MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (McTominay 45)
ARSENAL 1 (Aubameyang 58)
FA Premier League

IT will be disappointing that at a time when everybody else seems to be able to beat Manchester United – or in lowly Rochadale’s case, take them to a penalty shootout – that Arsenal did not join in the plunder this evening (Monday).

Never has Old Trafford seemed a less daunting prospect, the theatre of dreams, where the home side now plays on the counter attack or lops long balls up to one half-interested striker.

But as the years continue to pass without a win here, Arsenal can’t seem to crack the code that others have; maybe the old rivalry is proving a psychological obstacle, perhaps United were ten percent more engaged tonight than they have been against teams lower down the table.

Arsenal did show character to rally from a deflating end to the first half when Scott McTominay’s speculative shot found the top corner on, you guessed it, the counter attack.

But they could not progress beyond Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s equaliser halfway through the second half. Amazingly, a flag had been raised despite the striker being onside by two yards. In years gone by, it would have been a hard luck story – and there have been a few at Old Trafford – but VAR caught up on United and the goal was allowed to stand.

For this section of the second half, Arsenal bossed and bullied Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s declawed team and it was shame that Bukayo Saka’s inventiveness and Mattel Guendouzi’s never say die determination were not rewarded with more.  Saka looks a real talent and gave Ashley Young the run around for large periods.

Had Nicolas Pepe been able to provide greater support, the lock may have been broken but, despite a hard-working performance, the new signing once again failed to ignite. He is in real need of some confidence boosting goals.

Calum Chambers at right back, meanwhile, provided some much needed strength in defence but could not cross the ball when in advanced positions, and too often Arsenal were wasteful on the edge of the box. Reiss Nelson’s tame shot in injury time was a good example of what might have been.

Having slept through the first period of the second half, United woke up only when their lead had been cancelled out. Paul Pogba clipped a ball around the post and Bernd Leno made a decent save from an injury time free-kick. But the performances of Young and Jesse Lingaard, both so toothless, showed why they are already twelve points adrift of their old rivals Liverpool.

United have greater problems to solve than Arsenal on this evidence, but all that may pass into irrelevance with the pace the league leader are setting.

MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea, Tuanzebe, Young (c), Maguire, Lindelof, McTominay, Pogba, Pereira (Greenwood 74), (Fred 74), James, Rashford

SUBS NOT USED: Romero, Mata, Rojo, Fred, Greenwood, Matic, Williams

ARSENAL: Leno, Chambers, Kolasinac, Luiz, Sokratis, Xhaka (c), Torreira (Ceballos 55), Guendouzi, Pepe (Nelson 74), Saka (Willock 80), Aubameyang
SUBS NOT USED: Martinez, Ceballos, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Nelson, Willock, Martinelli