The stage was set in N5, as 60,000 fans piled through the turnstiles of Emirates Stadium for the first time in the history of the Barclays Women’s Super League.

Arsenal prepare to bounce back from a trough of form, as the Gunners search to solidify their position in a race for European qualification. Jonas Eidevall’s side have had a difficult history with Manchester United, not claiming victories in five of they previous meetings with the Red Devils.

Childhood Gooner, Leah Williamson, sadly misses the clash due to a hamstring issue, as former Red Devil in Alessia Russo makes way for Stina Blackstenius in Eidevall’s starting eleven. Emily Fox flies stateside to join the US Women’s National Team, seeing her consequent absence from the match day squad.

Minimal changes for Marc Skinner’s side, as Jayde Riviere misses the fixture due to a persistent bothering injury, with Gemma Evans entering the starting eleven in her place.

ARS: D’Angelo; Catley, Wubben-Moy, Codina, McCabe, Wälti, Pelova, Little, Lacasse, Mead, Blackstenius

MUN: Earps; Evans, Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell, Zelem, Toone, Naalsund, Garcia, Geyse, Parris

All was underway at Emirates Stadium, as a deafening roar flooded the atmosphere in N5. Manchester United captain Katie Zelem got proceedings underway from the spot, as the visitors provided the first touch of the afternoon.

It would be the visitors that had the first real look, as a mistimed back pass to Sabrina D’Angelo saw Geyse break to an advantage. Laia Codina’s blocking run saw the Spanish defender fouled, though no card was awarded in the opening minutes of the fixture.

The home side saw their first opportunity on the attack, as Steph Catley found Cloe Lacasse roaming in the wide area. Despite expert footwork allowing the Canadian forward to evade her marker, Lacasse’s searching cross was easily cut out by a tracking United last line.

Catley looked threatening once again, claiming the wide area with assertive authority. The Australian’s cross in the box looked to arrive at the feet of Beth Mead, before a stretching challenge from Gemma Evans saw the ball out for a corner. The Gunners would break the deadlock in the 10th minute of play, as a deadly corner from Mead saw a disorganised Red Devils outfit look flustered inside of the area. Mead’s corner took a deflection from Geyse, as both Le Tissier and Earps failed to clear the danger. The own goal saw the Gunners open the scoring in N5 with just ten minutes elapsed.

Mead looked electric on the wing, sending Gemma Evans both ways before letting her arrow fly with her non preferred foot. The English international’s strike deemed promising, before an excellent defensive header from Millie Turner allowed the ball to fly behind for a corner.

It would be Stina Blackstenius who was awarded her opportunity next, as Lacasse’s clever header-on saw the Swedish forward progress with conviction. Her footwork deemed satisfactory in claiming the territory, though her shot-off was collected by a stretching Earps.

Geyse stormed the width with conviction, as the Brazilian forward carried possession up the length of the half. Her attack looked to be promising, before brave defending by Lotte Wubben-Moy saw her dispossessed inside of the area.

The home side looked to be controlling the tempo, as another breakthrough came in the form of an advancing Victoria Pelova along the right side. Her searching cross was mistimed by Blackstenius, though Zelem’s moment of error would prove to be detrimental for the Red Devils. A blundered clearance fell to the head of an unmarked Lacasse, as the Canadian forward made no mistake in providing the finishing touch to send Earps’s net rippling.

The Gunners continued to push on, as Mead once again gained possession inside of the area. Lazy body positioning saw Evans clip the feet of the forward, as the referee signalled to the spot for an Arsenal penalty. Cool, calm, and collected from the spot was the Arsenal skipper, as Kim Little sent Earps flying to slot home the third of the afternoon.

Pained cries came from the away end, as the travelling fans berated their manager as he walked down the tunnel at the half time whistle.

Play was back underway at Emirates Stadium, as the home side kicked off proceedings from the centre spot. The first half started as an even arm wrestle, as Manchester United began to find slight rhythm in their press.

Lucia Garcia would be the one to catalyse the attacking motion, as the Spanish forward worked the line with intent. Her cross found the head of an advancing Parris, though the English forward’s header was mistimed and flew over the woodwork.

Geyse looked to make up for her first-half blunder, as the Brazilian forward did brilliantly to work past a tracking Catley along the field’s right side. Ignoring calls from her teammates inside of the area, Geyse’s strike marginally deflected out and behind for a corner.

On the field’s other end, McCabe held possession before sending a whipping ball in to the danger zone. Despite the best efforts of a chasing Blackstenius, McCabe’s cross was well anticipated by Earps between the posts.

Manchester United proved to look disorganised again, as the Gunners continued to subject them to persistent nightmares inside of the area. Earps stood stagnant as Mead took her strike, only narrowly denied by a retreating Maya Le Tissier.

Emirates Stadium erupted as the fourth official’s board indicated a substitution in the 65th minute, as Alessia Russo took to the stage in red and white.

A break in play was delivered in N5, as Steph Catley put her body on the line for a crunching challenge inside of the area. Catley came off second best with a dangerous knock to her head, though the Matildas defender was luckily able to get to her feat to make her way to the dug out.

Play continued in predictable fashion, as Marc Skinner’s Manchester United outfit were persistent in being unable to answer the questions asked of them by the home side.

A fast corner saw Ella Toone make her presence known in the dying minutes, as she sent a searching ball to the back post area. Garcia made no mistake in providing the finishing touch, as the Red Devils added to their tally in the fixture’s closing minutes.

Despite a late score from the visitors, Arsenal’s first half domination proved more than enough on the occasion, as the Gunners reigned victorious in a 3-0 domination over Manchester United at a sold out Emirates Stadium.

The loss places Manchester United seven points away from European qualification, as Marc Skinner will now have to scramble up a solution to a very precarious situation.