It was an enjoyable afternoon for Arsenal, as they got back to winning ways in the Premier League following last weekend's 2-2 draw with London rivals Chelsea. The victory sees them move them to within two points of North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the top of the Premier League.
The Gunners made four changes to the side that started at Stamford Bridge last weekend, with Eddie Nketiah, Jakub Kiwior, Kai Havertz and Emile Smith Rowe coming in for Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes , Martin Odegaard and Jorginho respectively.
Nketiah opened the scoring for Arsenal on the cusp of the 30-minute mark, beating Foderingham having been played in perfectly by Declan Rice.
The Arsenal forward bagged a second after Foderingham dropped a catch off the corner, leaving Nketiah to pounce on the loose ball and fire home for his brace.
The England U21's top-scorer secured his hat-trick with a sensational strike eight minutes later, turning away from his marker before unleashing from distance into the top left corner.
Fabio Vieira added to the Blades' woes from the spot with two minutes of regular time to go, having been adjudged to be brought down inside the penalty area after VAR intervention.
However, 10 minutes of added time allowed substitute Takehiro Tomiyasu to jump in on the action and score his first goal for the Gunners, having signed from Serie A outfit Bologna in 2021.
Story of the Match
First Half:
Although always in control of the match, the first 25 minutes saw a compact Sheffield United frustrate Arsenal, with them struggling to create openings against a resolute United defensive unit.
As so often has been the case so far this season, it was Declan Rice who was at the heart of the opener. The 25-year-old picked out Eddie Nketiah with a fantastic in-swinging pass, who turned with his first touch before firing past Wes Foderingham.
After taking the lead Arsenal played with more wind in their sails and almost doubled their lead through Gabriel Martinelli, who received the ball from Bukayo Saka just inside the penalty area, before shifting the ball onto his left-foot and forcing Foderingham into a fine save.
Second Half:
From the beginning of the second half there was a clear change in the pace of Arsenal's play, with the side moving the ball with a lot more zip and impetus from the off.
A fast start was rewarded when Nketiah grabbed his second of the match on 50 minutes after a Bukayo Saka was unsuccessfully gathered by Foderingham, leaving Nketiah to fire home his second of the afternoon into the top right-hand corner.
It soon turned into a dream afternoon for the 24-year-old, as he grabbed a first hat-trick of his club career, after receiving the ball from Smith Rowe and rifling the ball, from around 25 yards out, into the top left-hand corner to put Arsenal into a commanding three goal lead just shy of the hour mark.
Arsenal were able to manage the final 30 minutes of normal time to perfection, with a deflated and defeated Sheffield United side unable to offer anything going forward or show any composure in possession.
Fabio Vieira, who replaced Smith Rowe on 73 minutes, won his side a penalty with 88 minutes on the clock. The Portuguese midfielder took responsibility and stepped up to convert and add a fourth - dedicating his celebration to his wife who is pregnant with their first child.
At the end of the 90 minutes , the fourth official indicated a minimum of 10 added minutes, much to the despair of the United players.
A relentless Arsenal performance was capped off in the sixth minute of added time, when substitute Takehiro Tomiyasu converted following a Fabio Vieira corner to make it 5-0.
Kai Havertz, and most of the Emirates Stadium, thought that he had added a sixth in what was the last kick of the match, when he fired the ball into the side netting from a tight angle.
The Gunners were able to rest key players in Ben White, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka for a part of the second-half, something that will no doubt please boss Mikel Arteta ahead of another busy few weeks.
Player of the Match - Eddie Nketiah
There is only one candidate for player of the match - Eddie Nketiah.
The Hale End academy product was at the heart of everything good about Arsenal. Although his hat-tick no doubt being the stand out feature of his performance, his all-round play was exceptional.
The England International was able to demonstrate his strength with his hold up play against a physical Sheffield United side, while also showing an ability to drop deep and link play with the midfield - a customary trait of the man who he replaced in the side, Gabriel Jesus.
Nketiah spoke to Sky Sports post match and discussed his pride in scoring his first Premier League hat-trick, saying.
"Amazing, my first Premier League hat-trick, here with the fans, my family, my friends and my teammates. It's an amazing feeling so really happy with the three goals and the win."
He also spoke of his pride in wearing the captains armband after Bukayo Saka was withdrawn, saying:
"It was a dream come true. A special moment for me being a childhood fan, to captain the squad and to lead the team."
With Gabriel Jesus looking set to be sidelined at least for a few weeks, Nketiah will no doubt be given greater responsibility and opportunities.
