Key events
48 min: Just to reiterate, Saka did indeed go off at half time.
46 min: Martinelli has taken a stray hand in the face – perhaps a finger in the eye – from Baldock, who has just come on. It was accidental, but it looks like Martinelli is in some pain.
Second half kick-off!
Three changes for the hosts: Baldock, Osula and Brooks on for Sheffield United. McBurnie, McAtee, Davies off. That’s four changes in total for the Blades now.
Saka off for Arsenal, Fábio Vieira on.
“Somehow, this is probably all Carlos Tevez’s fault, isn’t it?” emails Oliver.
Sure, Sheffield United have not been good. But this is also the kind of performance that will make genuinely Manchester City and Liverpool take notice. The fluency of Arsenal’s attack has been sensational.
Liverpool and Manchester City to play out a hard-fought 2-2 draw next Sunday, perhaps?
“The next pundit to claim there are “no easy games in the Premier League” should be forced to watch this on repeat!,” emails James Carpenter.
Don’t forget to read today’s Jonathan Wilson:
Or today’s Sid Lowe:
“I’m still uncomprehending of the lack of a yellow when Martinelli was, quite literally, aikido-thrown to the ground preceding Havertz’ goal,” writes Alex Whitney. “Considering some of the soft yellows given this season, that is simply indefensible. Referees have the toughest job on the pitch, no doubt, but the lack of intent re: consistency is remarkable.”
Yes, I agree, that was an appalling foul.
“Havertz hasn’t featured too much in your comments given the clinic being put on by Saka and Odegaard,” says Allan Castle. “But what a game he’s having. That bit of midfield holding-up he did prior to the Martinelli goal, his own finish, that knockdown ruled out for offside… a player transformed from the early days after his arrival.”
“A long suffering but for now a quite contented Gooner from Nairobi,” writes Manoah Jones. “Having suffered through the City and Liverpool wins over the weekend, it’s nice for the shoe to be on the other foot.”
Next weekend, that is: A reminder that Arsenal will play Brentford at the Emirates on Saturday night, with Liverpool v Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.
“I don’t understand all this hype about Saka,” writes Malcolm Shuttleworth. “Apart from scoring loads of incredible goals, and making dozens and dozens of goals, and being outstandingly brilliant, what has he ever done for Arsenal?”
“Of course Arteta should empty his bench,” emails Ron Stack. “It’s not just saving the starters’ legs, it’s preventing the kind of injury that would be inevitable if my Spurs were playing.”
He should. Of course he should. But will he?
Half time! Sheffield United 0-5 Arsenal
As Alan Partridge once said of his leaving party at the Linton Travel Tavern: “I think that went quite well.”
45 min +3: Perhaps we’ll have a chance to get philosophical after half time, and reflect on how the increasingly imbalanced and grotesque Premier League is now all about the “haves” and the “have-nots”. Arsenal and Manchester City, for example.
45 min + 1: I can exclusively reveal that Arsenal haven’t scored a goal for a few minutes now. They knock it around in midfield for a few seconds. Odegaard spreads it left … Jorginho then floats a ball looking for Havertz on the right. The German volleys an attempted cross which is blocked. He wants a penalty for handball but nothing doing.
45 min: We’ll have five minutes of added time, minimum, at the end of the first half.
It’s going to be one hell of a team talk for Chris Wilder, isn’t it?
45 min: The Sky commentator, Seb Hutchinson, tells us a team has never been 6-0 up at half time in the Premier League era.
44 min: Should Arteta empty his bench at half-time, and save the legs of Saka etc. for the rest of the run-in?
43 min: I’ll tell you what this is. It’s a classic Premier League title-race STATEMENT OF INTENT from Arsenal.
41 min: Odegaard and White link up and the wing-back is nearly in. A desperate challenge brings a corner.
Saka belts an ambitious effort from an angle.
40 min: Of course, it’s not just Saka. But he’s been the main instigator, the main tormentor of this poor Sheffield United defence. Martinelli and Odegaard have been outstanding too.
Saka is tearing Sheffield United apart. He is making this look so easy. He takes a pass and runs to the byline and cuts back for Rice, who emphatically buries a right-footed shot in the far corner. The celebrations are suitably passionate. Arsenal know they will have a chance to go top against Brentford next weekend.
Goal! 39 min: Sheffield United 0-5 Arsenal (Rice)
And another!
38 min: Looks like Trusty’s been taken off Saka duty. He’s tucked in more centrally now.
Sacked from Saka duty, I guess.
35 min: Saka again gets on the move down the right channel, a little more centrally this time. He slides a pass through the lines for Martinelli. Martinelli’s effort is deflected out for a corner by Robinson. This really is liquid football from the Gunners.
The corner is played to Odegaard on the edge. He crosses, but the hosts deal with the danger very well.
33 min: Arsenal ping the ball around in an advanced area. Some big-time Charlie tries a too-cute flick and the move breaks down. But the Gunners soon get it back. From Sheffield United’s point of view, it would be nice to have some kind of outlet in attack. But they have very little. Basically nothing.
32 min: Again, I’m going to write that Arsenal haven’t had a sight of goal for about two minutes, which probably means they’re about to score.
There’ll be people on Twitter, or X if you prefer, bantering about 4-0 being a dangerous scoreline.
31 min: “Hi Luke, forgot this game was on,” emails Antony. “Now you’re wondering exactly what my role is at Sheffield Utd, right?”
30 min: “This may be abject humiliation for Chris Wilder but he’s seen worse,” emails Niall Mullen. “One time, and I’m not making this up, a fella ate a sandwich near him. If he got through that then surely he can get through this.”
29 min: Bogle is booked for a foul on Ødegaard. Arsenal have a free-kick in a dangerous area that Rice will take.
26 min: As you can see at 23 min, I was about to write how Sheffield United had relieved the pressure somewhat, at least for a couple of minutes. They won a free-kick in an advanced area, and everything. But then that. Four-nil, and it’s not even half an hour gone.
There was a futile professional foul on Martinelli after he sent Havertz in on goal for the fourth. Sheer desperation that sums up Sheffield United’s evening thus far.
Goal! 25 min: Sheffield United 0-4 Arsenal (Havertz)
United cough up possession around halfway. Martinelli feeds Havertz. Haverts runs into the penalty area, with the defence nowhere, and cracks a stunning low finish into the far corner.
23 min: The relentless pressure has been relieved on the … oh, no it hasn’t. Wait a sec.
21 min: What we’ve seen so far is a perfect storm of a confident, on-form, well-coached, hungry outfit, against opponents who are desperately short on confidence in defence, having conceded five goals three times in the past several weeks.
Rice now has a crack from distance. Grbic beats out the shot. Havertz then has a chance to shoot, swivelling and hitting a half-volley from what they call a “second ball” in Sunday League footie. Grbic saves.
The third goal, by the way, was a fluent counterattack down the Arsenal left. Martinelli exchanged a smart one-two with Jakub Kiwior and took his shot early. It took a deflection into the net, which is not what you need when you’re already 2-0 down … There was the proverbial acres of space in the home defence though.
