Rashford’s second-half brace gave Manchester United their fourth consecutive win with a 3-1 triumph over Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Antony, the £82.2million arrival from Ajax, marked his United debut by opening the scoring against the run of play in the 35th minute, although the impressive Bukayo Saka poached a deserved equaliser for the Gunners with an hour played.
Parity lasted only six minutes as an astounding through-ball from Bruno Fernandes with the outside of his boot released Rashford to beat Aaron Ramsdale.
There was a repeat dose 15 minutes from time, with Fernandes again the architect as he threaded a pass to Christian Eriksen, who left the England forward with a tap-in.
Eriksen was not so clinical during the opening exchanges when he volleyed wide from Diogo Dalot’s cross. Arsenal were the better side at that stage and thought they had the lead in the 12th minute.
Saka slipped through the sort of pass with which Fernandes would later bring about the Gunners’ downfall. Gabriel Martinelli found a finish to match but a lengthy VAR check correctly ruled Martin Odegaard had fouled Eriksen in the build up.
United benefitted from the ‘let it flow’ initiative referees are implementing in the Premier League this season, with Paul Tierney playing advantage when Fernandes was brought down by Gabriel. Rashford slipped a pass into Antony’s path and the Brazil winger found a cool left-footed finish to spark bedlam inside Old Trafford.
Displaying their newfound poise under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal stuck to their slick football and, after Odegaard and Saka went close, the latter levelled when the loose ball from Raphael Varane’s challenge on Gabriel Jesus fell to him inside the box.
But the Gunners’ old frailties in these encounters then re-emerged as Bruno twice picked them off and Rashford benefitted. An apparent muscle strain soured the England forward’s afternoon late on but United are up to fifth in the table, just two points behind champions Manchester City and Tottenham, who face each other next weekend.
Arsenal remain a point ahead of those two, but all eyes will now be on whether they can find a different reaction after an away day against a fellow heavyweight produced an all too familiar scoreline.
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