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LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 07: Wayne Rooney of Manchester United reacts to having his shot saved by Petr Cech of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on May 7, 2017 in London, England.  (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 07: Wayne Rooney of Manchester United reacts to having his shot saved by Petr Cech of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on May 7, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

EPL Table: 2017 Week 36 Standings After Sunday's Premier League Scores

James DudkoMay 7, 2017

Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday to keep alive their hopes of finishing in the Premier League's top four and qualifying for next season's UEFA Champions League.

The Gunners stay sixth but are now just two points behind United and six behind fourth-placed Manchester City, having played a game less than both.

Meanwhile, United appear content to focus entirely on winning the UEFA Europa League to earn a place in Europe's top club tournament next season.

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Earlier, Liverpool went back above Manchester City into third but still dropped two precious points after a goalless draw against Southampton at Anfield. The hosts had the chance to win, but James Milner saw a second-half penalty saved by Fraser Forster.

Liverpool could rue the dropped points, as they are now just five above United, with the latter having a game in hand. It means the Red Devils could still catch the Merseysiders in the top-four race.

Here are the final scores from Sunday's matches:

HomeScoreAway
Liverpool0-0Southampton
Arsenal2-0Manchester United

Here's what those results mean for the standings:

PositionClubPlayedWonDrawnLostGoal DifferencePoints
1Chelsea3526354381
2Tottenham Hotspur3523844877
3Liverpool36201062970
4Manchester City3520963369
5Manchester United35171442465
6Arsenal3419692463
7Everton361610101958
8West Bromwich Albion3512914-445
9Leicester City3512716-943
10Southampton3411914-542
11Bournemouth3611916-1342
12West Ham United3611916-1442
13Stoke City36101115-1341
14Burnley3611718-1440
15Watford3511717-2140
16Crystal Palace3611520-1538
17Swansea City3610521-2835
18Hull City369720-3334
19Middlesbrough3551317-1928
20Sunderland356623-3224

Recap

Goalkeepers were on top early on at the Emirates as both stoppers made a pair of fine saves apiece to keep the score goalless.

First, United's David De Gea was in terrific form to deny Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Meanwhile, Arsenal 'keeper Petr Cech saved from Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney, with the latter stop particularly impressive.

In truth, United had begun the brighter, controlling the passing and moving the ball well through midfield. To illustrate the point, Squawka Football relayed a graphic showing how efficient United's pass-masters were early on:

By contrast, the Gunners took time to get their passing going. Arsenal's struggles on the ball were summed up by the lack of involvement by the man tasked with leading the line, former United striker Danny Welbeck:

When Arsenal did improve, it was Ramsey who led the charge. The Welshman consistently pushed further forward against increasingly deep United defensive lines.

Ramsey's team-mate, Granit Xhaka, also gained in confidence as the half wore on, spraying several passes over the top to release runners on the flanks. Oxlade-Chamberlain was the most common beneficiary of the Switzerland international's pinpoint deliveries.

It was the former Borussia Monchengladbach man who brought the game to life after the break when his long-range shot took a wicked deflection off Ander Herrera and looped over De Gea in the 54th minute.

Sky Sports Statto relayed an image of Xhaka's strike:

The Gunners doubled their lead three minutes later when Oxlade-Chamberlain lifted a cross in for Welbeck, whose header went in off the underside of the bar.

Welbeck has established a niche for scoring against his old club since joining Arsenal in 2014, per WhoScored.com:

Ironically, the Gunners aren't always known for their prowess in the air, but they have made a surprising habit of scoring from headers this season:

As for the provider, one more assist emphasised the improvement in the creative side of Oxlade-Chamberlain's game this season, per OptaJoe:

Ultimately, beleaguered Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger earned his first league win over United chief Jose Mourinho without too much fuss.

Meanwhile, Liverpool thought they had finally broken a resolute Southampton defence down when centre-back Jack Stephens handled in the box on 64 minutes. Milner, usually automatic from the spot, stepped up but was denied brilliantly by Forster.

Sky Sports Statto relayed an image of the snap save:

Forster's heroics were simply the signature moment of a stubborn rearguard action from the visitors. Saints funnelled Liverpool though central areas, where compact defensive and midfield lines denied space between midfield and the front.

Instead, the hosts were reduced to shots from distance, with Squawka Football detailing how often Liverpool peppered the Southampton goal:

Even so, Liverpool couldn't find the breakthrough in front of the Anfield faithful. Failing to score in front of their home support is a rarity for Liverpool on manager Jurgen Klopp's watch:

However, not finding the net has been a familiar pattern for the Reds against these Saints this season. OptaJoe outlined how inefficient they have been against Southampton in league action:

Meanwhile, Sky Sports Statto showed how Saints, who also beat Liverpool in both legs of the EFL Cup semi-final, have become a bogey side for the men from Anfield:

Liverpool's Southampton hoodoo could yet end up costing them a place in next season's UEFA Champions League. By contrast, Arsenal may still make the top four but must take maximum points from their remaining fixtures.

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