Curtis Mayfield’s Move On Up blasts out at the Emirates. Wenger grins on the sideline, Van Gaal stares bemused in to the distance. Arsenal were scintillating in the opening 20 minutes and the game was out of United’s reach by the time they woke up and began playing. They dominated possession in the second half but too many players under-performed and Arsenal defended well. What a terrific day for the North Londoners – they enter the international break in second, splitting the Manchester teams with City leading. Thanks for reading. Until next time – ahem, the Madrid derby in 40 minutes – goodbye!

90 min +2: From the goal-kick Arsenal head for one more attack and Oxlade-Chamberlain comes so close to a late fourth, finding only the crossbar in his way after a deft chip over an onrushing De Gea.

90 min +1: Blind sends a heavy pass in out of play. Cech will take his time over this goal-kick.

90 min: There will be two minutes added on.

89 min: Wilson makes progress through the centre before finding Martial. He ends up on the floor again but, admirably, does not look for a penalty – again he simply lost his footing. The ‘olés’ are out from the Arsenal fans now.

87 min: At the opposite end Rooney finds row Z, capping his own dismal showing.

86 min: Giroud has a big chance to cap Arsenal’s performance with a typical Giroud goal – unmarked with the result already decided – after Oxlade-Chamberlain’s square pass sets him up perfectly. The Frenchman shoots tamely at De Gea.

83 min: The final minutes should – should – be played out without too much action. Although Valencia has won a corner following a deflected attempt from range. That’s taken short and United go back to passing in a U-shape.

81 min: And United’s final change sees James Wilson make his first appearance of the campaign. Juan Mata comes off.

80 min: Third Arsenal change sees Sánchez hobble off clutching his groin but with a standing ovation from the home support with Kieran Gibbs on in his place.

78 min: United dawdle in a defensive area and Carrick, being closed down, leaves a pass to De Gea short and the keeper has no option but to hack in to touch.

77 min: Arsenal are sitting back deeper and deeper with each passing minute but the manner in which they are keeping United at bay, allowing them the ball in unthreatening areas, is quietly impressive.

75 min: Giroud is coming on for Walcott, who has been terrific and looks disappointed to be coming off. Oxlade-Chamberlain enters the fray in place of Özil, another of Arsenal’s impressive performers.

73 min: Arsenal break. Özil finds Monreal advancing on the left and feeds him. The defender steadies before returning the pass to the Germany midfielder but his shot is easy for De Gea.

72 min: United continuing to dominate possession but all Mata can muster is a shot that floats over from 20 yards.

70 min: United work it across the edge of the box. Gabriel is not focused but Schweinsteiger’s pass towards Fellaini is misjudged and the move breaks down.

68 min: Carrick’s pass finds Schweinsteiger eight yards out via a slight Rooney deflection but the German does not anticipate the ball’s path and his first touch is poor, allowing Cech to come out and deny the former Bayern player.

66 min: Smalling is almost caught out by Walcott on the edge of the area. There are sighs from the crowd who realised a yard or two more and the Arsenal striker would have been straight through on goal.

64 min: Valencia fouls Sánchez and United’s spell of territorial dominance is ended for a moment at least. Wenger has switched Arsenal to a 4-5-1 now.

62 min: Rooney has a shot … Cech is down to save well. The ensuing corner from Mata is headed away by Coquelin at the near-post. The tide has very much changed now. United are suddenly dominant. But can they be picked off on the counter if too many push forward?

60 min: Martial dribbles in to the area and eventually ends up on the deck under pressure from Gabriel. Arsenal fans boo but, to be fair to the United striker, he is not looking for a penalty. The ball had run out of his control.

58 min: And when committing so many forward they are now more culpable to be punished on the counterattack. Ramsey and Walcott break but the move ends when the former cannot get his shot away just inside the United box.

56 min: United are at least being competitive now. They are committing people forward and have lots of possession without really getting in to good positions to work Cech. Tthere are too many performing poorly still, not least Rooney.

55 min: Martial wins a corner. Young takes it and tries to find Fellaini but Arsenal clear. They break on the left through Özil. The German reaches halfway and is met by a cynical shove from Rooney. He is the latest to be booked.

52 min: That United free-kick comes to nought and Arsenal are back on the attack. Carrick is soon booked for chopping down Ramsey on the edge of the area. Özil’s attempt comes off the wall and his rebound, headed for the bottom left, is deflected for a corner.

51 min: Coquelin booked for taking down Rooney, who is furious. If anything he should be angry with himself. On a better day he would have been past the Arsenal player but had taken a poor touch which allowed Coquelin the opportunity to tackle in the first place.

49 min: Better from Young. He cuts in from the left and gets past Ramsey. But his shot from 25 yards is easy for Cech.

47 min: Valencia’s first act is to give away possession, trying to find Fellaini in front of him on the right.

Two United changes at half-time: Depay and Darmian are hooked, Fellaini and Valencia have come on.

45 min: There will be two minutes added. Arsenal don’t want it to end, certain United players will be desperate for respite.

44 min: Just as I say that Martial has a chance to turn inside the area after Mertesacker lands on his arse when trying to cut out Darmian’s cross from the right, but Martial shoots straight at Cech and the keeper saves.

43 min: United play the ball around in a U from right then back before going left. Then back from the left and to the right. And again. And once more. Eventually Young crosses from the left and Gabriel heads away. This has been such a terrible performance from United, however, that a spell in possession even with nothing to show for it is a positive.

41 min: It cannot be long before Arsenal fans starting ‘olé-ing’. This is a butchering.

40 min: More catching practice for Cech as Rooney floats a dismal cross from the right in to his hands.

39 min: Mata concedes possession cheaply with a square pass. Walcott wins the ball, Özil then passes back to him as he runs at the defence. The shot is scuffed, though, and drifts harmlessly wide.

37 min: Rooney has the ball on the edge of the area with a couple of passing options either side. Instead he chooses to chip tamely towards goal. Cech would have had time to do a dozen sit-ups before the ball floated welcomingly in to his hands. Rooney has been awful.

35 min: So close to a fourth! Ramsey volleys over in unorthodox fashion after Sánchez sent a tasty cross from the left corner of the box. Unsurprisingly, Walcott and Özil had roles in the build-up.

33 min: Arsenal momentarily fall asleep. Rooney, in an offside position but allowed to continue, sends a low pass across goal. Mertesacker cleans up by ponders and Martial almost gets behind him to rob possession three yards from goal. There are some groans from the home support but the danger is cleared after a second of worry.

31 min: There have been some excellent performances from Arsenal here, not least from Sánchez, Walcott and Özil but Cazorla has yet to put a foot wrong in central midfield. He is making Schweinsteiger and Carrick look bang average.

30 min: Darmian joins Young in the book for a drag on Sánchez who had raced past the United defender, chasing a long ball forward.

26 min: United press very high and string some slick passes together. Martial takes possession on the left and sends a low cross in, Mertesacker concedes a corner. It’s taken short to Blind. He delivers a deep cross towards Smalling but it is half cleared. Rooney recycles and overhits another pass in the direction of Depay, who cannot keep the ball in and Arsenal’s fans cheer a throw-in.

25 min: This is getting silly. Sánchez floats a pass to Cazorla. He heads it over Schweinsteiger’s head before running round him, chesting it down and shooting narrowly wide from 25 yards. They have had three shots on target!

23 min: Ashley Young is having a nightmare too, though has not had much protection from Depay in front of him. He is booked for a hack on Ramsey a few yards inside United’s half.

17 min: United attempt to push forward a little for the first time. Blind nicks possession after a wayward pass from Bellerin. It’s worked from left to right but the move ends with Schweinsteiger hitting a mid-range pass that is easily cut out by his compatriot Mertesacker. The visitors come back on the attack down the right but Darmian’s cross is poor and Arsenal have a goal-kick.

Swansea lead Spurs in the other 4pm game – Ayew giving the hosts the lead.

15 min: Why are Arsenal unable to play with such fizz all the time though? Sure this has been encouraging and hugely impressive so far, but 15 minutes of top quality does not fix the wider issues. Anyway, the game has slowed a tad now. Young shanks an attempted pass forward in to touch and Bellerin takes the throw deep in Arsenal’s half; three passes later Cech boots clear.

11 min: Now how can United get back in to this? An opportunity to put a succession of passes together wold be a start. Arsenal presently passing it calmly around the back.

Shouldn’t have had that fourth pint, lads

10 min: United still look all over the place. They have not had a sniff of the ball yet. And Arsenal are buzzing.

4 min: That corner results in a second. Cazorla to take after Anthony Taylor warns the players to keep their hands off each other. When taken it is cleared to Coquelin who is stationed on halfway and the hosts recycle possession. Eventually the move ends when Cazorla sends a floating pass over the defence towards Sánchez but his header is wide.

3 min: Arsenal come right back at United though, and Sánchez wins a corner off Rooney on the right.

2 min: Promising start from Arsenal. Sánchez cuts in past Darmian and the ball is worked to Walcott. He drifts back wide where Darmian fouls him. Cazorla’s ball in is punched away by De Gea.

Here come the teams! Arsenal, of course, in red and white. United in their change strip of black with some strange white pattern on the bottom of the shorts.

And another mail from Robert Muggeridge … “Alan, I was at the game on 1st Feb 1958 just before the Munich air crash and Utd won 5-4. The same would be good today! I was 13 then” Nine goals would be amazing! I’ll take three or four, mind.

An email from Tom Harp: “Young again at right back - direct opponent Sanchez? This is either a masterstroke by LVG or an act of sheer lunacy. I fear the latter.”

Is Young not unfairly maligned? Sure he’s not a world beater but he can be quite good when the fancy takes him and was one of United’s better performers last season.

The Merseyside derby has finished 1-1. See how it unfolded with Jacob Steinberg’s minute-by-minute report.

Throughout Premier League history, for football only started in 1992-93, this fixture is the most storied. Yet an argument could be made that it no longer possesses the same allure as before. Patrick Vieira v Roy Keane, pizza, and of course Wenger v Ferguson – the current battles do not quite live up to the same lofty billing.

However, it remains one of the first fixtures we all look for when they are published each June. And this particular duel could be an especially fascinating one. More so because of Arsenal and Arsène Wenger. Again questions are being asked over whether the Frenchman is past his sell-by date. He is 66 next month and not too many seasons remain – yet despite all the previous success, essentially transforming the club, the average fan’s short-term view indicates that it is time for change. “I haven’t decided [about retiring] yet. I think it can be more instinctive and impulsive than that,” Wenger said on Friday. “I’ve heard [other managers say] so many times, ‘Next year I will retire,’ and then they continue or go somewhere else. I think one thing is for sure: when I retire, I will really retire.”

Of more pressing concern for Wenger is how poorly his team are performing. There were more holes in their defence than a block of Swiss cheese in the Champions League defeat to Olympiakos – a loss which leaves them with a mountain to climb to progress from a group that also includes Bayern Munich – and up front their options are a perpetually injured Danny Welbeck, converted winger Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud. None of those will win you a league title – and that’s at the crux of many unhappy Arsenal fans’ argument. They had further reason to be exasperated when Wenger revealed he was waved away by Monaco when enquiring about Anthony Martial.

“I was surprised they sold him,” Wenger also said on Friday. “The amount of money was massive. I believe that you could think that, if you are Monaco, you could have sold him as well next season. So I thought they would not sell him this year because they sold many other players. I thought they would maintain their word. He was not sellable. He was not on the list. He was one of the players Monaco did not want to sell, so we never made an approach for him. Only an acceptable amount of money after could do it. We always liked him, even when he was in Lyon.”

Wenger will not like his compatriot any longer, you sense, if Martial continues his fine start to life at United. The 19-year-old has four goals and an assist from his six appearances and has proven a real handful, perhaps even alleviating the pressure from Wayne Rooney’s shoulders as he continues his erratic start to the season. Let’s not forget that victory here will see Louis van Gaal’s team return to the top of the table before the international break.

Kick-off in North London is 4pm. Team news to follow. Strap in!

In the meantime read Daniel Taylor on Wenger from today’s Observer.

They used to have a joke at Arsenal, going back to the 2014 FA Cup final, that Arsène Wenger spent more time working on their yellow carnations than on tactics for the game. It was a bit of a cruel joke given that Arsenal actually won that final. But there was an extraordinary amount of faffing about, apparently, over Wenger’s boutonnières. The florists were called and there was all sorts of toing and froing before he ticked everything off. Then the football started and, after eight minutes, his team were two goals down to Hull City.