three midfielders in the game who cost more than 100 million pounds along with Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo – had Arsenal’s best chance to equalize in the 20th minute when he was played through on goal by Martin Odegaard, but his finish with the outside of his boot went wide of the far post.
Mudryk, who was a transfer target for Arsenal before joining Chelsea in January, doubled the lead from the tightest of angles in the 48th. After Arsenal gave the ball away in midfield, Mudryk drove down the left flank and sent in a lob that may have been an attempted cross for Raheem Sterling at the back post but sailed past the flailing Raya and into the net.
It was a goalkeeping blunder at the other end that proved costly. Arsenal had struggled to create any clear chances in the second half before Sanchez gave the ball away to Rice, whose goal shifted the momentum completely.
After Trossard was teed up for the equalizer by Bukayo Saka, who made his return from a hamstring injury, Eddie Nketiah had a chance to score the winner for Arsenal in the 86th after running onto a ball over the top, but he shot wide.
Chelsea substitute Nicolas Jackson had the final chance of the game in stoppage time but his low shot was smothered by Raya.
The draw puts Arsenal level on points with Man City atop the standings, although Tottenham can reclaim the lead with a win over Fulham on Monday. (AP)
