Arsenal entered the record books on Monday as their 6-0 demolition of Sheffield United kept the Gunners on Liverpool and Manchester City’s tails in the English Premier League title race.
Martin Odegaard, Jayden Bogle’s own-goal, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Declan Rice put the visitors 5-0 at halftime before Ben White rounded off the scoring.
Arsenal became the first side to ever win three consecutive away games in the English top-flight by five or more goals.
Photo: AP
“When we had the ball, we were in a good mood today,” Arsenal captain Odegaard said. “Created a lot, scored the goals early on — a nice performance.”
By contrast, Sheffield United also set a new record by becoming the first English top-flight side to concede five or more goals in three straight home matches.
“It’s a painful season and the boys are a damaged group of players,” Blades manager Chris Wilder said. “They were in a different league, a different planet to us. We couldn’t lay a glove on them.”
Arsenal’s stunning streak of 31 goals in seven consecutive Premier League wins since a winter break has at least built up a big advantage over their rivals should the title be decided on goal difference. They remain in third, just two points behind leaders Liverpool and one adrift of defending champions Manchester City.
However, Arsenal men can go top with victory at home to Brentford on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s showdown between Liverpool and City at Anfield.
“I love the way the team played. The quality and the aggression we showed from the beginning,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. “We have to continue to do what we are doing.”
There appeared little doubt over the outcome from the first whistle at Bramall Lane.
Bukayo Saka rattled the crossbar after just two minutes and what little resistance there was from the Blades ended just five minutes in.
Rice’s cross picked out the unmarked Odegaard to turn into the bottom corner.
Saka’s five-game scoring streak in the league came to an end, but he did bag two assists before going off at halftime due to illness.
The England international turned former Arsenal defender Austin Trusty with ease as he got to the byline and his driven cross flicked off Bogle into his own net.
Martinelli’s deflected effort quickly made it 3-0 and forced Wilder to make a change after just 17 minutes.
Ben Osborn replaced Oliver Norwood, but a change of shape did little to stem the bleeding for the hosts.
Havertz slammed home Arsenal’s fourth before Rice got in on the party by sweeping home Saka’s cross six minutes before halftime.
Only the sight of Martinelli hobbling off just after the hour mark blighted a perfect night for the visitors.
White rounded off the scoring with a cool finish from Havertz’s cut-back on 58 minutes as Arsenal matched their record Premier League away win, set just last month at West Ham United.
Wilder’s men remain rooted at the foot of the table, 11 points adrift of safety with 11 games remaining.
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