Arsenal run riot, United struggle in Europe

Manchester United’s scoring woes were on display again as the English powerhouse laboured to a 0-0 draw at AZ Alkmaar in another poor display in the Europa League yesterday. Arsenal had no such problems, with teenage forward Gabriel Martinelli scoring twice in a 4-0 win over Standard Liege.

United have not scored more than one goal in any of their last eight matches in all competitions, and the latest setback will only increase the pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to get the team’s attack firing again.

Arsenal manager Unai Emery may have unearthed a real gem in Martinelli, though, as the Brazilian has now scored four goals in two starts for the club. Against Liege, he netted twice within two minutes early in the first half and set up another goal for Dani Ceballos in the second.

Gabigol on target

Martinelli is making quite an early impact at Arsenal.

The Brazilian headed home Kieran Tierney’s cross 14 minutes into the game before hitting the net from inside the area two minutes later after collecting a pass from another teenager, Reiss Nelson.

Martinelli also netted twice in his first start for the club in the English League Cup last week.

Joe Willock scored six minutes later to put the result beyond doubt, sending home a deflected shot by Nelson.

Martinelli was a constant threat throughout and came close to a hat-trick several times in the second half. In the 57th, he chipped the ball for Ceballos to score his first goal for the club.

In the other Group F game, Frankfurt recovered from their 3-0 home defeat to Arsenal by earning a 1-0 win in Vitoria.

In Luxembourg, the Group A game between Dudelange and Azerbaijani club Qarabag had to be suspended in the first half for after a drone flew over the pitch carrying what looked like an Armenian flag. The drone incensed Qarabag players, who tried to hit it with the ball.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are in a territorial dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Play was suspended for about 15 minutes with Qarabag leading 2-0, but play was later resumed.

Another Premier League club, Wolverhampton Wanderers, secured their first win of the campaign as Willy Boly scored deep in stoppage time for a 1-0 win at Besiktas.

Sevilla, Celtic, Lazio, Feyenoord, Eindhoven, and Espanyol also all won.

Yesterday’s Europa League results:

Group A

Dudelange 1-4 Qarabag

Sevilla 1-0 APOEL

Group B

Lugano 0-0 Dynamo Kiev

Malmo 1-1 Copenhagen

Group C

Krasnodar 1-2 Getafe

Trabzonspor 2-2 Basel

Group D

Rosenborg 1-4 PSV

Sporting 2-1 LASK

Group E

Celtic 2-0 Cluj

Lazio 2-1 Rennes

Group F

Arsenal 4-0 Standard

Vitoria 0-1 Frankfurt

Group G

Feyenoord 2-0 Porto

Young Boys 2-1 Rangers

Group H

CSKA 0-2 Espanyol

Ferencvaros 0-2 Ludogorets

Group I

Olexandriya 1-1 Gent

St Etienne 1-1 Wolfburg

Group J

Basaksehir 1-1 M’Gladbach

Wolfberger 1-1 Roma

Group K

Besiktas 0-1 Wolves

Braga 2-2 Bratislava

Group L

Astana 1-2 Beograd

Alkmaar 0-0 Man Utd