Image credit: Getty Images
Gary Neville has blamed Arsenal’s defensive wall for giving Bruno Fernandes too much space to strike after the Manchester United captain opened the scoring with a sublime free-kick in Sunday’s Premier League clash at Old Trafford.
United had offered little as an attacking force in the first half but seized the lead just before halftime. Following a foul by Leandro Trossard on Alejandro Garnacho, Fernandes expertly curled the ball over Arsenal’s wall and past a stranded David Raya, igniting celebrations in the Stretford End.
Before Fernandes took the shot, Neville had already expressed concern about the positioning of the Arsenal wall, noting that it appeared too far from the ball.
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“That wall looks a fair way back as well. It’s giving him a chance—it looks like it’s a mile away,” Neville remarked on commentary.
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville on Arsenal
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville (Image credit: Getty Images)
His observation proved accurate as Raya was beaten by Fernandes’ pinpoint strike. Reflecting on the goal, Neville added: “They’re singing Bruno’s name because it’s been an absolutely lifeless performance from United in the first half, but they’ll go in at halftime with joy.
“Can we put a measure on that? That wall looks absolutely miles away. Usually, with a big wall like that, it looks really difficult to get the ball up and over, but there just seemed to be so much space.
“It didn’t even go that high into the net. Raya couldn’t get across, but you fancied Fernandes in that position, and he delivered.”
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Half-time replays confirmed that Arsenal’s wall was positioned 11.2 yards away from the ball—more than the standard 10 yards—prompting Neville to suggest that Declan Rice and William Saliba should have inched forward to make the shot more difficult.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice
Declan Rice scored a second half equaliser for Arsenal against Manchester United (Image credit: Getty Images)
“Maybe they were at the correct distance, usually it’s around eight yards away, but it just felt like Arsenal’s wall was too generous,” Neville said. “They weren’t even creeping forward. It felt like Fernandes had plenty of space to hit it, and he did.”
Neville’s former United teammate Roy Keane agreed that the Arsenal wall and Raya could share some of the blame but ultimately credited Fernandes for his execution.
“You could question the goalkeeper and the wall, but what a strike that was from Bruno Fernandes,” Keane said. “The power he got on the strike to get it over the big wall caught the keeper out.
“David Raya was miles away from the ball even when it went past him.”
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