**Arsenal:** Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Trossard, Nwaneri, Merino
**Subs:** Neto, White, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Tierney, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Sterling, Martinelli
Arsenal took one step closer to a potential top four battle after drawing 1-1 against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, despite a second half equaliser from Declan Rice.
Mikel Arteta made one change to the side that put seven past PSV on Tuesday, with Riccardo Calafiori coming into the side for Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Gabriel Martinelli was also a welcome returnee to the substitutes bench after missing the last four games with a hamstring injury.
The first chance of the game fell to Mikel Merino after nice interplay between Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice caused panic in the United defence, although the Spaniard dragged his effort wide from the edge of the area.
From that point forward, Arsenal were dominating possession and despite some half-hearted United breaks, looked threatening with their captain pulling the strings in midfield.
Heading into the 25th minute, Odegaard saw another shot saved by Andre Onana but should have done better after finding space on the edge of the area, before Leandro Trossard curled wide moments later after being found brilliantly through the lines by Rice.
The rest of the first half was essentially an attack vs defence exercise, with Arteta’s men pushing and probing but struggling to find their breakthrough despite United leaving acres of space around the pitch.
With Arsenal unable to capitalise on their dominance, there was a growing feeling that they could be sucker punched and it happened just before half time when Trossard brought down Alejandro Garnacho as he ran towards goal.
Bruno Fernandes stepped up, got his free kick up and over the wall and past David Raya to give the hosts a shock lead. [1-0](https://streamin.me/v/a2w9pjdk).
Questions could be asked of Raya whose positioning seemed to be off – maybe he was thinking about Bruno beating Jordan Pickford on his side recently – and the wall looked to be further back than ten yards, but it was a well struck effort from the Portuguese midfielder who has that in his locker.
It was a familiar story for Arsenal who were in total control but
Within the first five minutes of the second half, the Gunners had two sights of goal with Onana tipping over from Odegaard before Rice volleyed over after Nwaneri found him on the edge of the box with a nice corner routine.
But it was United who should have scored the next goal after Joshua Zirkzee combined well with Diogo Dalot down the left, who crossed for Noussair Mazraoui at the back post – but his volley was expertly saved by Raya.
There were no questions about his positioning there but it was a lucky escape for Arsenal who could have been two goals down.
With half an hour to play, Arteta made two changes to try and inject some life into his attack, bringing on Lewis-Skelly and Martinelli for Calafiori and Nwaneri; with the latter having a quiet afternoon.
After Lewis-Skelly did well to draw a challenge from Matthijs De Ligt, the visitors had a well placed free kick on the edge of the box but Odegaard’s subsequent effort was (typically) struck straight into the wall.
Arsenal continued to push for an equaliser and with 15 minutes remaining, they finally made a breakthrough when Jurrien Timber did well to advance into the United area, before cutting the ball back for Rice who curled brilliantly into the far corner. [1-1](https://streamin.me/v/3xlffxnj).
There was another chance for Martinelli after being found in behind by Merino, but his effort was saved by Onana at the near post having been forced wide slightly by his first touch.
With the final whistle beckoning, Merino almost gifted United a winner after getting caught in possession with his back to goal, but an unbelievable goal saving challenge from Rice spared his blushes after sliding in to stop Rasmus Hojlund scoring.
Deep into injury time, Raya took inspiration from Rice and performed a point-saving intervention of his own, doing well to save from Bruno Fernandes before getting up to claw the ball off the goalline as players steamed in for an all-important touch.
It was a brilliant piece of goalkeeping and the Spaniard’s reflexes were on display again after some similar double saves earlier this season.
The final whistle eventually blew and it was honours even, as both sides settled for a point that ultimately does nothing for them.
Unfortunately for Arteta, Arsenal were below par on the day and couldn’t take momentum from their midweek win into this game, although they still have a four-point gap between second and Nottingham Forest in third.
The focus now shifts to PSV on Wednesday, where surely their path into the quarter-finals is all but secured.