Arsenal failed to take advantage of a huge opportunity to open up a four-point cushion inside the Champions League places on Saturday, forced to settle for just a point in a 0-0 draw with Manchester United despite the Red Devils being reduced to 10 just past the hour. The Gunners created plenty of chances and really should've come away with the win but were let down by their finishing on a disappointing day out.
It was actually United who started the better of the two, with Fridolina Rolfo forcing Anneke Borbe, Arsenal's third-choice goalkeeper, into an outstanding save inside the first five minutes. However, after that, Borbe was essentially a spectator for this one, with the Gunners dominating proceedings long before they had a numerical advantage. The problem was that they just could not get the goal they deserved.
Sometimes that was due to great goalkeeping from Phallon Tullis-Joyce. The Man Utd shot-stopper made a huge save in the first half to deny Olivia Smith and then combined with Anna Sandberg, her left-back, to thwart Alessia Russo after the break. On most occasions, however, it was poor finishing from the Gunners that was the problem, leaving Tullis-Joyce either with a comfortable stop to make or not having to intervene at all, with Kim Little guilty of the latter when she struck the sidenetting with a fantastic chance and Steph Catley also unable to connect properly with Katie McCabe's great cross later on.
When Jayde Riviere, already booked in the first half for a late tackle on Smith, dived in on Caitlin Foord and gave the referee no choice but to send her off with 25 minutes to play, it looked sure to be the boost Arsenal needed in their bid to finally break the deadlock - but that would not be the case. There were positives for the Gunners here, with Leah Williamson a big one on her first Women's Super League start of the season, but to be held to a draw, which keeps them only a point ahead of fourth-placed United in the race for Europe and still seven points back from leaders Manchester City, overshadows them all.
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