Xhaka dives in and makes a rash, poor challenge on Baldock, earning himself a deserved yellow card.
87'
Arsenal are pouring men forward now as they look to go back in front. Martinelli wins a corner off Egan and tries to appeal for handball, but his claims are waved away.
83'
J. Fleck has scored a goal for Sheffield United!
GOAL!! SHEFFIELD UNITED ARE LEVEL!! Robinson stands a cross up to the back post and it deflects off the head of Maitland-Niles, who gets it away from his man. Fleck latches onto the rebound, however, and smashes a shot into the ground and past the dive of Leno! It's 1-1!
80'
A long ball comes into the box and Mustafi, under very little pressure, bizzarrely sends the ball behind for a corner.
78'
Pepe gets himself into the box down the right and fires at goal, but it's charged down and blocked away.
76'
M. Bešić enters the game and replaces C. Basham.
Basham now makes way for Besic as Wilder makes a positive final change in an attempt to salvage something from the game.
75'
Nketiah makes an instant impact, using his pace to chase down a loose ball at the byline and fire across the box, but with nobody there. He then pops up on the opposite flank and looks to cross towards Martinelli, but it's blocked and he then lashes a wild effort over the bar.
74'
E. Nketiah enters the game and replaces A. Lacazette.
That proves to be Lacazette's last action as he makes way for young striker Nketiah, who Arteta has decided to keep at the club following a loan spell at Leeds United.
72'
A sweeping move down the left sees the ball cut back towards the onrushing Torreira on the edge of the box. He's bundled over as he gets to it and the free kick is in a very promising position for the Gunners.
Minute
Description
70'
Basham then fires wide from the right side of the box as Sheffield United surge up the other end. Arsenal would have been furious if that had gone in!
67'
C. Robinson enters the game and replaces J. Lundstram.
Lundstram now goes off for Robinson in a positive, attacking change by Wilder.
65'
Arsenal have been quite comfortable in the last few minutes. Sheffield United's press has lost a little of its intensity as legs begin to tire.
63'
A corner falls to Lundstram right on the edge of the box and he strikes it on the volley, but he leans back and skies it over the bar.
61'
Ozil slides a splitting pass through from right to left, but it's a fraction ahead of Martinelli, who just can't keep the ball in play at the byline.
59'
Pepe is sent away down the right and is isolated against O'Connell. He feints and turns to work half a yard before lifting a cross into the middle for Lacazette, but it's cut out just before it reaches the Frenchman.
56'
B. Sharp enters the game and replaces L. Mousset.
Mousset goes off for veteran striker Sharp up front in Wilder's first change of the day.
54'
Pepe then has a pop of his own from distance after linking up with Lacazette, but his effort is charged down.
52'
David Luiz fires high and wide following Ozil's cross from the free-kick as the loose ball lands at his feet outside the area. A bit of a wild strike. Sheffield United then try to counter down their left, but the final ball is too close to Leno, who smothers the chance.
51'
G. Baldock gets yellow.
Baldock now does pick up a yellow card for a robust challenge on Saka again. The teenager burst past Lundstram and Baldock made sure to halt his progress.
50'
Saka is down holding his face after Baldock appeared to catch him with a stray arm. It wasn't intentional, and there's no booking. The Arsenal youngster looks like he will be fine to continue as well.
48'
Leno takes a risk on the ball as he's closed down by McBurnie, but gets away with it as he cuts past the striker in the box and plays forward.
46'
We're back under way for the second half!
45' +2
HALF-TIME: ARSENAL 1-0 SHEFFIELD UNITED
45'
Gabriel Martinelli has scored a goal for Arsenal!
GOAL!! ARSENAL TAKE THE LEAD!! The Gunners put together a lovely move down the left that sees Lacazette feed Saka, whose deflected cross into the middle finds Martinelli, arriving late to turn home at the back post! It's 1-0 to Arsenal!
43'
Sheffield United are sitting off a little now as the half draws to a close. Arsenal are finally enjoying a spell of possession but the Blades have set up in a compact shape in their own half that the Gunners are struggling to break down.
41'
Pepe makes a bursting run in the centre-forward position as Lacazette receives on the right wing, but the angle never opens up for the pass and the Frenchman opts to keep possession rather than risk a hopeful punt over the top.
39'
There has been a lack of goalmouth action at either end in the last few minutes as the game starts to get bogged down in midfield.
37'
O'Connell then blazes high and wide from outside the box. That was a rather speculative effort.
35'
Arsenal are persisting with playing out from the back despite intense pressure from Sheffield United. They've committed several bodies forward to try and disrupt the Gunners and prevent them from building from deep.
33'
Torreira takes a ball to the face and stays down in a heap. Medical staff rush on to treat him and his nose is bleeding. He looks a little groggy, but appears to be able to carry on.
31'
Arsenal are starting to attempt more intricate combination play and mount some pressure on Sheffield United, but Torreira then tries a dipping effort from distance that Henderson deals with comfortably.
29'
Norwood latches onto a loose ball on the edge of the box and swings a boot at it, but he sends it high over the bar.
27'
Sheffield United are pressing with intensity in the Arsenal half and it's proving effective. They are winning the ball back high up the field with regularity.
25'
Arsenal start to mount some pressure as Martinelli's cross is flicked behind for a corner. Possession is recycled following the set-piece, but a wayward pass out of play from Xhaka allows the Blades to regroup.
23'
Leno dallies a little on the ball as he's closed down by Mousset and the goalkeeper's eventual clearance takes a nick off the striker on the way through. A second later and he might have been dispossessed.
19'
McBurnie is down and Arsenal put the ball out of play. Referee Mike Dean jovially informs the onrushing medical staff that the striker has hurt himself in a rather sensitive area.
17'
Arsenal are trying to build from the back but are having mixed success with the tactic. It's still something the Gunners have yet to fully get to grips with.
15'
Arteta does not look pleased with how his side have started this game. Arsenal have failed to control proceedings and have struggled to get out of their own half.
11'
Arsenal are on the back foot at the moment as they scramble to deal with a barrage of balls into the box. Sheffield United are pouring men forward.
6'
Mustafi tries to shield the ball out of play and is tackled at the byline by McBurnie. The loose ball falls to Stevens, who tries to cross low into the box, but Torreira gets in the way to divert it behind for a corner.
4'
O. Norwood gets yellow.
Norwood clatters late into Lacazette and gets none of the ball, earning him an early yellow card.
1'
We're under way at the Emirates!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Premier League fixture between Arsenal and Sheffield United at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal are in real need of a win as the gap between themselves and the top four continues to grow. However, they face a Sheffield United side who have had an impressive season so far and sit four points ahead of the Gunners in sixth.
Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Bernd Leno; Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Shkodran Mustafi, David Luiz, Bukayo Saka; Lucas Torreira, Granit Xhaka; Nicolas Pepe, Mesut Ozil, Gabriel Martinelli; Alexandre Lacazette.
Arsenal substitutes: Emiliano Martinez, Eddie Nketiah, Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding, Matteo Guendouzi, Dani Ceballos, Joe Willock.
Sheffield United XI (3-5-2): Dean Henderson; Chris Basham, John Egan, Jack O'Connell; George Baldock, John Lundstram, Oliver Norwood, John Fleck, Enda Stevens; Oliver McBurnie, Lys Mousset.
Sheffield United substitutes: Michael Verrips, Billy Sharp, Callum Robinson, Ben Osborn, Kieron Freeman, Phil Jagielka, Muhamed Besic.
Blades boss Chris Wilder makes just one change from the team that beat West Ham 1-0 last time out. Mousset starts up front alongside McBurnie in place of the injured David McGoldrick, who is Sheffield United's only unavailable player at present.
Arsenal haven't been at their best, but they have shown flashes of their quality in the final third and Martinelli in particular has shown a knack for arriving in the box at the right time to get on the end of a chance. Sheffield United have pressed well and caused the Gunners problems, but they have yet to truly capitalise on their positive play.
Arsenal face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next, while Sheffield United host reigning Premier League champions Manchester City.
Thank you for joining our coverage, we hope you enjoyed the game. Until next time, goodbye!
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