10.30pm Arsenal news LIVE: Xhaka ‘coward’, Aubameyang ‘worst ever offside decision’, Pepe flops, Man Utd REACTION – The Sun
ARSENAL held Man Utd to an unimpressive 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
Scott McTominay gave the Red Devils the lead as Granit Xhaka was accused of ducking out the way of his shot, before Aubameyang equalised in the second half.
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ROY KEANE says Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Arsenal showed two teams not good enough for the Premier League top four.
Asked on Sky Sports which of the two was more likely to finish in a Champions League-qualifying spot, the Old Trafford legend said: “Neither of them.
“Judged on that game,I think top six will be ok for them -= but that won't satisfy these clubs.”
And Keane suggested teams like 2016 champs Leicester and West Ham have their best chances ever of a rare top-four finish.
UNAI EMERY believes Arsenal deserved the 1-1 draw at Manchester United that lifted them up to fourth in the Premier League.
But the Gunners boss told Sky Sports: “It's not the best result.
“In the first half they pressed a lot but we controlled the match, not giving them a lot of chances.
“But we gave them three chances in transition near the end of the first half and they scored one.
“After our goal they pushed both sides had good chances. In the end I think both teams deserveda draw.”
DAVID DE GEA admitted Manchester United made a horrendous error and should have played to the whistle – as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang levelled when the linesman was flagging.
VAR rightly ruled Aubameyang's point-saver was onside.
And home keeper De Gea said United should have no excuses for both giving the ball away and then not “focusing” in the middle when the assistant referee flagged.
JAMIE CARRAGHER claimed Arsenal's equaliser in tonight's 1-1 draw at Manchester United showed “VAR at its best”.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang cancelled out Scott McTominay's thumping opener by clipping home a delightful finish – after initially, and farcically, being ruled offside when he was yards on.
MAN UTD 1 ARSENAL 1
SOMEHOW this bitter rivalry lives on.
VAR, coming to Arsenal’s rescue after 58 minutes, can be added to a list of controversial moments in this famed fixture.
Whatever Manchester United and Arsenal lack in quality, the spitefulness that turned it into a must-watch in the English football calendar is still there.
It will be remembered – just – because VAR intervened when time stood still in United’s defence.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s struggling side had been a goal to the good, protecting a first half lead when Scott McTominay struck 45 minutes in.
They could not hold on to it.
Arsenal played to the whistle, slicing through empty spaces to score a bizarre equaliser after 58 minutes.
It takes some explaining.
With Harry Maguire, a 6ft 4in lump weighing in at 100KG standing in front of the assistant referee, he flagged Arsenal offside.
They did well to ignore him.
Arsenal kid Bukayo Saka turned into Kaka, releasing a lovely little touch for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to lift beyond David de Gea.
It needed VAR to sort things out, to confirm that Arsenal’s equaliser shoulder stand.
Auba has seven now, the first player in Arsenal history to start a season in this kind of form.
He is a threat, for sure.
It was an important strike, with Arsenal deservedly coming away from Old Trafford with a point.
They earned it, they really did.
Anybody watching, Roy Keane for instance, will happily tell you that Ole and Unai Emery are miles away from competing for titles.
United (last Premier League title win in 2013) and Arsenal (way back in 2004) will not be troubling the trophy engraver any time soon.
These two used to be giants of the game, but they have been overtaken by better recruitment and better ideas.
Even Arsenal’s legendary Vieira song is not belted out with the same ear-splitting conviction of yesteryear.
They are trying to live up to something intoxicating, falling back on the special memories of Keano and Vieira snapping and snarling at each other in the centre of midfield.
McTominay, despite his fine goal, versus Matteo Guendouzi in the boiler room is all a little bit under-whelming.
It took 27 minute before this fixture finally spluttered into life.
Rashford was yellow carded after flying through the air to catch Sokratis ankle high. It was a spiky challenge.
there were a few skirmishes, with Andreas Periera, Ashley Young and Jesse Lingard all booked for reducers on Guendouzi.
United were suddenly up for it, with Pereira taking the first shot of the game just before the half hour.
He ran and ran, finally getting a shot away that was saved by Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno.
The Gunners responded.
Saka had the vision to set up the Nicholas Pepe chance out on the right after 30 minutes.
Pepe, with the big chance to put Arsenal in front, spooned it over.
Saka was finding his way into the game, forcing a save out of David De Gea that was followed up by the arrival of Guendouzi inside the area.
De Gea, reviving memories of his match-winning performances of the past, saved again.
Finally, this game was crackling into life
United took the lead, scoring just before half-time when Daniel James made his way towards Arsenal’s penalty area.
Rashford could not meet the cross, but the United forward chased it down to find the feet of McTominay.
The United midfielder took one touch and then pinged his effort beyond Leno with his next.
He was helped by captain Xhaka ducking, lowering his head instead of brazening it out on the edge of the area.
Got to stand there and take it in a fixture with a rivalry supposedly as fierce as this, fella.
Still, they came back for more in the second half.
Lucas Torreira’s last chance was his failure to connect with a cross when he was in front of goal.
Dani Ceballos, to the delight of Arsenal’s travelling fans, came on to replace him 54 minutes in.
Soon they were level, with Maguire playing these Arsenal boys onside in the chaotic scenes leading to the equaliser.
Saka spotted Aubameyang’s run and this clever Arsenal forward stretched his goalscoring streak to seven with the equaliser.
With Auba hanging around, Arsenal have the added advantage of a goal threat.
United, for all their approach work outside the penalty area, do not possess a player with this pedigree.
They have to do it differently, relying on set-pieces or unexpected chances from other areas.
Young’s corners are still dangerous, whipped in from the right towards the towering figures of McTominay, Maguire or Victor Lindelof.
McTominay should have scored with one of them, but he sent a free header over the bar.
Leno tipped over a Maguire effort and Paul Pogba’s effort, his first and only meaningful contribution, went wide.
It was more confirmation that these two famous clubs lack that little bit of quality.
Mercifully the chaos and confusion still exists.
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