Arsenal dealt a blow to Manchester United’s hopes of a top-four Premier League finish as Nuno Tavares, Bukayo Saka and Granit Xhaka struck in a 3-1 win on Saturday that revived the home side’s chances of Champions League football next season.

Arsenal were rewarded for their blistering early pace as Tavares tapped home in the third minute after United goalkeeper David De Gea pushed away a curling effort by Saka, following some poor defending by the visitors at The Emirates.

Saka doubled the Gunners’ lead from the penalty spot after a foul on the winger in the build-up to a strike by Eddie Nketiah that went in but was ruled out as offside by VAR.

United’s sluggish display overshadowed fleeting moments in which they threatened, though the visitors got one back as Cristiano Ronaldo swept in Nemanja Matic’s cross.

The Portuguese forward’s 100th Premier League goal came after a traumatic week personally after the death of one of his newborn twin babies.

United improved in the second half but their woes deepened as skipper Bruno Fernandes, who had a dismal game, hit the post with a poor effort from the penalty spot following Tavares’ handball, before a 70th-minute thunderbolt from Xhaka sealed the win for the Gunners.

“It’s a big performance in a game that had everything. We created chances, we had to suffer, there were moments when we lacked energy and they were on top, we were efficient in the boxes, we had luck,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta told BT Sport, adding that the fight for fourth place was going to be tight.

Jesus nets four

Four goals from Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus earned Manchester City a 5-1 win over relegation-threatened Watford, a victory that moved Pep Guardiola’s side four points clear at the top of the standings.