Midfielder Declan Rice whips in an equaliser and pulls off a huge tackle to deny Rasmus Hojlund while goalkeeper David Raya made big saves to ensure that Arsenal leave Old Trafford with a point in a pulsating English Premier League clash on Sunday.
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 set the Arsenal wall back 11.2 yards, according to broadcast technology, rather than the minimum 10 yards.
That was their first shot on target but 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.
Marc Cucurella’s second-half strike saw Chelsea edge a battling Leicester City 1-0 as Enzo Maresca’s side moved up to fourth in the Premier League.
It was initially a day of frustration for the Blues in the southwest London sunshine as first a second-minute call for a penalty after the returning Luke Thomas caught Cole Palmer in the box was turned down by Darren England, who had a busy day as the Video Assistant Referee.
Palmer was soon involved again when Chelsea were given the ideal chance to open the scoring midway through the first half after Leicester defender Victor Kristiansen needlessly clipped Jadon Sancho from behind in the box, giving the England playmaker the opportunity to end his recent mini goal drought.
However, Palmer, who had not scored or assisted in any of his previous six Premier League games, his longest spell since joining Chelsea in 2023, saw his penalty well saved by Leicester No 1 Mads Hermansen.
The gasps heard around Stamford Bridge when Palmer – in front of the watching England manager Thomas Tuchel -failed to convert from the spot were because the player had never previously missed a penalty in the Premier League and that appeared to affect the hosts’ confidence.
