**_LONDON_**: Liverpool were the real winners as Manchester United held Arsenal 1-1 at Old Trafford. They are now 15 points clear of an Arsenal side whose lack of firepower was painfully obvious even against a struggling United.
All the noise before kickoff came not from inside Old Trafford but from outside and the largest fans’ protest march since the initial reaction to the purchase by the Glazer family. One of fans’ major complaints concerns ticket prices as well as the sacking of more than 200 staff in a cost-cutting exercise by new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Directly opposite Ratcliffe, in the directors box, fans unfolded a huge banner telling him: “Stop exploiting loyalty.” Some of the fans were dressed in black to reflect their angst over the state of the club.
Arsenal, 7-1 midweek winners against PSV in Eindhoven in the Champions League, dominated possession in the first half in search of victory in the first of their three Premier matches before Liverpool play again in the league. Manager Mikel Arteta prowled the technical area in frustration. His concern was vindicated when his team’s first-half failure to pierce United’s defence was punished in stoppage time by a superb Bruno Fernandes free kick.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya redeemed himself when his outstretched leg denied Diogo Dalot a second United goal early in the second half.
The Gunners raised the tempo and finally broke back with a Declan Rice equaliser in the 74th minute. However their desperate chase for a second goal and all three points left them dangerously vulnerable on the counter-attack. Only desperate work by Rice and Gabriel denied Ramus Hojlund before Raya made a sensational goal-line save from Fernandes.
Yet again Arteta’s Arsenal are falling short.
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