•Arsenal midfielder, Leandro Trossard (L) fights for the ball with Manchester United defender, Noussair Mazraoui (R) during the English Premier League football match yesterday
Declan Rice’s equaliser denied Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim a much-needed win but Arsenal’s faltering Premier League title challenge suffered another damaging blow in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford yesterday.
The Gunners sit 15 points behind runaway leaders Liverpool, now with just one game in hand, with their focus beginning to turn to holding off the chasing pack for a place in next season’s Champions League, reports AFP.
Bruno Fernandes’ stunning free-kick put United ahead in first-half stoppage time.
The Red Devils, though, could not hold on for just a sixth Premier League win in 16 games under Amorim as Rice swept home 16 minutes from time.
A point leaves United down in 14th.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was taking charge of his 200th Premier League match.
The Spaniard’s 118 wins in that time places him only behind a stellar cast of Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp and Alex Ferguson in the English top flight.
But his wait for a league title looks set to continue with Arsenal on course to finish second for the third consecutive season.
United have had three permanent managers and an interim during Arteta’s five years in charge of Arsenal.
Amorim said he knows he will not get the time Arteta did to turn around a sinking ship at Old Trafford.
The discontent among the home support could be seen around the stands with many taking part in a protest by wearing black over what they perceive as “the death” of their club.
Arsenal had failed to score in either of their previous two league games to realistically wave goodbye to their hopes of a first title in 21 years.
Despite still missing the attacking quartet of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, the Gunners hit back in stunning fashion to thrash PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Infused with fresh confidence, Arsenal started on the front foot but again missed the focal point of a natural centre-forward.
Midfielder Mikel Merino has been forced to deputise up front in recent weeks and fired wide from the edge of the area with an early opening.
United have struggled for goals all season, but their skipper has remained a source of inspiration and Fernandes produced once more with a sumptuous free-kick just before half-time.
Questions will be asked over Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya’s starting position, but Fernandes still had to whip the ball over an imposing wall and back down into the visitors’ net.
Raya Rescues Arsenal
If Raya was at fault for the opener, he made amends with a string of saves in the second period.
Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee were the first to be denied as United threatened a second on the counter-attack.
Arteta was able to throw on Martinelli on his return from a hamstring injury in the hunt for an equaliser.
Instead, it was Rice who matched Fernandes’ fine finish by arrowing a shot beyond Andre Onana from Jurrien Timber’s pass.
Amorim had dropped Rasmus Hojlund to the bench after a run of 19 games without a goal.
The Dane twice had chances to snap that streak only to be foiled by desperate Arsenal defending.
More Raya heroics followed to stop Fernandes from snatching a winner as the match entered stoppage time.
However, a draw did little for Arsenal’s title challenge.
Arteta’s men edge four points clear of third-placed Nottingham Forest and eight clear of Manchester City in fifth in the battle for a place in next season’s Champions League.
