Declan Rice delivered heroics at both ends of Old Trafford to earn Arsenal a dramatic 1-1 draw against Manchester United.
The hosts looked on course for a morale-boosting victory thanks to Bruno Fernandes’ controversial free-kick, which the United captain had clipped in after referee Anthony Taylor set the Arsenal wall back 11.2 yards, according to broadcast technology, rather than the minimum 10 yards.
That was their first shot on target but United had chances to add to that lead when David Raya brilliantly saved close-range efforts from Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee and Arsenal’s toothlessness in the final third gave the home fans hope of back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.
The Arsenal wall was measured 11.2 yards away from the ball instead of the regulation 10 at the free-kick which Bruno Fernandes scored from
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Bruno Fernandes’ stunning free-kick fired Manchester United in front against Arsenal
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Declan Rice was left all alone to fire Arsenal level with Manchester United
But Rice brilliantly whipped in Jurrien Timber’s cutback to level the match with 16 minutes to go and then, moments later, slid in when sub Rasmus Hojlund was clean through, 15 yards out and primed to end his 20-game goal drought with a winner. Rice celebrated the tackle almost as emphatically as the goal.
During a frantic finale, Gabriel again denied Hojlund with a sharp intervention in the box before fit-again Gabriel Martinelli skied over a parried shot and was relieved to see an offside flag go up. A double save from Raya capped off the incredible drama at the end of a game which had been billed as a ‘nothing match’ for both sides.
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David Raya’s stunning stop denied Man Utd a last-gasp winner
Ultimately, the draw does little for either in terms of their Premier League campaigns, with Arsenal now 15 points behind leaders Liverpool. The table-toppers need a maximum of 16 points from their final nine games to wrap up the title. Man Utd only edge back up to 14th.
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Speaking after the 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League, Paul Merson, Roy Keane and Jamie Redknapp discuss whether Arsenal’s bid for the Premier League title is over
But it served to underline Arsenal’s desperate need for a No 9 – despite their goal-fest against poor PSV in the Champions League.
And it was also perhaps a performance to put some confidence into Ruben Amorim’s United side, ahead of their crucial Europa League last-16 second leg with Real Sociedad back here on Thursday.
The United supporters, who had protested against the club’s ownership and treatment of fans before, during and after the game, cheered their team off and will go into that tie with hope now.
Arteta bemoans attacking ‘inefficiency’
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Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta is left frustrated by his side not being clinical enough to take three points against Manchester United
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta:
“We’re frustrated not to win the game, especially with everything we did in the first half, how we dominated every aspect of the game. We lacked the last pass, the last action.
“In the second half we tried to generate the momentum, we scored the goal, they couldn’t get out… we opened the door for them to maybe win the game. The reality is David [Raya] saved us.
“Today the efficiency in the last 20 metres wasn’t good enough. At the end you have to capitalise when a team is so dominant. Today we didn’t. Then you have to overturn a [scoreline] which we know how difficult it is to do that here.”
On whether the title race is over: “I don’t want to say that.”
Merson: Merino looks lost and I worry for Arsenal
Sky Sports’ Paul Merson:
“[The win over PSV] covers over the cracks. Before that, they scored two late on against Leicester, who let in goals from everywhere, and didn’t look like scoring against West Ham and never looked like scoring against Nottingham Forest.
“You are playing in the top league in the world and you are one of the top teams in the league but you have no centre-forward.
“You are asking Merino to go up there and play. He got two against Leicester but you will not win the league with him up front. He looks lost up front, he will not give you a presence.
“It is so important to have a centre forward. No team wins anything without a centre-forward, Arsenal are suffering.
“It is a worry now until the end of the season. I look at the games and they need to score goals but there are no goals in them. Man City have some nice fixtures coming up, they are in fifth at the moment and could catch Arsenal.”
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Gary Neville believes Arsenal’s decision not to sign a striker in the last few transfer windows has cost them the chance to properly compete for the Premier League title this season
Amorim: We need more Brunos!
Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim:
“[Fernandes] steps up all the time. Sometimes he can show some frustration in some moments, which can hurt him more than anybody, I can understand that, he wants to win.
“He’s always available to play in different positions, when we need a goal, a free-kick, an assist, he’s there. He’s a very good example for the other players.
“We need more Brunos, that is clear. Not just the character, the availability in this league. He is so decisive with the ball and without the ball.
“Leny [Yoro] has something in his foot, we’ll see if he’s available for Thursday.”
Keane: We used to get booed off for a draw!
Sky Sports’ Roy Keane:
“We used to get booed off for a draw. But there you go, how things have changed. Now they get cheered off. Amazing.
“Before the game, United would have been worried. It’s a decent draw for them and it showed some battling qualities.”
