Bruno Fernandes’ controversial free-kick was cancelled out by **Declan Rice**’s second-half finish as the points were shared between Arsenal and Manchester United in a feisty affair at Old Trafford.
Mikel Arteta’s side had dominated the hosts throughout the first period but Fernandes gave his side the edge through an impressive free-kick goal from 25 yards out – with the wall 11.2 yards, instead of the 10 yards that the rulebooks suggest, away.
But, while on the verge of winning back-to-back games for the first time under Amorim, United let their lead slip as Rice scored a superb equaliser from just inside the area.
After 93 minutes, with one remaining, Fernandes met a low cross by Noussair Mazraoui before David Raya made a superb save to keep his side in it, clearing off the line just seconds later.
They are yet to win consecutive league games this season and has been their longest wait to do so since 1968-69, which took 32 and 33 games in that campaign.
But, by salvaging a point, United managed to climb the table by one place, whereas Arsenal decreased the gap to Liverpool ever so slightly to 15 points.
Story of the Match
In his 200th game as Arsenal manager, Arteta wouldn’t have believed to have been going into the break one goal down, having dominated the entirety of the game up to that point.
Arsenal held nearly 70% of possession and earned six attempts at goal but that didn’t stop Fernandes from carrying his side into an otherwise superb lead when he stood over a free-kick from 25 yards out.
Leandro Trossard was to blame for giving away the set-piece, by fouling Alejandro Garnacho, after Riccardo Calafiori lost possession of the ball with the clock leaking into additional time before the interval.
Then, Fernandes hit the ball with such class that, even with a number of tall bodies in the wall, no one from Arsenal’s defence could reach its looping and powerful trajectory, with further analysis finding Anthony Taylor had placed the wall 11.2 yards back – for reference, it should be 10 yards away from the taker.
Fernandes scored an incredible first-half free-kick (Photo by Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images)
Fernandes scored an incredible first-half free-kick (Photo by Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images)
Regardless, United continued to allow Arsenal to apply pressure but, having claimed just three shots on target from their last two top-flight matches, Arteta’s side couldn’t find the success to reinvigorate their, admittedly, already buried title hopes.
Arsenal found their way back into the tie with 74 minutes gone from an equally superb finish to Fernandes’ set-piece masterclass.
It was a finish that was as clinical as it was merited, when Jurrien Timber held the ball on the right before cutting past Mazraoui and pulling a pass back to Rice**,** standing just inside the box.
The midfielder’s first-time hit from the right side couldn’t have been better as it swung outwards and rattled the post, beating Onana.
Amorim’s side came the closest just nine minutes into the second-half, and could have doubled their advantage had Raya not pulled off an extraordinary save.
Joshua Zirkzee held the ball up superbly against William Saliba at the half-way line before firing a pass down the left flank for Diogo Dalot.
What followed was a pin-point, floating ball towards the back post where Mazraoui was onrushing, and fired first-time towards the bottom left corner and would have gone in if Raya didn't get low.
Aside from Fernandes’ opener, United’s first-half experience was one that the club’s supporters would be all too familiar with: little urgency, wasted chances and a lack of possession.
And even on a sunny day in Manchester, Arteta’s possession-based football came raining down on United, who were outclassed in the opening period.
After 32 minutes, Trossard came close when his curling, right-footed effort went a fraction wide of the top-right corner and, 22 minutes beforehand, Mikel Merino dragged a shot from the edge of the area inches wide of the right post.
Had Raya not been in net for Arsenal, United would have taken all three points from the tie.
Multiple efforts from Fernandes and Mazraoui were denied emphatically by the Spanish goalkeeper in either half, with a last-gasp save off the line keeping the score level.