Skip to main contentSkip to navigationSkip to key eventsSkip to navigation

Arsenal threw away the lead twice against a combative Manchester United on a night that will be remembered for David de Gea’s first-half howler

 Updated 
Wed 5 Dec 2018 17.23 ESTFirst published on Wed 5 Dec 2018 14.00 EST
Jesse Lingard scores the equaliser for Manchester United.
Jesse Lingard scores the equaliser for Manchester United. Photograph: Darren Staples/Reuters
Jesse Lingard scores the equaliser for Manchester United. Photograph: Darren Staples/Reuters

Live feed

Key events

Mourinho says he is “happy with the soul, the commitment and the bravery” of his team but laments their failrue to win. “We made two big mistakes for their goals”. And while praising his players’ attitude, he takes the opportunity to hint they still don’t have the quality he needs. “It’s a positive sign [that they fought hard] but there are things I cannot get from them and I cannot say much more than this.” Pressed, he says: “Everybody gives everything and that is for sure. And that is a positive. I cannot tell you much more.”

Mustafi: “The second half the game opened up a little bit. Both teams were trying to win .. We tried everything to get the three points. [After going in front[ we have to be a little bit more clever. But at the end of the day we’ve had two tough games, against Tottenham and away to United and we’ve taken four points.”

Apparently Arsenal’s second goal has been officially recorded as an own goal by Rojo. But replays suggest that Lacazette got the last touch. They also show that Bailly fell backside-first on to Lacazette’s head as the Frenchman fell under ROjo’s tackle. Bearing all that in mind, Lacazette really does deserve to be credited with the goal.

Smalling: “You could see how much the win meant to both teams. It went end to end and we gave it everything.”

Matic: “Both teams attacked. I think it was a great game for supporters. We could have scored a third one, I think we deserved [that]. Everybody knows the confidence is not high but I think we showd great character tonight. This is the way we have to fight until the end of the season.”

Smalling: “We all know we’re in a tough patch of form and have a lot of injuries but everyone has given their all. Everyone has nicks and niggles but we’re all digging in because we know how important this month. We were on the front foot, we were aggressive, we caused them lots of problem and were unlucy not to get a third goal.”

United remain eighth in the table, eight points off the top four. Arsenal are fifth, level on points with Chelsea but outside the top four on goal difference.

In terms of individual performances, Bailly was impressive on his return for United after two months out. Rojo was decent, too, after an even longer absence. Torreira was all-action for Arsenal.

Jose Mourinho embraces Unai Emery after the match. Photograph: Darren Staples/Reuters
Share
Updated at 

Full-time: United 2-2 Arsenal

That was a much improved performance by United in terms of attitude, with José Mourinho’s side closer to the mad dogs that José Mourinho demands. In terms of creative quality, they were still way short. But so were Arsenal. It was a scrappy, error-strewn but diverting contest between two teams who are a way short of being the best in the league.

90+3 min: Guendouzi and Mkhiaryan try to infiltrate the United box from the left. But United hold firm and force them back.

90 min: De Gea makes a terrific save to deny Torreira. Then Mkhitaryan lashes the ball into the net from a seemingly impossible angle! But he was offside so the goal doesn’t stand.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan fires in from an offside position. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images via Reuters
Share
Updated at 

89 min: De Gea stands with the ball in one hand. Lacazette sneaks u on im from behind and heads it out of his hand and rolls the ball into the empty net. BUt the ref won’t let it stand. Why not? Tee keeper evidently didn’t have it under his control.

87 min: Fellaini pulls Guendouzi back by the hair, right in front of the ref. Freekick to Arsenal midway inside the United half. It’s a terrible delivery. “Today I am grateful,” announces Matt Richman. “The quality has been decidedly low today, with 4 goals born of error and scrappy play all around, but it’s been wildly entertaining! Haven’t been able to say that often when watching United this year.”

85 min: The ref waves plays on for a wild tackle by Torreira, because the ball runs to Rashford. He tries to beat the keeper from 30 yards. It’s a fine, swirling shot but Leno saves it at the second attempt.

84 min: Rashford and Guendouzi square up to each other near the centre circle while play continues. The ref doesn’t bother to intervene and neither play feels like following through on their feisty gestures. There’s real tension in this game, with both teams knowing there could be a winner there for them ... or a defeat.

80 min: Mustafi and Lichtsteiner get in each other’s way and end up presenting United with a throw-in in an attacking position. From there United work the ball quickly into the box, and Arsenal have to charge down a shot by Fellaini.

United substitution: Pogba on, Lingard off. The new arrival is greeted with a mixture of cheers and boos. He’s got some redeeming to do.

76 min: Audameyang cuts on to his right foot and tries to curl into the top corner from 20 yards. De Gea tips it away!

74 min: Rashford delays a pass to Lukaku as United threaten to hit Arsenal on the counter. When he does finally make the pass it’s too short, allowing Guendouzi to intervene.

Share
Updated at 

73 min: Sokratis does well to dispossess Lingard at the edge of the Arsenal box. This match is now wackily open and very entertaining!

Share
Updated at 

71 min: Chaos in the United area! The ball pinballs around after being fired into the low across the face by Kolasinac. Aubameyang tries to tap into the net from five yards but De Gea saves with his feet! Moments later another low cross from the left is poked over the ball by Mkhitaryan from close range.

United 2-2 Arsenal (Lingard 69)

United strike straight back again! And it’s another defensive howler. Arsenal failed to cope with a long diagonal ball into their area by Rojo, as Kolasinac mindlessly nudged it further into the danger zone. Lingard was quickest to react, nipping in to slide it past Leno!

Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard nips in to score the second. Photograph: Darren Staples/Reuters
Share
Updated at 

GOAL! United 1-2 Arsenal (Lacazette 67)

What a disaster for United! Rojo was caught in possession inside his own half. Mkhitaryan hared towards the box and sidefooted to Lacazette, who was tackled by Rojo and Bailly, wrongfooting De Gea as the ball trundled into the net from eight yards!

Alexandre Lacazette goes down after scoring the second. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images via Reuters
Share
Updated at 

United substitution: Lukaku on, Martial off, apparently having injured himself while tracking back and tackling Sokratis.

62 min: Slick ove by Arsenal, who work Kolasinac in behind the United defenec on down the left. But he fails to pick out a teammate from the byline.

60 min: United hold tight at the back and pester Arsenal so much that from a good attacking position, Arsenal have had to pass the ball all the way back to Leno.

59 min: After a muscular buildup by United, Rojo tries to rocket one into the net from 25 yards, Leno tips it over!

57 min: A misjudgement by Sokratis creates space for Dalot to run free down the right to collect a pass. The youngster makes it all the way into the box and looks up to check his options. He’s got teammates in the middle bawling for a cross. But he fails to find any of them!

55 min: Bailly does exceptionally well to keep pace with Aubameyang and hold him off before claiming the ball and playing it neatly out of defence. The home crowd love it!

53 min: Mayhem in the Arsenal box after Lingard pokes a pass through to Martial. Sokratis and Torreira combine to get rid of the ball eventually - wth extra help from Lichtsteiner.

51 min: Darmian sneaks a crafty ball forward to start a good United move. Rashford’s cross from the left is cleared behind for a corner. Rashford delivers the set setpiece, and Leno punches it away.

49 min: Arsenal have turned up the heat in the second half and are putting United’s defence under pressure, without looking like breaking through yet in this half.

Arsenal substitution: Mkhitaryan on, Ramsey off. Not sure if that’s because of the injury that Ramsey suffered just before the break but it’s a welcome addition, all the same. Mkhitaryan has the ability to contribute the thrust that Arsenal lacked in the first period. And wouldn’t he love to do just that at Old Trafford?

Half-time: United 1-1 Arsenal

That was a low-quality half but Mourinho can have no quibble with his team’s attitude, at least. They’ve fought hard and the players returning to the side, especially Bailly and Rojo, have done well. Arsenal have been disappointing given the expectations with which they arrived and the fact that they were presented with a lead by a mistake from De Gea. They’ve been unable to get Aubemeyang into the game. Dare we suggest they’re missing Ozil? Mind you, they tend to be better in second halves under Emery so United still have much to do to claim a plucky home point.

Share
Updated at 

44 min: This has become very messy. There’s a break in play as Matic and Ramsey receive treatment, each having been injured in challenges within a couple of seconds of each other.

Share
Updated at 

43 min: Matic becomes latest into the box for shamelessly pulling back Aubameyang as the Gabonese threatened to make his first dangerous run of the game.

41 min: This is getting feisty. United wants Bellerin booked for a clumsy foul on Darmian. They get their wish.

40 min: Lingard sees yellow for a sneaky foul on Torreira in the centre circle, intended solely to abort a promising Arsenal move.

Jesse Lingard takes down Arsenal’s Lucas Torreira. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
Share
Updated at 

38 min: Mustafi booked for a sliding tackle on Rashford. He got the ball ... after sliding through Rashford’s left leg. United have a freekick a yard outside the box but a yard from the byline on the left. They play a sly one to the edge of the box, where Rojo is alone. He fires into a slew of bodies and then slides in to try to retrieve it, taking the feet of Guendouzi. That triggers some shoving and whingeing from Arsenal players. But maybe Rojo has done them a favour because they need to wake up a little here.

34 min: A hefty touch by Bailly near half way allows Arsenal to dash forward. Ramsey ignores teammates and tries to curl the ball around two defenders and into the top corner from 20 yards. It’s deflected behind for a corner.

33 min: Holding is off the pitch receiving treatment on a knee after being clattered by Mad Dog Rashford.

32 min: That was weak defending by Arsenal. They were too slow to react after Leno batted the ball away from his goal. Mind you, Herrera was fractionally offside when the freekick was taken, which is why he was able to get to the ball first. Arsenal should still have cut out his cross, though.

United 1-1 Arsenal (Martial 31)

United equalise almost immediately! Rojo curled a decent freekick over the wall. Leno pushed it wide but Herrera retrieved it and pulled a gentle low cross back into the six-yard area. Two Arsenal players missed it but Martial did not, sweeping it into the net from six yards!

Anthony Martial sweeps in the equaliser from close range. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images
Share
Updated at 

29 min: Martial runs into Guendouzi and gets a freekick. It’s three yards outside the D and almost perfectly central...

Share
Updated at 

28 min: Now United have have to find a goal and nothing about their midfield suggests they can create an opening. Arsenal have them where they want them...

Ander Herrera clears but the ball had already crossed the line after a mistake by De Gea. Photograph: Magi Haroun/REX/Shutterstock
Share
Updated at 

GOAL! United 0-1 Arsenal (Mustafi 26)

Mustafi plunges to meet a corner with a header into the ground. It bounces up ... and De Gea somehow allow it to slip through both his hands. Herrera tried to boot it off the line but technology lets the ref know the ball had crossed. Arsenal have the lead thanks to an awful mistake by United’s normally reliable keeper!

De Gea allows the ball to slip through both hands to gift Mustafi a goal. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images
Share
Updated at 

25 min: Lingard penalised for tripping Torreira on half-way. He’s been close to the Uruguayan for the whole game so far, evidently instructed to try to nullify his influence.

Most viewed

Most viewed