Man Utd 3-2 Arsenal: 4 positives from Old Trafford

2. The Team Response to Going Behind

Once again it was poor defending for the second goal. Nuno Tavares got caught out trying to intercept, which is fine, but when Rashford has a run into the penalty box two players can do better: Gabriel needs to get tight to him and Partey has to get in front of Ronaldo.

It was a killer blow just seven minutes into the second half. How Arsenal responded is what offers encouragement.

Arteta said after the game that this is where he felt most aggrieved with the performance.

"“[…]when the game was there with 2-2, and we were in our best moment and had total control and dominance of the game, that’s when you have to give the next step and go and win the match and then we didn’t manage one situation,” he said."

That all came about from the response. Partey was atrocious in the first half but improved hugely after the break, making more incisive passes and generally tidying up his game. The same can be said for Odegaard, who started finding space in between the lines and kept the ball in the right areas.

Scoring the goal less than two minutes later, the team began to understand the game. It only required two or three passes to get into United’s box, such was the distances between their lines and generally poor spatial awareness. How the team reacted to that goal showed the spirit within in the group even if the issues remain painfully prevalent.

Penalty decision onwards and it’s a different story.

Continued on next page…