Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal Player Ratings: Arsenal Fight Back to Share Spoils at Old Trafford

Manchester United and Arsenal played out a gripping 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes and Declan Rice finding the net in a match filled with high-intensity moments and dramatic saves.

The Red Devils struck first in stoppage time at the end of the first half, as captain Bruno Fernandes showcased his set-piece prowess yet again. A late challenge on Alejandro Garnacho won United a free-kick in a dangerous position, and Fernandes made no mistake, curling the ball over the wall and past David Raya to give the hosts a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

Arsenal, desperate to keep pace with league leaders Liverpool, pushed forward in search of an equaliser. They dominated possession but found it difficult to break down United’s resilient defence, with Andre Onana making crucial saves to deny Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli.

The breakthrough finally came in the 74th minute when Jurrien Timber weaved through the United defence before laying the ball off to Rice at the edge of the box. The England international struck a first-time effort that struck off the inside of the post and into the net, leveling the score at 1-1.

Both sides had opportunities to grab a winner in the final stages. United almost found a dramatic late goal when Fernandes’ shot was deflected towards the goal-line, only for Raya to claw it away at the last second. Arsenal, on the other hand, saw an 82nd-minute Martinelli effort saved at the near post by Onana.

The result leaves Arsenal trailing in the title race, while Manchester United continue to struggle for consistency, failing to secure back-to-back league wins. The Red Devils will take some positives from their defensive resilience, while Mikel Arteta’s men will rue their inability to capitalize on dominance in possession.

With the season entering its decisive phase, both teams will need to sharpen their finishing and decision-making to achieve their respective ambitions. Arsenal will shift their focus to their upcoming fixtures, while United will look to build momentum as they seek a strong finish to the campaign.

Here are the player ratings from Manchester United vs Arsenal

Manchester United Player Ratings

GK- Andre Onana- 7.3/10

Made some crucial saves, including denying Odegaard and Hojlund. Solid distribution and handling under pressure.

CB- Matthijs de Ligt- 7.2/10

Won key aerial duels and made great interceptions, helped organize the defence. Had a weak header from a promising position.

CB- Victor Lindelöf- 6.8/10

The Swedish international was positioned well defensively, making clearances and keeping Arsenal at bay for most of the game.

CB- Leny Yoro- 6.5/10

Put in some decent defensive moments before being substituted at half-time.

RB- Noussair Mazraoui- 7.3/10

Showed intent going forward and created troublesome moments for the Gunners. Had a really positive second half.

LB- Diogo Dalot- 7.2/10

Defended well but had a few careless moments in possession. His attacking contribution was minimal.

CM- Casemiro- 7/10

The Brazilian broke up play effectively, making an important block on Odegaard’s free-kick. Showed good positioning.

CM- Bruno Fernandes- 7.4/10

Was the hero for Manchester United! Dispatched a free-kick of the highest quality to break the deadlock in added time of first half. A creative presence despite limited chances.

AM – Christian Eriksen- 6.2/10

Played some decent passes but struggled against Arsenal’s midfield intensity before being substituted.

AM- Alejandro Garnacho- 7/10

One of United’s most dangerous players, delivering crosses and running at defenders. Set up a good chance for Zirkzee.

ST- Joshua Zirkzee– 6/10

Worked hard but missed a key chance after a deflection. Struggled to hold up play consistently.

SUB- Ayden Heaven- 6/10

Made his Premier League debut and looked solid defensively.

SUB- Toby Collyer- 5/10

Had little time to make an impact.

SUB- Rasmus Højlund- 5/10

Had an opportunity late on but took too long, allowing Rice to intervene.

Manager- Ruben Amorim- 7/10

The Portuguese set up his team well defensively, absorbing Arsenal’s pressure and striking on the counter. However, United lacked offensive cohesion and struggled in possession. They would particularly regret not drilling home the finishing blow late in added time. United will look to build momentum as they seek a strong finish to the campaign.

Arsenal Player Ratings

GK- David Raya- 6.2/10

The Spanish goalkeeper made a match-winning double save in the 93rd’ minute to keep the score levelled. Made two big saves early in the second half, brilliantly denied Mazraoui and Zirkzee from extending United’s lead.

LB- Riccardo Calafiori- 6.2/10

Had a difficult time containing Garnacho and was beaten by the Argentine’s brilliance on multiple occasions.

CB- William Saliba- 7.2/10

The Frenchman stood like a wall and was at the right place at the right time on most occasions to deny United attacking players.

CB- Gabriel- 7.1/10

Was strong in duels and made key defensive interventions to keep United players from scoring.

RB- Jurrien Timber- 7.2/10

Made an important run in the United penalty area and set up Rice’s goal.

CM- Martin Ødegaard- 7.4/10

The Gunners captain tested Onana on multiple occasions and pulled strings in the midfield but failed to create anything direct other than that.

CM- Thomas Partey- 7.5/10

Had moments of control but was inconsistent before being substituted.

CM- Declan Rice- 8/10

Scored the equalizer for Arsenal following a wonderful run by Jurrien Timber and shut Rasmus Højlund with a last-ditch tackle to save his team. A match winning performance buy the Englishman.

RW- Ethan Nwaneri- 5.8/10

Showed flashes of quality but was subbed off before the hour mark.

ST- Mikel Merino- 6/10

Struggled to impact the game and missed a good chance in the first half.

LW- Leandro Trossard- 7/10

Ineffective in attack, took 6 shots but managed to keep just 1 on target. Got booked for a foul on Garnacho.

SUB- Myles Lewis-Skelly- 6.2/10

Came on to replace the struggling Calafiori, later moved into midfield upon Kieran Tierney’s arrival.

SUB- Gabriel Martinelli- 6.1/10

A lively presence after coming on, forcing a save from Onana.

SUB- Kieran Tierney- 5/10

Strengthened the defence line and allowed Lewis-Skelly to move into midfield.

Manager- Mikel Arteta- 7/10

Mikel Arteta’s men will rue their inability to capitalize on dominance in possession as they see move further away to challenge Liverpool for the title. The starman for his side were Declan Rice and David Raya. They will now shift their focus back to the Champions League.

The Sportdunia player of the match goes to Declan Rice