Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates

Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal: Report, highlights and stats as top-four rivals play out draw

By Ben Coley

Football

Mon September 30, 2019 · 6y ago

Manchester United and Arsenal played out a 1-1 draw on Monday night in a game which demonstrated how far this great Premier League rivalry has fallen.

Once a clash of title-chasing titans, the latest renewal of a fiercely-contested fixture will not carry anything like that significance and was notable for its disjointedness, which included both goals.

United's came on the stroke of half-time, when Marcus Rashford's pass to Paul Pogba instead fell to Scott McTominay, whose 20-yard effort was deflected into the top corner to break the deadlock.

Arsenal, who had grown into the game following a slow start, responded through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose smart finish over David de Gea was initially ruled out for offside before VAR intervened.

The decision of the referee's assistant was as poor as will be made all season and therefore in keeping with a sloppy contest where individual errors could be found in all corners of the pitch.

There were bright sparks for both sides - McTominay in the heart of the United midfield; a lively 80 minutes from Bukayo Saka for Arsenal - but with the exception of Aubameyang, the supposed stars on show failed to contribute meaningfully.

After Saka's close-range strike was deflected over to the relief of De Gea, Bernd Leno made a smart late save from Rashford to earn his side a point, one which keeps Arsenal three ahead of United, but nine adrift of Liverpool.

Joe Willock then might have won it for the visitors but scuffed his shot as a flawed and frenzied game ended as it began: two sides level, wondering how it had come to this.

Highlights

HIGHLIGHTS! Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal

Reaction

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

"Another time we get one up and we don't get the second goal we want to get. That is the learning for this team. We need to be more clinical at both ends of the pitch.

"We will learn, but today is a steep learning curve for a few. It's a bad goal to give away, but sometimes you make those passes and it looks good.

"It was a good finish by the boy (Aubameyang). You think at the time maybe Harry (Maguire) managed to get out, but a few yards onside and a good finish."

David de Gea

"Well it was a big mistake for us, we gave away an important goal.

"Of course it is easier if the linesman keeps his flag down, but we know there is VAR. If it is offside, it is offside. We need to stay focused.

"This is Manchester United, we play at Old Trafford, so we have to win these games. We have a young team, but the lads have to react and play better to win these games."

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

"We'll take it. We were 1-0 down, so we came back.

"The team fought very well and we will take a point. It's always hard to come here.

"It is not easy when you concede a goal before half time, it is tough, but we came back in the second half with great spirit.

"Last week we came back well, this week too, maybe we need to start with great strength."

Opta facts

Manchester United’s haul of nine points after seven games this season is their worst tally at this stage of a top-flight season since 1989-90 (7 points).
Arsenal are unbeaten in consecutive Premier League games at Old Trafford (D2) for the first time since January 2000.
Arsenal (5) had more shots on target than Man Utd (4) in a Premier League game at Old Trafford for the first time since May 2009 (4-0).
Manchester United have won 49 points from their 28 Premier League games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – two fewer than they won in their final 28 games under Jose Mourinho.
The first shot of the game came, via Andreas Pereira’s effort for Man Utd, came in the 29th minute, the longest wait for a shot in a Premier League fixture this season.
Scott McTominay’s goal was his first for Manchester United at Old Trafford, in his 25th home game for the club in all competitions.
Since his Manchester United debut in February 2016, Marcus Rashford has been directly involved in 71 goals for the Red Devils in all competitions (48 goals, 23 assists), eight more than any other player.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the first Arsenal player to score as many as seven goals in their first seven Premier League games of a season since Dennis Bergkamp in 1997-98.
Aubameyang has scored 14 goals in his last 14 starts in the Premier League for Arsenal.
Bukayo Saka has registered four goal involvements in just three starts for Arsenal in all competitions this season (1 goal, 3 assists).

🎶 Presumably, after a first-half devoid of quality until one fine strike, Man Utd fans are singing 'it only takes McTominay' to the tune of that there Take That song

⚡️ Slight deflection, but some hit. 1-0 to the home side.pic.twitter.com/CrME5W9Qkw
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) September 30, 2019

📹 Opinion still split on VAR - but no doubt the assistant is a fan after this howler!

⚽️ We have a game of football. Still not a great one, but an entertaining one.

🤔 Next goal wins?pic.twitter.com/NdihPoaTyg
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) September 30, 2019