Fernandes leadership and United spirit earns a point on afternoon of frustration for Arsenal
Manchester United 1 Arsenal 1
This was almost Arsenal’s missed opportunity - until Declan Rice intervened.
A point gained or two dropped will be the subject of debate for the red half of north London following this tetchy 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in front of 73,812 fans.
The Gunners had plenty of the ball and dictated matters in this contest, and they will perhaps feel more disappointment.
Frustration too, for Mikel Arteta, as his 200th Premier League game in charge of Arsenal did not end with victory as expected.
Manchester United, for their part, this was a display borne more of character against a context of widespread unrest and a long casualty list.
Bruno Fernandes’ free kick in first half stoppage time put United ahead against much of the run of play before a tremendous strike by Rice from the edge of the penalty area in 74 minutes drew the Gunners level.
There were warm exchanges between Arteta and United chief Ruben Amorim on the touchline before kick off, Amorim putting a brave public face on despite a raft of injuries and forced to select a widely inexperienced substitutes bench. Yet, all things considered, the former Sporting Lisbon supremo will be satisfied with his team overall.
Against a backdrop of warm weather in the north west, Arsenal fans were in fine voice at the outset. “We won the league in Manchester” evoking memories of days gone by, when, in the early noughties this was an elite clash. Somehow, these days that sense of imperiousness has withered, most certainly for United.
Indeed, having lost to another London side, Fulham, who dumped them out of the FA Cup on penalties a week earlier, the sense among the home rank-and-file was one more of resignation than anger. Such is how the stock of Manchester United has been set adrift and fallen, through little fault of Amorim.
Opportunity
This was an opportunity for Arsenal to establish some purpose, irrespective of Liverpool’s comfortable status at the top of the table.
United had early difficulties dealing with the Gunners’ intricacies and Mikel Merino probably should have done better than to pull a left foot shot just wide of the post with nine minutes gone.
Arsenal moved with considerable stride, hustling Fernandes – one of the few shining lights at Old Trafford this term - in possession. Encamped in the hosts’ half, Martin Odegaard and Rice dictated play while Thomas Partey offered physicality against United counterpart Casemiro.
Still, Arteta appeared concerned that none of this general control was being translated into genuine scoring opportunities. The chance to amplify rumbles of discontent in the Old Trafford crowd – where a fan protest against the Glazer ownership took place nearby pre-match – was not being seized. Possession across the bulk fo the first half for the sake of it.
For a game which has historically been packed with proper box office, powderkeg moments, this time and these days, sparks were notably absent as the opening period drew to a close. Luckily there more of the old flavour in the second half.
Mere possession counts for nothing. And Arsenal’s casual manner was, given the one way nature of the half, ironically, punished just before the break.
With Leandro Trossard conceding the set piece 20 yards out, Fernandes stepped up to curl into the corner of the net. A peachy strike from United’s classy captain which lifted Old Trafford spirits, while the Arsenal fans looked stunned.
The key question was: could Arteta arrest some of the complacency at the interval, while injecting more urgency from his players?
Rice, unmarked in the edge of the United penalty area, could only volley a corner over the bar when he should have at least hit the target. A rather symptomatic note of the Gunners’ edginess until the equaliser.
Lively
With 53 minutes gone, and susceptible to a lively counter attack to the Red Devils, buoyed by Fernandes, Arsenal keeper David Raya managed to deny Noussir Mazraoui with his shin after the United midfielder had made a lung-bursting run into the box.
Arteta sent on Myles Lewis -Skelly and Gabriel Martinelli for Riccardo Calafiori and Nwaneri for what was hoped for a change in energy from the north Londoners.
However, the eagerness was coming from United, who had gradually found themselves and a sense of renewal. Joshua Zirkzee was stretching the Gunners backline, and a neat back heel nearly resulted in a second United goal.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s confidence returned, albeit very slowly, with Lewis-Skelly looking positive – but was an equaliser imminent?
Odegaard fluffed a free kick from a decent position. There was a sense that Arsenal were building up to something special.
Finally, the leveller came – and it was top quality. Jurrien Timber did the groundwork on the right side, before picking out Rice, in acres of space and unmarked. The England international curled a fine shot past United keeper Andre Onana which went into the net with the aid of the post.
Rice was outstanding throughout. A tackle on Rasmus Hojlund just as the United substitute was about to pull the trigger from a great central position, was one of those which can inspire an entire team to enhance their concentration levels in the crucial latter stages.
Nibbled
United came back, and Alejandro Garnacho was always a threat. Amorim’s men nibbled away and caused Rice and the rest concern across more breathy fare.
Arsenal could have snatched the points at the end - and they only have themselves to blame.
Martinelli driving the ball over the bar in added time when he should have netted the winner summed up so much of the Londoner's day. They made life difficult for themselves in the final third. Clearly a more ruthless striker would have made capital – an issue Arteta is only too aware of.
Nevertheless, a draw was a fair outcome – a shaft of light for a beleaguered United.
Gunners: Raya, Saliba, Partey, Gabriel, Timber, Odegaard, Trossard, Merino, Calafiori (Lewis-Skelly 58), Rice, Nwaneri (Martinelli 58)
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