Two consecutive games at the Old Trafford for Ruben Amorim, Manchester United, and Arsenal recorded a 1-1 draw after regulation time. Manchester United lost the first game to Fulham in the FA Cup quarterfinals due to penalties.
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s draw against Arsenal made a big statement; they are trying to pull themselves out of the shallow pit they currently find themselves in. Arsenal’s hopes remained alive until they failed to secure three points just as they did last season.
United played quite better than in their previous matches in the past three weeks; at least they didn’t concede first, and it took them a while before succumbing to the pressure of the opposition. This doesn’t guarantee that Amorim has unified his entire team, but it means a lot.
And Bruno Fernandes is leading the pack of the wailing team rightly so far. Fernandes has distinguished himself from any ridicule that can be meted on his teammates due to his outstanding performances this season.
Amorim once again denied Mikel Arteta for the second time; the first was the FA Cup wonder at the Old Trafford and last Sunday’s EPL cracker that ended in a 1-1 drama.
This result means a lot to Manchester United, especially for their bragging rights, although it’s a bitter pill for Arsenal to swallow, looking at the fact that they hope to overtake Liverpool for the trophy.
Amorim’s first meeting with Arteta, the Portuguese conceded two hot goals from set pieces to the Gunners, but this was avoided despite Arsenal’s nine corner kicks. And the low block setup by United averted some problems until Gabriel Martinelli and Myles Lewis-Skelly made the defence line jittery in the second half.
Arsenal did the playing with over 500 passes, but Manchester United successfully contained Arsenal in critical areas.
Manchester United still has more work to be done if they want to be in the Champions League again. At least, they must understand how not to concede cheap goals and prevent their eggs.
In all, the game serves as a preparatory for United ahead of their must-win clash against Real Sociedad on Thursday.
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