Bruno Fernandes celebrates scoring for Manchester United against Arsenal with Alejandro Garnacho
Bruno Fernandes' strike gave Manchester United the lead as they held Arsenal to a draw at Old Trafford
There is something about Arsenal that stirs Manchester United.
But Arsenal could not lift themselves and they dropped points for the third game running to fall further behind in a title race they have long since surrendered. It was a long way from being a classic from the days of ‘Pizzagate’ and the Battle of Old Trafford when this fixture would often decide who would end up champions.
Arsenal are now 15 points behind Liverpool after another sloppy, wasteful performance showed just how far their standards have fallen this season. United, meanwhile, roused themselves to change the mood from anger among the fans with arguably the best performance they have produced at Old Trafford this season.
Bruno Fernandes delivered United’s moment of magic with a wonderful free-kick in first-half injury time to give the home side an unlikely lead after Arsenal had dominated. But, in keeping with so much of Arsenal’s season, there was also a hard luck story involved as referee Anthony Taylor had not measured out the wall properly and the Arsenal players were 11.2 yards back rather than the 10 it says in the laws of the game.
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However, that still does not explain why Arsenal keeper David Raya decided to position himself so far over one side of the goal to give Fernandes a huge target - which he duly hit. Raya did make amends with a string of brilliant, incredible last-ditch saves but if your mistake gifts the opposition a goal then it is impossible to redeem yourself. The damage was done.
Declan Rice salvaged a point at least for Arsenal but they were not good enough and yet again, despite scoring seven at PSV Eindhoven in midweek, they looked utterly toothless in attack. They will need to improve a lot to catch Liverpool next year while Ruben Amorim will know that, despite such a difficult, frustrating season, he does have some fighters in his squad and he can rely on Old Trafford to lift the mood.
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United scores a free-kick against Arsenal
Fernandes fires his free-kick over the wall to put United ahead
This was set against the backdrop of huge protests by United fans outside before the game, they chanted anti-Glazer songs throughout and threw in a chorus against Sir Jim Ratcliffe for good measure. United fans are utterly frustrated with the ownership but you have to give the support huge credit for staying with the team and roaring them on against Arsenal.
Arsenal started like they have done in so many games this season: lots of possession but no cutting edge. Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard all might have done better with shots. Then Arsenal were made to pay. Riccardo Calafiori lost the ball, Trossard chased back but was booked for a foul on Alejandro Garnacho to concede a free-kick in a dangerous area.
Declan Rice (R) scores Arsenal's equaliser from outside the box
Referee Taylor got his distances all wrong, so did Raya and Fernandes did not need a second invitation to hit a free-kick up and over the wall to leave the Arsenal keeper unable to get across. United had played the first half with five across the back but showed more ambition after the break and Raya redeemed himself with a sensational save with his legs from Noussair Mazraoui before making another smart save to stop Joshua Zirkzee’s ambitious flick.
You were beginning to wonder whether Arsenal could come back - and then they found a way. Jurrien Timber battled his way down the right, cut the ball back and there was Rice to lash home off the inside of the post. The game was wide open now. Fit-again Gabriel Martinelli forced Andre Onana into a good save while Rice made a heroic tackle to stop Rasmus Hojlund.
But the most dramatic was saved for last. Fernandes raced in, his shot was brilliantly saved by Raya who somehow clawed it back from crossing the line.
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