Player ratings from Manchester United versus Arsenal are an interesting ask, as Manchester United defended well and Arsenal again proved their attack is badly missing a center forward.
MORE — Ruben Amorim reaction from Old Trafford
The Red Devils will take something from this as they look to advance past Real Sociedad in the Europa League while Arsenal may have some job openings as they rotate for the Champions League second leg versus PSV Eindhoven.
Here’s what we saw from the 90 minutes at Old Trafford.
Manchester United player ratings vs Arsenal
Andre Onana: 7 — Three good saves and the goal was unstoppable. Hoofed a lot of balls to the moon and not receivers.
Noussair Mazraoui: 7.5 — The fullbacks were excellent in the closest we’ve seen to Amorim’s ideal wide commitment.
Victor Lindelof: 8.5 — Only Casemiro recorded more defensive actions, as the former Benfica man thrived in Amorim’s system.
Matthijs De Ligt: 7 — Did very little wrong.
Leny Yoro (Off HT): 7 — Good with the ball and in the duel, came off at the break with either an ailment.
Diogo Dalot: 7 — (See Mazraoui).
Casemiro: 8 — Barely touched the ball but that wasn’t his job. This United is not his old Real Madrid, so his game-high 14 defensive actions are the stat of note.
Christian Eriksen (Off 76′): 5 — Had some moments with the ball at his feet but just as many moments didn’t come off for the Danish veteran. Could he have helped put off Rice after seeing the midfielder in space just before the Arsenal goal?
Bruno Fernandes: 7.5 — At times it feels like he is their entire attack. Splendid, powerful free kick goal. Got sucked into Timber’s dribble on the Arsenal goal.
Alejandro Garnacho: 6.5 — May not be one to defend the nest, but is at his best hunting prey and always had his eyes scanning for chances in the Arsenal half.
Joshua Zirzkee (Off 76′): 7 — Who knows if he’ll ever be a Man United star, but the 23 year old grinds and does the proverbial hard yards (especially considering he’s a center forward by trade). Nearly swept a back leg goal home around the hour mark.
SubsAyden Heaven (On HT): 7 — Just an 18-year-old center back making his Premier League debut against the club who sold him in January. Probably deserves a bonus point for that. Terrific sliding denial of a cross in the 74th minute.Toby Collyer (On 76′): N/A
Rasmus Hojlund (On 76′): N/A — Had two decent chances in limited time, two more bits of danger than we usually see from him.
Fernandes’ stunning free kick gives Man Utd lead
Just moments before the halftime whistle, Bruno Fernandes works his magic from a set piece as he drills his free-kick attempt past David Raya to give Manchester United a 1-0 lead against Arsenal at Old Trafford.
Arsenal player ratings vs Manchester United
David Raya: 7 — Will have wanted to do much better on the Fernandes free kick, but there was some real venom on that one and he more than made amends with a remarkable quickfire double save on the same player in stoppage time.. Made two nice saves just after halftime, too, as United bid to make it a two-goal game.
Jurrien Timber: 7.5 — Terrific work to set up Rice’s equalizer.
William Saliba: 7.5 — Barely put a foot wrong, putting double-digit passes into the final third in ringing up nearly 100 touches.
Gabriel Magalhaes: 7 — Just as good as Saliba, even if the game didn’t make its way to his side as much.
Riccardo Calafiori (Off 58′): 6 — Didn’t offer much going forward, which has been a strength of his this season.
Thomas Partey (Off 76′): 6.5 — Passed the ball well and was a menace on the ground.
Declan Rice: 8 — A marvelous goal to go with a game-saving 85h-minute tackle of Hojlund. A workmanlike-if-slightly-substandard game (relative to his very high standards).
Martin Odegaard: 7 — Presided over a dangerous 70th-minute free kick and cranked it into the wall. Largely ran the game but was missing his cutting edge.
Ethan Nwaneri (Off 58′): 5 — Sometimes 17-year-olds look 17. Lost the majority of his duels.
Leandro Trossard: 5 — Poor giveaways and a poorer foul to giveaway the free kick that led o Bruno Fernandes’ goal.
Mikel Merino: 5 — Still not a forward, so can’t grade him too harshly. We know they scored seven times at midweek but Arteta having no other idea about what to do at center forward is, frankly, perplexing.
Subs
Gabriel Martinelli (On 58′): 5.5 — Missed a big chance before he missed an offside big chance in stoppage time.
Myles Lewis-Skelly (On 58′): 7 — Created a dangerous free kick for Odegaard by winning a foul
Kieran Tierney (On 76′): N/A
Rice powers Arsenal level with Manchester United
It’s game on at Old Trafford as Declan Rice drills his first-time effort into the corner of the goal to make it 1-1 for Arsenal against Manchester United.
