(Football news) Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Martin Odegaard scored for Mikel Arteta’s team, who also benefited from an own goal by Jayden Bogle, in another first-half annihilation, just weeks after they had put six past West Ham United without answering.

Ben White also managed to register a goal as Arsenal became the first team in England’s top four divisions to win three straight away league games by a margin of at least five goals. Chris Wilder’s appalling charges went into damage limitation mode in the second half.

Just two minutes had passed when Saka struck the crossbar with a close-range attempt at Ivo Grbic’s near-post, raising the first warning flag for Sheffield United. Martinelli was then denied by the Croatian goalkeeper in the second half. 

However, Grbic was powerless to prevent the floodgates from opening in the fifth minute, as after some smart link-up play from Jorginho and Martinelli on the right, Rice advanced to the byline and cut back for Odegaard – via the help of a slight deflection – and the Norwegian found the net with a simple side-footed finish.

The captain’s opener would be a harbinger of doom for the Blades, who found themselves two down in the 13th minute as Saka soared past former teammate Auston Trusty and fizzed a cross into the six-yard box, where Bogle inadvertently back-heeled the ball into his own net.

Another two moments passed before the men in yellow and black had their third, as after a rapid counter-attack, Martinelli played a one-two with Jakub Kiwior and saw his curling shot creep in at the near post; Grbic was deceived by a nick off of the legs of Anel Ahmedhodzic.

Martinelli’s effort was the 300th Premier League goal Arsenal have scored under Arteta in his 161st top-flight game in charge – only Pep Guardiola (120), Jurgen Klopp (142) and Manuel Pellegrini (149) achieved a treble century in quicker time – and with the Trusty left-back experiment ending in disaster, a stone-faced Wilder brought on Ben Osborn for Oliver Norwood in a 16th-minute tactical change.

The captain’s opener would be a harbinger of doom for the Blades, who found themselves two down in the 13th minute as Saka soared past former teammate Auston Trusty and fizzed a cross into the six-yard box, where Bogle inadvertently back-heeled the ball into his own net.

Another two moments passed before the men in yellow and black had their third, as after a rapid counter-attack, Martinelli played a one-two with Jakub Kiwior and saw his curling shot creep in at the near post; Grbic was deceived by a nick off of the legs of Anel Ahmedhodzic.

Martinelli’s effort was the 300th Premier League goal Arsenal have scored under Arteta in his 161st top-flight game in charge – only Pep Guardiola (120), Jurgen Klopp (142) and Manuel Pellegrini (149) achieved a treble century in quicker time – and with the Trusty left-back experiment ending in disaster, a stone-faced Wilder brought on Ben Osborn for Oliver Norwood in a 16th-minute tactical change.

James McAtee broke free in the 20th minute during a rare Blades attack into the Arsenal half, but his long-range drive flew into the stands behind David Raya’s goal, sending the supporters into a frenzy as their team soon celebrated their fourth goal at the opposite end.

Ahmedhodzic begged for a foul by Havertz, and when his appeal went unanswered, the Sheffield United captain threw Martinelli to the ground in sheer frustration. However, referee Sam Barrott took advantage of the situation, letting Havertz move into the box and find the far side of the net with a neat finish across Grbic’s goal.

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