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The TV cuts to the enclosure housing the Arsenal supporters captured the anxiety perfectly. It wasn’t to be, not against this Manchester United. But a lesser-seen acceptable version of Erik ten Hag’s team was on display fighting for the badge and Arsenal were made to suffer.
Leandro Trossar scored their goal midway through the first half after a United defensive breakdown – of course it was – but the lead was slim and everyone knew, Mikel Arteta in particular, that it could only take a moment to wipe it out.
Five minutes to go there was thunder and lightning. Very very scary. Arsenal had not made a habit of winning here in recent years, doing so just once in their previous 16 Premier League visits. They desperately needed the points to respond Manchester City’s win against Fulham on Saturday to leapfrog them back at the top of the table to ensure their challenge goes to the final day next Sunday.
Arsenal got the job done, relief mixed with euphoria when it was all over. The downpour at the very end was almost biblical, the hail also came down, Old Trafford’s infamous roof was scrutinized and it certainly provided a bright backdrop as Arteta and his players celebrated in front of the traveling fans.
Arsenal were well below their best creatively; their star players were defenders namely Ben White and William Saliba. The result was all that mattered. Does anyone think City will slip up; do they play their game in hand at tottenham, of all places, on tuesday night? City have never done that under Pep Guardiola when the title was in their hands. For Arsenal, we have to believe.
Any pre-match optimism was hard to find in United’s hearts and yet there was a huge roar from the home crowd after the first whistle; excellent support all around. This was certainly despite the evidence contained in the team sheets. Call it blind faith, a challenge. Or you just support your club.
Arsenal were unchanged, bristling with confidence, momentum behind them. What remained so disorienting for United was the large number of absentees, particularly at the back, where Casemiro continued alongside Jonny Evans after last Monday’s horror show at Crystal Palace. There was no one else.
Some bookies have odds on Arsenal to score at least three. Review this for a moment. Yet United looked determined to show some individuality and could have scored first when Scott McTominay won the ball high from Thomas Partey and suddenly Rasmus Hoylund had a clear shooting opportunity. He slipped at the crucial moment.
United were good for the first 20 minutes, winning a couple of duels, although Arsenal threatened from corners, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka having to make a crucial clearance. The problem, of course, is United’s near-constant vulnerability, the sense that structural collapse is never far away.
It came when Andre Onana went long, Casemiro pointed for the short ball and White met Saliba’s header to head it back down the right for Kai Havertz. Arsenal’s centre-forward appeared to be ambushed. That was until we looked down the United line and saw that Casemiro was still 10 yards back. Havertz rounded Evans to cross low. Trossard lost Wan-Bissaka to touch home.
Arsenal could have scored again in the 29th minute when White made a concession to the frustrating Bukayo Saka, burst past Casemiro and lifted just off target. However, United held their ground until the interval, despite struggling for clear openings.
The Ten Hag had called on Sofyan Amrabat in midfield and he brought some muscle, earning a hearty ovation when he was substituted late on. Amad Diallo, who started ahead of Antoni on the right wing, showed flashy fingers and sharp turns. Kobbie Mainoo looked like he could make something happen.
Arteta has won here before as a manager, Arsenal’s only recent league success coming under him in November 2020 – 1-0 pandemic ghost game this was settled by a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty. Arteta needed his team to manage the game in the second half. The longer it stayed 1-0, the more his insides churned.
Declan Rice saw a shot blocked by Wan-Bissaka, but with Diogo Dalot and Alejandro Garnacho moving differently down the left, the home crowd tasted an equaliser.
Garnacho was stopped in his tracks by an excellent approach from Saliba. On another occasion, the United winger dropped his shoulder to open up a shooting chance, going inside only to mess up the curler. Garnacho’s final act was too often a disappointment.
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It was nerve wracking for everyone involved with Arsenal. They sat deep at times in the second half, inviting United to make the play. Martin Odegaard sent a shot too close to Onana, but at the other end Antoni – after coming off the bench – nipped the ball in front of Takehiro Tomiyasu before deflecting the shot home.
Garnacho continued, it continued to be almost but not quite for him until Onana tipped over from Arsenal substitute Gabriel Martinelli. The keeper would also paw away Wan-Bissaka’s back kick and Rice’s break.
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