Declan Rice delivered heroics at both ends of Old Trafford to earn Arsenal a dramatic 1-1 draw against Manchester United.
The hosts looked on course for a morale-boosting victory thanks to Bruno Fernandes’ controversial free-kick, which the United captain had clipped in after referee Anthony Taylor incorrectly set the Arsenal wall back 11.2 yards.
United had chances to add to that lead when David Raya brilliantly saved close-range efforts from Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee and Arsenal’s toothlessness in the final third gave the home fans hope of back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.
But Rice brilliantly whipped in Jurrien Timber’s cutback to level the match with 16 minutes to go and then, moments later, slid in when sub Rasmus Hojlund was clean through, 15 yards out and primed to end his 20-game goal drought with a winner.
Rice celebrated the tackle almost as emphatically as the goal.
During a frantic finale Gabriel again denied Hojlund with a sharp intervention in the box before fit-again Gabriel Martinelli skied over a parried shot and was relieved to see an offside flag go up.
A double save from Raya capped off the incredible drama at the end of a game which had been billed as a ‘nothing match’ for both sides.
