Man United believed they were close to a rare victory against Arsenal, but their hasty preparation cost them in the closing moments.
Casemiro ran faster to the crowd of Manchester United supporters as Alejandro Garnacho surged towards a corner. Andre Onana sprinted into the Arsenal half while imploring his squad to stay focused. The United analysts noisily applauded while banging desks. In the 88th minute, Arsenal supporters began to make their way up the gangway.
However, there was no aim. For United, no. Arsenal supporters hailed the sudden change in momentum as if it had been a goal. Declan Rice completed it eleven minutes later.
Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans, United’s starting center backs, finished the game. Evans, 35, was everywhere when Rice’s 96th-minute winner, which he unintentionally deflected in, was scored. United railed against everything, but there was really nothing to complain about.
Even when the game entered extra time, United’s supporters continued to yell defiantly despite being denied their ecstasy. They sang, “Oh United, we love you.” When the game was over, just the Arsenal supporters could be heard.
Aaron Ramsdale could not hold back from entering the United half to tell his teammates to keep their focus while mocking Onana after Gabriel Jesus added gloss.
To those United supporters who hugged one another in the mistaken notion that they had stolen it from Garnacho’s one-on-one, it will seem cruel. Additionally, they had to endure Arsenal’s embarrassing postgame celebrations, which featured Vanilla Ice. A bear pit has never existed in the Emirates.
But United handled it like one. Their strategy was too constrained as they attempted to hit Arsenal on the break, but their attack was thwarted for the fourth game in a row by the wrong choice of striker.
Marcus Rashford, who tried to repeat his first-half goal but became too predictable in his choices, was relied upon too much by United. When Rasmus Hojlund replaced the nondescript Anthony Martial, United improved. The Dane’s clever flip expedited the attack that Garnacho unsuccessfully finished.
Bruno Fernandes attacked Martial before the game had even been going for two minutes because he failed to make a certain run. Martial, who will turn 28 in December and is in his seventh season at United, was as unconvincing in his response to Ten Hag’s assertion that Hojlund was qualified to start.
At halftime, Hojlund and Sergio Reguilon both warmed up while still wearing their warm-up tops and vests. The starting eleven for United made a comeback. In the 54th minute, Martial finally gave up his obscurity by taking a direct shot at Ramsdale. After 12 minutes, Hojlund took his place.
The Dane firmly established himself, pressing hard, battling Gabriel Magalhaes, and directing Antony to slow down a counterattack. When United resumes their campaign, Hojlund will have to start against Brighton.
Sitting in the press box, the former United defender Jaap Stam frequently lamented Antony’s frivolity. Ten Hag reprimanded Antony shortly after, but the next time he had the ball, he switched from attack to defense. In the 75th minute, Antony received another criticism from his manager.
It would have been a smash-and-grab victory if Garnacho’s goal had been upheld and United had held on. United opted for an away-day game strategy, although this was their second road loss after only winning eight of their 19 games previously.
Additionally, United’s poor injury record got worse, leaving them to manage an injured starting XI. At the Emirates, Scott McTominay and Jadon Sancho were not present, and the most recent flies to fall were Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof.
Arsenal supporters applauded Lindelof’s substitute, Harry Maguire, and then sang his name. Maguire at least escaped the humiliation of Evans, 35, being called before him.
United must be concerned about the fact that they were partnered up for the dying embers. Five years ago, Evans and Maguire were starting for Claude Puel’s Leicester, a mid-table team. It is foolish to put your faith in them to hold onto a victory, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would have approved of Evans’ return.
United scored first against Arsenal for the second consecutive season, but they also gave up three goals. The only United outfield player who did not join in the celebrations as Rashford was surrounded was Victor Lindelof. Maybe others should have done the same. Arsenal scored an equalizer 25 seconds after the game resumed, and despite Martin Odegaard’s excellent work and finish, many United players were caught staring at the ball.
United was excellent at moving the ball from their own third into the Arsenal half with the enthusiastic Onana supporting attacks; but, attacks crumbled as soon as they reached the final third. Ten Hag was enraged at Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s blunder on the Arsenal border.
Christian Eriksen slanted a probing pass for Rashford the one time he was able to enter uncharted area. Because Rashford’s shot was too powerful for Ramsdale to handle, Ben White, a center-back by trade, was stuck playing right-back.
Jarred Gillett, the video assistant referee, was not as matey a week after Mike Dean admitted to ignoring an error by Anthony Taylor to spare his “mate”. After Kai Havertz caused his fall by flicking Wan-Bissaka, Taylor was told to check the monitor.
Onana is so skilled with the ball that Arsenal stopped pressuring him in favor of anticipating his passing angles. When Bukayo Saka appeared destined to score with the score at 1-1, he also made good use of his feet.
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