Not a mutinous flypast in sight on this, Arsene Wenger's first competitive win over Jose Mourinho at the 15th time of asking.
Manchester United loyalists may claim they had their shadow XI out, but it still contained enough quality to get a result. Juan Mata, Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Ander Herrera, Michael Carrick, David de Gea — and Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard after the second went in, by which time it was too late.
Inescapably, though, the best team won. United had good chances in the first half, but Arsenal dominated the second, even if the goal that broke the deadlock came from a fortuitous deflection.


The second was quality — Danny Welbeck's third goal in consecutive games against his former club. Do you think he might bear the tiniest grudge?
Leaving aside the personal battles — Wenger versus Mourinho, Welbeck versus the departed Louis van Gaal — this was a big win for Arsenal for another reason, restoring their outside hopes of earning a place in the Champions League, if Liverpool continue to falter.
True, they still need to win all their games in hand, and even then would be a point short of what is needed — but Liverpool are losing momentum at the wrong time and Arsenal's remaining fixtures are relatively benign. Southampton and Stoke away. Sunderland and Everton at home. Build on this, exert a little pressure and who knows? Hope springs eternal.