Manchester United held on with 10 men after Paul Pogba’s late dismissal to beat Arsenal 3-1 in a pulsating game at the Emirates Stadium.
While goals from Antonio Valencia and Jesse Lingard inside 11 minutes, and a further second-half strike from Lingard, showed United at their best, Pogba’s crude ‘studs-up’ lunge at Hector Bellerin revealed another side in the 75th minute.
The Frenchman deservedly received a straight red card and will miss three games, including next week’s derby against City.
Until Pogba’s dismissal, everything had looked perfect for United, for whom David De Gea was outstanding and was beaten only by Alexandre Lacazette just after the interval.
“What I saw today was the best goalkeeper in the world,” said Jose Mourinho, who “did not know” what to make of Pogba’s dismissal and would leave it to the television pundits to decide.
Liverpool took advantage of Arsenal’s first home Premier League defeat in 13 games to move fourth after thumping Brighton & Hove Albion 5-1.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have now scored 15 goals in four away games in all competitions.
The German made even more changes than his team’s goals, leaving out six from the side who beat Stoke City 3-0 in midweek.
Liverpool were not weakened and after stand-in centre-half Emre Can put them ahead with a bullet header, Roberto Firmino hit a double, Philippe Coutinho scored from a free kick and Brighton’s Lewis Dunk headed into his own net.
With the visitors three up, Glenn Murray’s 51st-minute penalty was not enough to spark Liverpool’s usual defensive jitters.
