Arsenal moved second in the Premier League table after a rousing first-half display helped them to a 3-0 win over Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.

Goals from Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil inside the opening seven minutes gave the Gunners a two-goal lead against a shell-shocked United side.

The Chilean then added a third on the 20-minute mark as Arsenal defended stoutly for the remainder to see out their morale-boosting win.

Here, Sports Mole reviews how the points were won in North London.

Match statistics

ARSENAL
Shots: 12
On target: 5
Possession: 38%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 8

MANCHESTER UNITED
Shots: 9
On target: 5
Possession: 62%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 17

Was the result fair?

Undoubtedly. By virtue of the fact that it took the visitors some five minutes to get out of their own half, it was clear that Arsenal were the hungrier of both sides right from the get-go. Ignore United's possession. It was by design. The hosts purposely invited pressure from the second half onward and broke on the counter-attack in a tactic that almost yielded two or three more goals. It was a richly-deserved three points.

Arsenal's performance

Arsenal fans staged a protest over ticket prices outside the Emirates beforehand, but those supporters will have briefly forgotten about their cause within half an hour of kickoff. This was worth the price of admission. 'Twenty's Plenty' was emblazoned on the pickets - and 20 minutes was all Arsenal needed to take a stand of a different kind.

In his pre-match press conference, manager Arsene Wenger suggested that his troops could not call themselves title challengers if they failed to beat rivals Manchester United at home. Whether they can go the distance remains to be seen, but Wenger's men certainly did enough at both ends of the field to somewhat vindicate their manager's lack of activity in the transfer market. He was questioned by pundits and fans over his rationale, but he is right: Arsenal, on their day, are certainly a threat and his reluctance to strengthen during the summer looks a lot less shameful on the back of this.

He called for a response after their midweek shambles in losing 3-2 to Olympiacos here, but even Wenger could not have envisioned what would follow this evening. With five minutes gone, United had still not got out of their own half. It was one-way traffic and Arsenal deservedly went ahead when Ozil's right-footed cross was beautifully flicked home by Sanchez at the near post. One minute later, it was two, with the slinky Ozil starting and finishing the attack as he side-footed past a rooted David de Gea after great work from Theo Walcott. The visitors had no answer and Sanchez, in an acre of space on the left-hand side, picked up Walcott's stretched pass before slamming a wonderful effort past De Gea into the top corner on 20 minutes. It was the Chilean's sixth goal in eight days, but none were better than that.

At the other end, Petr Cech saved well from Anthony Martial's close-range effort just before the break. It was a major moment in the match, given the timing of the save. After the break, the Gunners reminded the Premier League of how solid they can be at the back. Per Mertesacker and Gabriel had not played together often, but the duo were superb at the heart of Arsenal's defence as they mopped up everything that came their way.

They could, and probably should, have fattened their lead, with Ozil and Olivier Giroud - who replaced the tireless Walcott - missing good chances, before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain clipped against the crossbar late on. It did not matter, though. The points were secured inside 20 minutes and the way in which Arsenal scored the goals, and then defended them, is a major plus point in an unkind week. Title contenders? Who knows, but with Chelsea stuttering, and leaders Manchester City relatively inconsistent, few would doubt that Arsenal are not good enough to challenge.

Manchester United's performance

Louis van Gaal might well cite fatigue as a leading factor in this result, having highlighted the fact that Manchester United had played six games in 18 days prior to kickoff, but lethargy cannot excuse them over what happened in the first 20 minutes.

It was a considerably erratic defensive display from United, who simply gave Arsenal's danger men far too much space and paid the ultimate penalty. The game and the points were long gone by the time they woke up. It was not dissimilar to the start they made at Southampton last month, but the road back was three times as treacherous on this occasion.

One major moment came right at the end of the first half when Martial could, and should, have reduced the arrears in timely fashion. The 19-year-old has rightly courted praise for the way in which he has adapted to Premier League life, but that was a chance begging to be converted. Van Gaal's charges dominated possession after the break but they needed magic - a spark.

The arrival of Marouane Fellaini for the ineffective Memphis Depay helped, but he was never going to provide that magic. Wayne Rooney struggled for an influence in the playmaker role, while Juan Mata, who was exceptional in the Champions League win over Wolfsburg in midweek, failed to scale the same heights this evening as United huffed and puffed, but that door never looked like being blown down.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Mesut Ozil: Sanchez bagged two goals. Walcott bagged two assists, but Ozil reminded his critics of his brilliance with a truly exceptional display.

Such stellar performances have been few and far between since his £42.5m move from Real Madrid in 2013, but if the German schemer can strike that level of display in the lesser games, on a regular basis, it would go a long way for Arsenal on the road to a first title since 2004. He also looked disappointed to be subbed, which is likely to please fans who have long questioned his heart.

Biggest gaffe

Matteo Darmian has been one of Manchester United's better pre-season recruits thus far, but he was far too weak in the challenge in the lead up to Arsenal's third and killer goal as Sanchez brushed him off en route to smashing past De Gea.

Referee performance

Anthony Taylor is not fondly remembered on these shores by Arsenal fans, but the referee did little wrong this evening. He issued a yellow card to four players in all and none of them challenged him to bring out a red one. Quiet evening overall.

What next?

Arsenal: Wenger and co are back in action on Saturday week due to the international break, when they travel to Watford for a London derby.

Manchester United: Also returning on October 17, United resume the domestic calendar with a tricky trip to Everton.