From the directors’ box at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson must have gazed down from his seat and remembered how it used to be. This, after all, used to be a Barclays Premier League fixture that made the ground shake.
Manchester United and Arsenal used to come together and bludgeon each other. Physically it could be a stunning spectacle in the years when the enmity between Ferguson and Arsene Wenger used to manifest itself spectacularly out on the field. More often than not, the football would be of the highest quality too.
Here in Manchester on Sunday, it was all rather different. A transitional United side missing key players met an Arsenal team that peculiarly seemed unwilling to engage for the opening hour. This was shadow boxing, Arsenal-Manchester United lite.
Ander Herrera fires Manchester United ahead on the volley despite the attempts of Alexis Sanchez to get back and prevent his shot
Herrera celebrates his first-half goal as United took a deserved lead against a lacklustre Arsenal side at Old Trafford
Marouane Fellaini (left) and Ashley Young (right), who both played a part in the build-up to the goal, celebrate with Herrera
Theo Walcott crosses, and the ball is deflected off the unfortunate Tyler Blackett to bring Arsenal level at Old Trafford
Walcott celebrates his late impact off the bench, although there was a large element of luck to the Gunners' equaliser
or a while it was rather dull. It got better and it developed sub-plots.
Radamel Falcao appeared to wave goodbye to Old Trafford when he was replaced by Robin van Persie. His performance, willing but short of a yard, had perhaps summed up his year in England.
United goalkeeper David de Gea, meanwhile, also left the field early with an injury. From the young Spaniard there were no telling gestures but after the game his manager Louis van Gaal talked candidly of the obvious lure of De Gea’s homeland.
In terms of the football, though, we didn’t really get a game until the last half an hour when Arsenal finally turned up. Earlier, Wenger’s team were emotionally absent, allowing their great rivals to dominate possession and develop momentum. At half-time, their manager must have stripped the paint from the walls.
As it turned out, Arsenal’s late improvement was enough. They equalised and could have won had Olivier Giroud possessed a genuine goal scorer’s instinct. The point they gained was less important than the two they ultimately forced United to drop. A victory at home to Sunderland on Wednesday and Wenger and his players will have a guarantee of a third placed finish.
Chris Smalling, captaining Manchester United in the absence of Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick, takes a shot at goal from distance
For a while here, it looked unlikely. United were not exactly irresistable early on but they were superior. Only when Phil Jones fell flat on his face under pressure from Giroud did United look at all vulnerable and, typically, the French international could not take advantage.
United’s goal arrived just after the half an hour and it involved three of their best players.
Certainly there was no-one to match Ashley Young. The winger’s rehabilitation under Van Gaal represents one of the United manager’s most notable achievements and Young was on his game here, in both halves of the field.
All afternoon the Belgian Marouane Fellaini sought to benefit from Young’s work and when the two combined down the right Arsenal were quickly undone. Young just needed half a yard to get the better of Hector Bellerin and when the cross arrived at the far post Ander Herrera arrived to drive the ball in at the near post with his right foot.
It was a calm and intelligent finish from Herrera and a good United goal. For Arsenal, however, it was a moment that rather reflected their lethargy. Too many defenders were attracted to Fellaini as the cross arrived while Herrera was allowed to advance unchecked from midfield.
Phil Jones pulls off a remarkable diving header to stop Olivier Giroud after slipping and stumbling when running back towards his own goal
The England defender showed incredible bravery to nudge the ball away from Giroud's food with his head, despite having lost his footing
United almost scored again just before half-time, Daley Blind’s shot rebounding off Chris Smalling, and at this stage Arsenal had not managed a shot on target. Happily for them, they finally managed to play their way in to the game at about the hour mark.
Giroud – who had a poor afternoon - could not nudge the ball past De Gea in the 64th minute while United defender Marcos Rojo was able to intercept a raking pass towards Aaron Ramsey soon after.
However, United were all of a sudden becalmed and Arsenal began to sense there may be something in the game for them. De Gea was beaten by a Ramsey lob with 20 minutes left only for Rojo to race back and clear and then the Spaniard seemed to injure himself rushing from goal to punch clear a corner.
After a delay, De Gea departed and Victor Valdes came on for a United debut at the age of 33. It was not long before the United understudy was picking the ball from the back of the net.
Another substitute, Arsenal’s Theo Walcott, ran on to a diagonal ball down the right with eight minutes left and advanced on another replacement, United’s Tyler Blackett. Certainly Walcott was looking to cross but the ball struck Blackett’s studs and looped behind Valdes – who was already committed – and in to the far corner of the goal.
Walcott celebrated with due enthusiasm but this was, in truth, an own goal, all be it a rather unfortunate one.
Level now, Arsenal pushed on. Finally looking a little more like themselves, the sensed weakness in United and could have stolen the game as Giroud flashed a shot in to the side netting from close range.
The Frenchman really should have scored and secured Arsenal’s second win here in one season. So too, though, could have Robin van Persie at the Stretford End, a half volley from 12 yards flying over the bar and in to the crowd.
By the end, we had a contest at least, but it was all relative. This game will not linger in the memory. Both clubs will wish for better next season.
Arsene Wenger looks annoyed as he watches his team struggle to muster a response following a poor start at Old Trafford
David de Gea denies Giroud from close range after the Arsenal striker failed to get any power on a poked effort once he escaped the defence
David de Gea sits down in his own penalty area after picking up an injury which ended his day, ahead of a possible move to Real Madrid
De Gea walks off the Old Trafford pitch before being replaced by former Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes, making his United debu
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