Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, speaking to Match of the Day, said: "The set pieces changed the game. We could've been more aggressive towards the Arsenal box. Until the set pieces the game didn't have too many opportunities for both sides, the set pieces killed the game.

"They can put a lot of players near the goalkeeper and it's almost impossible to fight for the ball but we have to manage to defend them and we already know we have to be better.

"We were committed and we lost to the set pieces. If Matthijs [de Ligt] can score in that moment the momentum would be different. We tried to play but they are a very organised team and it's hard to score. I felt the players were in control of the game, the set pieces changed the game in the second half."

Image source, Getty Images

By a quirk of the fixture list, Arsenal do not leave London for the rest of 2024. They visit Fulham next Sunday, while their only other away fixture in December is at Crystal Palace on the 21st.

Manchester United meanwhile host Nottingham Forest this weekend, then travel to Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League a week today. All this builds up to the pre-Christmas blockbuster - Man City v Man Utd on 15 December.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, speaking to Match of the Day after the 2-0 win over Manchester United: "A special day - 500 games in this stadium. We scored two set pieces, but we could have scored from open play many more. We lost two massive players for us in our backline but the team are still responding.

"The game opened up a little bit and we looked a real threat. Very pleased. It's a joy to play in this stadium with that energy, it's something incredible."

On the Gunners' threat from set pieces: "It was one of the best [set-piece performances], we could have scored more and I'm very pleased with that.

"The team has to have the capacity to score from many different situations and we could have scored in open play, but we scored from set pieces. We have to do our best to continue to play at this level we're playing at and continue to win matches."

Image source, Getty Images

After a month-long wobble between mid-October and mid-November which saw them faile to win in the league for four games, Arsenal are now firmly back in the saddle.

They have won their last three league games and previous four in all competitions, scoring 15 goals in the process.

So who is the person responsible for Arsenal's remarkable ability from dead ball situations?

That would be Nicolas Jover, the French coach in charge of Arsenal's set piece training.

Mikel Arteta has singled Jover out for praise previously. Speaking after Arsenal's 1-0 win at Tottenham in September - in which Gabriel scored the only goal from a corner - the Gunners manager said: “Him and the rest of the staff have injected the belief to the players that there are many ways to win football matches. This is a really powerful one and he has given us a lot. So a big ­compliment to all of them.”

Image source, Getty Images

Amazon Prime

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim speaking to Amazon Prime last night: "It's incredible, especially the way they change the games. Sometimes they are not dominant, and today you feel that in the game - was really divided, then set pieces can change a game."

A slightly cheeky comment from Dimitar Berbatov there, but he has a point - Arsenal's set piece prowess this season has played a huge role in keeping them in the title race.

Emma was at London Stadium on Saturday for Arsenal's 5-2 win at West Ham, and set pieces were key there too - Gabriel got them going with a 10th minute header, while they pressured Lukasz Fabianski into giving away a penalty for 5-2, just as it looked like West Ham might get back in the match.

So, are Arsenal the new Stoke? And is that a good thing - does the style of goals matter as long as they're going in and the results are coming?

Let us know your thoughts.

Dimitar Berbatov
Ex-Manchester United striker on Amazon Prime

This is the only league in the world where you have so many players around the goalkeeper pushing and shoving, you need to be strong.

Arsenal is the new Stoke City, right? It depends on set pieces, which can give you the win - as they did today.

Arsenal have scored more goals from corners (22) than any other team in the Premier League since the start of last season, with both of their goals against Manchester United coming this way. Ten of those have opened the scoring in a match, which is also a league-high figure in this period.

Alex Howell
BBC football news reporter at the Emirates Stadium

Arsenal scored twice from corners to comfortably beat Manchester United as Ruben Amorim suffered his first defeat in English football.

Defenders Jurrien Timber and William Saliba did the damage as Arsenal took advantage of Liverpool dropping points to trim their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Arsenal sit third with 28 points, level on that mark with Chelsea and seven behind Arne Slot's Reds.

The home side took the lead in the 54th minute when Declan Rice's corner was headed in at the near post by full-back Timber.

The Gunners then almost doubled their lead when United's Manuel Ugarte had to clear off the line after team-mate Joshua Zirkzee flicked on another Rice corner.

Saliba made sure of the win when Thomas Partey headed Bukayo Saka's corner against the French defender's back and the ball went past Andre Onana in the United goal.

Arsenal have become a force to be reckoned with from set-pieces under manager Mikel Arteta. Timber and Saliba's goals means they have scored 22 goals from corners since the start of last season, more than any other Premier League side.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool

Liverpool boss Arne Slot spoke about goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, on the Football Daily podcast: "He's done remarkably well for us, so so good in all these games, even today until the last minute, he was good for us. Unfortunately for him, he misjudged the situation where a right-footed centre back gets the ball 40 centimetres before the touchline, from a crazy angle and finds a way to score it. It was real unlucky for him and for us. We conceded three goals, the last one he could have done better probably but the first two, other players could have done a bit better."

Image source, Getty Images

Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea winger on the Football Daily podcast

You have to look at the Premier League in the last season or two, late goals are a massive part of the game. More than they have been at any time in history, I would suggest. You have to keep on going until the end. The first five minutes are as important as the last five minutes, so you keep on going.

What is about games between Newcastle and Liverpool that seem to bring out the goals?

For the second successive league meeting between these sides, there were six goals shared on Wednesday night. It follows Liverpool winning 4-2 when they last met, on New Year's Day.

In fact, this was the seventh time in Premier League history in which a game between the Magpies and the Reds featured six or more goals - going back to THAT game. You know the one. Collymore, Keegan and all that.

Here's the goal-fest league meetings through the years:

3 April 1996: Liverpool 4-3 Newcastle

10 March 1997: Liverpool 4-3 Newcastle

28 December 1998: Liverpool 4-2 Newcastle

28 December 2008: Newcastle 1-5 Liverpool

27 April 2013: Newcastle 0-6 Liverpool

1 January 2024: Liverpool 4-2 Newcastle

4 December 2024: Newcastle 3-3 Liverpool

Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea winger on the Football Daily podcast

To be honest, it was one of the best games I have seen this season. Look, there was a lot of goals flying around at the moment. There's a number of reasons for that, one of reasons is the number of tired players and it creates space and when you get space in a football field, good players will capital.

[Alexander] Isak was phenomenal, every time he got the ball in the first-half, he's creating chances, he was drawing players towards him, he was unstoppable with his dribbling. In the second-half [Mohamed] Salah said you can do that? So can I. He started doing the same as well. It ebbed and flowed, you thought Newcastle were the better side, then Liverpool, then it changed.

It was one of those classic games where you don't want it to end. I wanted it to be a cup game, I wanted another 30 minutes, it was great fun.

Image source, Getty Images

Here's how last night's Premier League results left the top half of the table.

Liverpool's cushion is slightly down, but still a comfortable seven points.

Image source, BBC Sport