Man Utd and Arsenal shared the points on a wet and miserable night at Old Trafford. For a fixture that has provided so much quality and drama in seasons gone by, this was ultimately a match to forget.
Scott McTominay gave Manchester United the lead just before half-time when he fired in a shot from outside the area. Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno was left rooted to the spot as the ball took a small deflection and riffled into the roof of the net.
The game, which had been eventful up until the goal, picked up in second-half and the teams came out after the break with a higher intensity.
Arsenal equalised on 58 minutes when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang chipped a neat finish over onrushing United ‘keeper David de Gea. The linesman originally ruled out the goal for offside, but VAR turned the decision around as replays showed the Arsenal forward was clearly onside.
Both teams had chances late on. Leno made some impressive saves to deny Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford while Bukayo Saka thought he’d won it for Arsenal, only to see his shot hit Victor Lindelof and go for a corner.
🎥 Watch the key moments from a tight encounter at Old Trafford...#MUFC #MUNARS pic.twitter.com/gg7YRTcOM6— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 30, 2019
🎥 Watch the key moments from a tight encounter at Old Trafford...#MUFC #MUNARS pic.twitter.com/gg7YRTcOM6
This result takes Arsenal 4th, level on 12 points with West Ham United, while Man Utd find themselves down in 10th, level with Burnley on 9 points.
Match Stats
Manchester United – Arsenal
Possession
55%-45%
Shots
16-10
Shots on Target
4-5
Corners
8-7
Fouls
18-13
The possession was fairly evenly matched, but neither side managed to create too many clear-cut chances.
Ultimately, it was a scrappy affair, with both teams lacking quality and failing to make the most of their opportunities.
As you would expect for a meeting between these two teams, the foul count was high, and the game also saw 6 yellow cards (4 for Manchester United and 2 for Arsenal).
Man of the Match: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
The Arsenal forward’s pace and intelligent runs made him the standout player on a dull night in Manchester.
His goal means that he has now scored 14 in his last 14 Premier League starts for the Gunners.
Aubameyang also sits second in the goal scoring charts, 2 behind Sergio Aguero, with 7 goals.
Key Facts
• This is Manchester United’s worst start to a league season (after seven games) in 30 years.
• Bukayo Saka has now been involved in four goals in just three starts for Arsenal (1 goal and 3 assists).
• Arsenal are unbeaten in back-to-back league games at Old Trafford for the first time since January 2000.
• After 25 home appearances for Manchester United, that was Scott McTominay’s first goal at Old Trafford.