Manchester United… 1
Arsenal… 3
How the mighty have fallen. And continue to fall. Make no mistake about it, they are still falling. Another transfer window, another episode of Manchester United being outfoxed and outwitted by their contemporaries.
What do Matt Le Tissier, Alan Shearer, James Maddison, Cody Gakpo, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Ryan Gravenbach have in common? All were coveted by Manchester United but snubbed Old Trafford in favour of some of their direct rivals.
Now add to that the club’s abyssmal failure to tempt Evan Ferguson away from Brighton and their shambolic treatment of David De Gea, Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay and Fred and it gives an even more stark illustration of where Erik ten Hag’s sit in the game overall.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing, from a fan perspective anyway, is the fact that the Red Devils have ended up with the B List of those who they were actually after. For example, Maddison = Mason Mount, Haaland = Rasmus Hojlund, Declan Rice = Christian Eriksen.
You get the picture. And it’s on days like that the different stages of the developmental journey of both sides resembles the chasm between chalk and cheese really leaves a sour taste. United were actually holding their own or better early on at the Emirates Stadium. To underscore the fact, when Marcus Rashford gathered possession on the left wing, you could see what was going to happen, yet couldn’t see Arsenal allowing it happen.
Yet with the familiar drop of the shoulder, he lost Ben White cut across the bows of Aaron Ramsdale’s goal and drilled low beyond the best custodian in England. However, further evidence that the Gunners are further on in their developmental journey than those in the zebra-like kit when Rice, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard cut through the Manchester rearguard quicker than I would a good curry!
In fairness, parity was just about right at the midway point, and for the majority of the second half it appeared the 1-1 draw was going to turn out to be the fairest and most fitting outcome.
Until chaos erupted. Firstly, Mancunian defencive frailties were again exposed as both Aaron Wan Bissaka and Diogo Dalot clambered to halt Martinelli but that in turn sent referee Anthony Taylor pointing to the spot.
However, the most divisive topic in football since Roy Keane, VAR, came to the dithering defenders’ aid and overruled Taylor. I’m a United fan, but would have no problem opining that the whistler had been more than kind to the visitors.
Then again, it’s a long road that has no turn. One moment it appeared United were really going to pull off an unlikely smash and grab when Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro effected a turnover, at the end of which Alejandro Garnacho blasted past Ramsdale with two minutes of normal time remaining.
Away win guaranteed? If only. The vile VAR poked its unnecessary head into matters once again when whoever the ‘genius’ was behind the camera somehow saw one of Garnacho’s nose hairs in an offside position.
Still, in matches such as Sunday’s, when the ball breaks in your direction, you have to run with it. Literally and metaphorically. Yet once again, the difference between the best and the rest was emphatically exposed.
Whereas Fabio Vieira and Gabriel Jesus and Rice ruthlessly scoffed at settling for a draw which wouldn’t have at all unfair, the most their visitors could muster by way of a riposte was a half arsed attempt at manufacturing a penalty by Hojlund, the £105M semi English man found himself with a free shot at the edge of the United box which the flamboyant but frustrating Onana should have have kept out, but didn’t.
Doubtless, the knockers and begrudgers will immediately hop on ten Hag’s decision to deploy both Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans late on. Easy targets and not the reason the job wasn’t completed here. The barrel of excuses must be getting near empty at this stage though. #GlazersOut
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