Arsenal Declan Rice scored in the second half to level the game after Bruno Fernandes had opened the scoring with a free kick. However, Mikel Arteta’s side could only secure a 1-1 draw against Manchester United on Sunday, which dealt a significant setback to their hopes of winning the Premier League title.
Premier League Standings: Arsenal Slip, United Struggle
Arsenal, currently in second place, has not secured a victory in their last three Premier League matches, holding a total of 55 points and sitting 15 points behind first-place Liverpool, although they have a game in hand.
Manchester United has secured only one league victory in their last five matches and has managed just three wins in their last twelve, placing them 14th with 34 points.
First Half: Stalemate & Fernandes Stunner
The opening half was anything but a classic, with Arsenal looking to extend the momentum gained from their recent 7-1 Champions League victory over PSV Eindhoven. They controlled the ball, but both teams struggled to create meaningful opportunities.
Fernandes ultimately ended the stalemate just moments before halftime, against the flow of the match, with a stunning free kick that soared over the wall and eluded the diving efforts of goalkeeper David Raya. This marked the first occasion United held a halftime lead in a Premier League match since December 1.
Second Half Drama: Rice Responds, Raya Saves
The latter part of the match was significantly more exciting, featuring close calls for both teams, until Rice equalized in the 74th minute by connecting with a pass from Jurrien Timber and firing a powerful shot from the edge of the area past Andre Onana.
Rice gestured by raising a finger to silence the United supporters in the Stretford end.
There was some light-hearted football teasing exchanged between me and the supporters, Rice remarked. It’s a part of the field where I aim to get involved, and lately, I’ve been making more runs.
“I’ve had way more energy for making the off-ball runs, and the ball’s been dropping to me a lot mor,e and I’ve been creating a lot more chances.”
United’s defender Noussair Mazraoui placed his head in his hands after Raya extended a leg to stop his shot early in the second half.
Martin Odegaard was presented with a great opportunity at the opposite end when Arsenal set up a short corner for the Norwegian, but his attempt was tipped just over the bar by Onana.
While Raya might face some criticism for allowing a goal from Fernandes’s free kick, he ultimately ensured a draw for his team with an incredible double save in the exciting closing moments of the match. He managed to partially stop a shot from Fernandes and then had to quickly react to prevent the ball from crossing the line as it was rolling back toward the net.
The match concluded with both teams having an equal number of six shots on target.
Player Reactions: Rice on Form, Amorim Perspective
Scoring a goal without conceding first can energize the stadium, according to United manager Ruben Amorim.
Currently, our focus is on winning matches and maintaining our compactness. In the second half, we came very close to scoring a goal. We demonstrated strong competitiveness, which I believe is crucial. We moved forward instead of retreating.
United had suffered defeats in their last four Premier League matches against Arsenal, marking their longest streak of losses to the Gunners in league history.
Fan Protests: Anti-Glazer March at Old Trafford
The match began after around 5,000 supporters of United, predominantly clad in black, marched to Old Trafford to demonstrate against the club’s ownership, which has faced backlash due to the team’s inadequate performance on the field, increasing ticket prices, and job cuts.
Supporters shouted slogans and held up signs, one of which said: “Love United, Hate Glazers,” referring to the Glazer family, who owns United and is based in America.
The demonstration, coordinated by the fan group The 1958, commemorated a little over a year since British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe secured a deal for a 25% ownership in the club.
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