Lingard saves day for Jose
Jesse has last laugh in comedy of errors
JOSE MOURINHO has accused his players of lacking maturity, heart and teeth at various stages in this troubled season.
But last night at Old Trafford they showed plenty of all three, twice coming back from behind in a pulsating draw against Arsenal which was littered with defensive errors.
If Unai Emery’s side have developed a well-deserved reputation as the second-half kings, having never led a match at half-time in any of their 15 league matches this season, United have been the basket cases of the Premier League.
Yet goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard cancelled out a Shkodran Mustafi opener, aided by a dreadful howler from David De Gea, and a second-half owngoal from Marcos Rojo.
This was more like the United Mourinho has been calling for, and on this form hopes of a top-four finish are perhaps not a pipe dream after all.
He made seven changes from the side held to a draw against Southampton, some through necessity, others in anger.
And a full-blown defensive crisis was clearly not as bad as he initially thought, with the United boss able to name three central defenders and wing-backs. Added to Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic, it lent a pretty defensive look to United’s line-up.
Mourinho’s anger remains pointed at club record-signing Paul Pogba, with the midfielder – allegedly described as a “virus” by Mourinho at St Mary’s – dropped for the second time in three matches.
Such discontent could find no greater contrast than Arsenal, who arrived purring, unbeaten in 19 games and led by the league’s top scorer in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Yet it was United who committed players forward early on and with four minutes on the clock, Rashford sent a stinging shot from outside the box into the arms of Bernd Leno.
With United pressing, Matteo Guendouzi looked a little isolated and lightweight in midfield in the absence of the suspended Granit Xhaka.
Yet as the half wore on, Arsenal started to probe with success, particularly in the right-back channel where Eric Bailly was struggling after two months out.
It was a corner from the left side that led to the first goal. Lucas Torreira’s centre was met with a firm header from Mustafi which bounced into the turf before De Gea palmed the ball over his head.
Herrera’s effort to keep the ball out was in vain, Andre Marriner awarding a goal after his watch buzzed to confirm the ball had crossed the line. United were level within minutes, Martial turning in a simple chance after Rojo’s free-kick was pushed away by Leno, Herrera reaching the byline and turning the ball back into the danger zone.
Herrera appeared to be offside when the kick was hit but it was not spotted. And if the Gunners felt hard done by they were to lose Rob Holding to suspected knee ligament damage before the break, too.
United’s equaliser put a firecracker under an already fiery contest with a flurry of five yellow cards in five minutes.
Emery was forced into a change at half-time with Aaron Ramsey making way for Henrikh Mkhitaryan and the Armenian started the moved which restored Arsenal’s lead, robbing a dawdling Rojo on the left and pushing the ball to Alexandre Lacazette, Rojo’s recovery tackle deflecting the ball past De Gea.
Once again their lead was shortlived with United pouncing from the kick-off. A long ball was nudged into Lingard’s path by Sead Kolasinac with the striker stabbing the ball past Leno.
Arsenal had two decent chances soon after, Aubameyang forcing a fine point-blank save from de Gea
and then Mkhitaryan hooking his shot over from close range.
He did find the net late on but his fine volley from the byline was ruled out for offside.
MAN UNITED (3-4-3): De Gea; Bailly, Smalling, Rojo (Fellaini 72); Dalot, Herrera, Matic, Darmian; Lingard (Pogba 75), Rashford, Martial (Lukaku 63). Booked: Rojo, Matic, Lingard. Goals: Martial 30, Lingard 69. NEXT UP: Fulham (h), Sat PL.
ARSENAL (3-4-3): Leno; Sokratis, Mustafi, Holding (Lichtsteiner 36); Bellerin, Torreira, Guendouzi, Kolasinac; Ramsey (Mkhitaryan 46), Aubameyang, Iwobi (Lacazette 65).
Booked: Mustafi, Bellerin. Goals: Mustafi 26, Rojo og 68. NEXT UP: Huddersfield (h), Sat PL.,
Referee: A Marriner (West Midlands)