(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Arsene Wenger's final match at Old Trafford as Arsenal manager ended in defeat as a stoppage-time header from substitute Marouane Fellaini earned Manchester United a 2-1 Premier League win yesterday. Paul Pogba had given United a 16th-minute lead before Henrikh Mkhitaryan, signed from United in January, brought Arsenal level, six minutes after the interval. It looked like a youthful, mostly second-string Arsenal side had earned a respectable draw before Belgian Fellaini nodded in a deep cross from Ashley Young to grab all three points for Jose Mourinho's side and secure their Champions League place.
The Arsenal manager, who will leave the club at the end of this season, has not tasted victory at United for 10 years and Wenger has never managed to win away against a Mourinho team in the Premier League. Wenger, who clinched the league and Cup double at Old Trafford in 2002, was centre stage before the game as he was presented with a gift by former United manager Alex Ferguson and Mourinho, and the Frenchman was warmly applauded by the crowd.
But while the past was being generously acknowledged, Wenger also had an eye on the near future. With a trip to Madrid to face Atletico on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, poised at 1-1, Wenger rang the changes, bringing in several fringe players and handing a debut to 21-year-old Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos.
It was the youngest side put out for a Premier League game by Wenger in nearly seven years but with the Europa League offering the only chance of Champions League football for whoever takes over from Wenger next season, it was an understandable choice. With no Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey or Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal were relying on younger players to show their promise but ran the risk of a heavy defeat against a full-strength United. There were glimpses of that promise in the opening stages but it was United who drew first blood when Pogba burst through the midfield and fed Romelu Lukaku whose cross was headed against the post by ex-Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez and Pogba was on hand to convert.
The Gunners got their equaliser, though, six minutes after the restart when Mkhitaryan was given too much space and allowed to run at the United box before beating David de Gea with a well-placed low shot. Fellaini was brought on to add height and physical presence for United and — not for the first time — that approach worked. The Belgian rose to head in Young's cross and keep Mourinho's side firmly on course for a second-place finish. They are five points ahead of third-placed Liverpool but 16 adrift of champions Manchester City with three games left.

Records keep tumblingto relentless Man City
Earlier, champions Manchester City equalled the record of number of wins in a Premier League season with a 4-1 victory at West Ham United and they are closing in on more milestones. With the title wrapped up two weeks ago, City's perfectionist manager Pep Guardiola has been keen to keep his players motivated and prove they are one football's elite sides.
'I'm happy we will receive the Premier League trophy and (have) the chance to be the best team in history in England, with the most points, Guardiola said. 'We are going to try to do it next Sunday and get the record of 96 points at home when we receive the trophy in front of our people.
After beating West Ham, City are on the verge of another record. With 30 wins, they are level with Chelsea's number of victories in one campaign which they achieved last season. City have also now equalled the record set by Chelsea in 2004-05 for away wins in a Premier League season but they are not done yet. With three games left, City need two goals to set a new record for goals scored in a Premier League campaign, the 103 Chelsea netted in 2009-10.

MENAFN3004201800670000ID1096789587