Alex Walsh's Arsenal 3-1 Manchester Utd Player Ratings

Arsenal and Man Utd clashed in the late Sunday fixture and it didn’t disappoint.

United took the lead in the first half but Ødegaard didn’t take long to level things.

Then Garnacho thought he’d scored the winning goal late in the second half but it was deemed offside.

Fast forward to the 96th minute when Declan Rice chested the ball down from a corner and hammered the ball past Andre Onana in the United goal.

Here are my ratings of the Arsenal players:

Aaron Ramsdale: 8/10

There was specualtions of when Arteta was gonna start new signing David Raya but he stuck with Ramsdale and he delivered. He almost did enough to parry Rashford’s shot wide but it hit the inside post and went in. Had plenty of good saves throughout the game, especially a shot from Rashford in the second half. Solid performance from the Arsenal number 1. 8

Benjamin White: 7/10

White was back in his usual right back position, which he occupied throughout last season. I think he struggled in moments, especially on the counter against Rashford but his dynamic with Saka and Ødegaard adds so much going forward. We’ve missed a right back overlapping Saka and White did that today. A solid but not outstanding performance from White. 7

William Saliba: 8/10

Saliba had his usual partner, Gabriel, back next to him and you could see why fans had been crying out loud for that to happen. The pair looked solid, apart from the Rashford goal, and Saliba did very well in duels against Martial and Højlund when he came on. His pace came into play on multiple occasions, when United attacked on the counter. He also had a passing accuaracy of 91% from 78 passes in the game, a testament to his on-ball ability. 8

Gabriel: 8/10

Big Gabi was back in the starting lineup for the first time in this season and he didn’t disappoint. His aerial prowess is a huge asset and he dominated the box on nearly every cross. 6/8 duels won, 2 tackles, 1 block and a clearance shows just how important he was. The defining moment of the game came in the 88th minute when he managed to push forward just enough to catch Garnacho in an offside position—a pivotal play. It was indeed a colossal performance by Big Gabi! 8

Olekzandr Zinchenko: 7/10

The Ukranian also returned to the starting lineup for the first time this season and it paid off. His calmness on the ball and ability to play line breaking passes adds so much to the team. He leaves space on the left back, as he drifts into midfield but having a player like Declan Rice balances things. It seemed like he made everything click more, when he was on the field and might just be what Arsenal have missed the first 3 games. 7

Declan Rice: 10/10

RICE RICE BABY! An outstanding performance from a player that seems like he’s played for Arsenal all his career. A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about Rice in which I asserted that he is already one of the finest defensive midfielders globally. I mentioned that if he could enhance his offensive contributions, he had the potential to become the absolute best in his position. Today, he demonstrated that he possesses that extra dimension in his skill set, and I have no doubt he'll continue to find the back of the net this season. With Partey sidelined due to injury, his primary responsibility will be to anchor the midfield in front of the defense and limit his forward ventures. Nevertheless, when he did push forward today, he showcased his remarkable ball-playing abilities. With his performance today I have to pull out the first 10 of the season. That game has already payed off his big price tag to me.

Martin Ødegaard: 8/10

The Arsenal skipper delivered a commendable performance, highlighted by his goal in the first half. It's becoming a trademark Ødegaard goal, as he consistently positions himself on the edge of the box to cap off attacking plays. I can recall him scoring two similar goals at home against Chelsea last season. His performance today was noticeably enhanced by having White at right-back, which made everything on the right-hand side feel more fluid and cohesive. He looked tired towards the end and got substituted, a very good performance, nevertheless. 8

Kai Havertz:  6/10

This player has been at the center of attention over the past week, with many fans struggling to discern what he brings to the team. I hope today's performance shed some light on his contributions and that fans will give him the time and support needed to acclimate to a new team and role. Throughout the match, he consistently found himself in promising positions, particularly in the first half when he missed a significant chance, and in the second half when the penalty was awarded. It's evident that he's currently grappling with a lack of confidence, but hopefully, his first goal will arrive soon, providing a foundation upon which he can build. Arteta mentioned in the post-match interview how he took a considerable amount of time to win over his wife, emphasizing that good things come to those who are patient. Hopefully, a similar scenario will unfold for Havertz and Arsenal fans. I would rate Havertz a 6 for his performance in Sunday's match. Promising signs again but not quite clicking, yet.

Bukayo Saka: 6/10

I must be honest and say that Saka didn’t have his best game today and I really thought he should have been substituted in the second half. He had a lot of sloppy passes and bad touches and just seemed a bit off today. He had a massive chance to make it 2-1 and really should have scored, to finish off a beautiful move by The Arsenal. That move reminded me of Wenger ball and THAT goal against Norwich. Hopefully he can bounce back after the international break, in fact Im quite sure he will. 6

Eddie Nketiah: 7/10

Eddie got the start again ahead of Jesus and you can’t blame Arteta for it, he’s been sharp in the first 3 games. He didn’t get any goal contributions today, but he worked his socks off and won many duels. I’ve said it previously and I’ll say it again, I don’t think there’s many backup strikers out there who I’d swap for Eddie. 7 

Gabriel Martinelli: 8/10

Massive performance from Gabi today, he was a constant threat and kept causing trouble for the United defence, with his speed and dribbling. Set up Ødegaard for the equalizer in the first half with a brilliant cut back pass. He has 2 assists now from the first 4 games and hopefully his first goal of the season will come soon too. A big 8 he gets.

Subs:

Fabio Vieira: 7/10

That’s two games in a row now, where Vieira has come on and made an impact on the game. He looks comfortable in that left 8 role, where he finds some good angles to utilize his brilliant passing ability. He did exactly that to set up Gabriel Jesus for Arsenal’s third goal. A promising start to this season for Fabio. 7

Gabriel Jesus: 8/10

How good is it to see Jesus back in full fitness? He looked so sharp when he came on, his dribbling, body control and finishing is top. While Eddie is good, Jesus is a different player who has that X factor. The way he faked Diogo Dalot before finishing to make it 3-1 was beautiful. Can’t wait to see more of him after the international break. 8

Takehiro Tomiyasu: 6/10

Came on for Zinchenko in the 76th minute and did what he had to do, which was to add more defensive stability. He’s not as good on the ball as Zinchenko but more solid when defending. I think we’ll see him come on a lot this season for Zinchenko, to see out games. 6