Declan Rice was the hero for Arsenal as he helped them secure a 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Rice not only scored the equaliser but also made a crucial tackle to deny Rasmus Hojlund a late winner.
United had taken the lead through Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick, which was controversial because the Arsenal wall was set back further than usual. That goal came from United’s first shot on target, and they had more chances, but Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made key saves to keep them in the game.
Arsenal struggled to create clear chances, giving United hope of securing back-to-back league wins. However, with 16 minutes left, Rice fired in a well-placed shot from Jurrien Timber’s pass to level the score.
Just moments later, he made a last-ditch tackle to stop Hojlund, who was close to ending his long goal drought. Gabriel also made an important block to deny another chance for Hojlund, while Gabriel Martinelli missed a late opportunity but was saved by the offside flag. Raya then pulled off a brilliant double save to ensure Arsenal earned a point.
The result doesn’t do much for either team in the Premier League standings. Arsenal are now 15 points behind leaders Liverpool, who only need 16 more points from nine games to secure the title.
United, meanwhile, remain in 14th place. The match had been seen as having little impact on the league campaign, but the performance could still give United confidence ahead of their important Europa League match against Real Sociedad on Thursday.
United fans, who protested against the club’s ownership throughout the game, still applauded their team at full-time. The draw may not have been the result they wanted, but it showed promise under manager Ruben Amorim. The focus will now be on their European clash, where they will hope to build on this performance.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted frustration after the game, saying his team dominated but lacked quality in attack. He pointed out that Arsenal should have taken advantage of their first-half control and that their finishing in the final third was not good enough.
Arteta also acknowledged that goalkeeper Raya made important saves to prevent a loss, but he stressed that his team must be more clinical in such dominant displays.
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