Giroud’s the special Gun! WENGER’S JOY AS OLIVIER HEADS LATE EQUALISER
were hardly sparkling, but the Reds dominated.
Mata and Anthony Martial were both denied by Petr Cech in a first half which saw Mourinho perform another touchline rant when referee Andre Marriner ruled that Nacho Monreal’s clumsy challenge to halt Antonio Valencia didn’t warrant a penalty.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” said Mourinho before voicing his opinion.
“I have my view because I have seen the replay, but I don’t want to say whether it was or wasn’t.
“But Andre told us in the dressing room before the game that he didn’t want to be the star and I think he is an honest man and a good referee.”
Arsenal’s only opportunity of the first 88 minutes fell to Alexis Sanchez, but the Chilean striker mistimed his early header from six yards when he seemed certain to score.
Once United realised that the visitors were a shadow of their usual selves, they cranked up the tempo.
Wayne Rooney was introduced as a 63rd-minute substitute and, six minutes later, United led.
Pogba and Ander Herrera combined down the right and when the Spaniard cut the ball back, there was Mata to ram an unerring finish past Cech.
Moments later, Pogba was inches away from converting Rooney’s raking cross.
And Marcos Rojo should have made the game safe, but headed wide from Daley Blind’s perfect far-post cross.
Wenger called for Giroud, Granit Xhaka and Alex OxladeChamberlain – and it was to save the game.
Oxlade- Chamberlain scampered down the right to deliver a far-post cross and Giroud leaped to send a powerful header past De Gea from six yards.
“We were the best team by far,” said Mourinho. “It was a phenomenal performance because we stopped Arsenal doing what they usually do and played some very good football.”