Arsenal 5-0 Sheffield United: 

Eddie Nketiah underlined his importance to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta by scoring a welcome hattrick in Gabriel Jesus' absence against Sheffield United.

With the Brazil striker ruled out for a 'few weeks' due to a hamstring injury he picked up near to the end of his excellent performance during the Gunners 2-1 victory over Seville in the Champions League on Tuesday, Nketiah displayed his goalscoring talents to his manager on Saturday.

Nketiah put Arsenal ahead on 28 minutes after taking Declan Rice's ball into the box on the turn, before cooly slotting past Blades keeper Wes Foderingham. The Lambeth-born forward 24-year-old added a second five minutes after the interval, prior to firing a long -range effort past the increasingly beleaguered United keeper on 58 minutes, to seal a deserved victory for the Gunners.

With Jesus and Thomas Partey out - the Ghanian has a muscular injury - Arteta made four changes from the 2-2 draw at Chelsea last weekend, with Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard benched, while Emile Smith Rowe was handed a first Premier League start since the 2-0 loss to Newcastle at St James' Park in May 2022.

Gabriel Magalhaes was also rested on the bench, with Jakub Kiwior coming into Arsenal's defence alongside William Saliba - Jorginho and the injured Gabriel Jesus the other players dropping out. 

The changes were more an acknowledgement by Arteta that his squad face a raft of vital matches over the coming weeks, rather than meaning Paul Heckingbottom's initially obdurate team with any disrespect.

For a team with only a single point after nine defeats from ten matches since their promotion back to the top table of English football - including a humiliating 8-0 rout inflicted by Newcastle at Bramall Lane last month - the Blades were organised and industrious, albeit featuring limited attacking options at this level.

Gabi Martinelli broke free of United's shackles to unleash a powerful near post drive that Foderingham did well to palm away five minutes before the interval, as the Gunners went into the break ahead, if not with an entirely convincing display across the opening 45 minutes.

However, victory was effectively confirmed on 50 minutes, when Nketiah grabbed his second of the afternoon, when he fired home for 2-0. The strike coming after Foderingham could only palm Saka's corner into the path of Nketiah, who drove into the roof of the net with confidence.

Nketiah was to raise the matchball in the air to joyous supporters eight minutes later, following his delightful long-range strike to make the score 3-0, and mark a popular treble.

There was even time for the departing captain for the day, Saka, to purposely hand Nketiah the armband, to put the seal on a good day. With Nketiah's first England cap earned earlier this month, it showcased the end of a memorable month for the former Arsenal academy graduate.

Fabio Vieira made it 4-0 on 88 minutes, sending Foderingham the wrong way with his spot kick, after VAR advised referee Tim Robinson to take another look at Blades' captain Oliver Norwood's foul on the Portuguese midfielder on the edge of the box.

That was before Takehiro Tomiyasu made it 5-0 six minutes into the ten additional minutes, as the Gunners moved to second place.