Key events
Match report
Well, I don’t know about you but I enjoyed that. Defensive errors, late equalisers, high drama … what’s not to like. That’s all from me, unfortunately, but Tom Garry’s report will follow shortly. Until next time.
Tom Garry
There are mixed feelings among the home supporters as they head for the exits. It’s a combination of relief but also frustration. Another home draw is damaging for their title hopes, make no mistake about it, even though the season is still young. Manchester City only dropped points in four games last term. The margins are fine. Arsenal need to score more goals, and quickly. As for Manchester United, their fans look proud as their show their appreciation to Olid and her team after a much-improved display.
As for Olid, the manner in which United conceded will no doubt take some of the shine off her first point in the WSL. Even so, there were some encouraging signs of improvement compared to their first two games.
Slegers has a lot to chew over after that match. Arsenal showed some nice combinations throughout but, until they went behind, they were just a little bit too indecisive on the ball, a little reluctant to really go for it. Once it looked like they might lose they turned it on, wresting back momentum and bombarding United’s box until, at last, they got their breakthrough. The question is why they couldn’t sustain similar pressure earlier on.
Full time, Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United
After a patchy performance which looked like it might end in a first defeat of the season, Arsenal were rescued by Holmberg right at the death. For United, meanwhile, what an agonising way to miss out on their first win.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United (Holmberg 90+4)
More frustration, more frustration … but wait a minute! Williamson lofts a lovely ball to the far post and Holmberg smashes in from close range. Can Arsenal win it now?
90+2 min Arsenal want a penalty after Cerci goes down under pressure in the box, but there’s nothing doing.
90+1 min Foord and Little try desperately to work an opening, but can’t. Kelly tries another shot from distance, but it’s blocked.
90 min The board goes up and there will be six minutes of added time, a development which draws a hopeful roar from the home fans.
88 min Little picks out Foord, whose cross to the far post is only just cleared for a corner. There’s a big scrummage in the middle of the box, but Tullis-Joyce eventually gathers.
87 min Medina swaps out for Mared Griffiths, the 19-year-old Wales international.
85 min Tullis-Joyce with another crucial stop! Stanway to Russo, Russo to Kelly, and Kelly thrashes a shot from distance which bounces in front of the United keeper but is well-saved regardless. Medina then goes down with cramp, much to the annoyance of the home crowd.
84 min So close, but so far. Williamson gets her head on the corner delivery, but she can’t muster up direction or power.
83 min Holmberg, who’s been lively since she came on, wins another corner.
82 min Holmberg turns Medina out wide and crosses in for Cerci, but she’s too far out to give Tullis-Joyce a real scare.
81 min A last roll of the dice for Slegers, Batlle coming off for Chloe Kelly.
80 min Russo tries to turn Janssen in the box, but the United centre-back reads it and clears.
78 min Williamson sends in a menacing delivery, but Park clears. Arsenal are chasing a leveller but United are in spoiler mode.
75 min Great save! Holmberg gets away on the right and sends in an early delivery, which falls for Foord only for Tullis-Joyce to make an excellent reflex stop.
72 min Stanway plays a pass to Holmberg from deep and the Sweden international roars forward to win a corner. Fox and Sandberg get a ticking off for shoving.
The delivery falls perfectly for Russo, but her point-blank header is blocked on the line by Sandberg. Heads in hands for the hosts.
70 min More subs for Arsenal, Baum and Blackstenius coming off for Caitlin Foord and Selina Cerci as Slegers searches for an equaliser.
GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Manchester United (Zigiotti 67)
We have our opener and it comes from a mix-up between Stanway and Catley. The former underhits a pass to her teammate and Zigiotti nicks it and sends Catley sprawling, going clean through. She fires a low shot beneath Rodríguez and into the back of the net, wheeling away in celebration. A disappointed hush falls on the Emirates.
65 min Holmberg and Fox combine out wide on the right, the latter whipping in a cross which Le Tissier defends well.
64 min Another change for United, Terland coming off for Lea Schüller.
63 min Fox makes a powerful run forward and wins a corner. It’s cleared but comes to Little, who curls a cross to the far post for Russo to glance a header wide.
Tom Garry
This fixture finished 0-0 in both league meetings last season … surely not another?
59 min Holmberg picks up where Smith left off, running at Sandberg and winning a corner off the United left-back. Arsenal play it short and Little’s cross is blocked by Hinata Miyazawa at the price of another corner.
The second corner is too deep but Russo collects and recycles. She can’t pick out a teammate, however. Arsenal have been just a little bit too hesitant in their decision-making.
58 min Slegers makes a double change, Caldentey and Smith coming off for Kim Little and Smilla Holmberg.
57 min Terland picks out Park 30 yards out and she has a go, but her shot sails over the crossbar.
54 min Stanway combines with Russo, who is brought down 25 yards out by a heavy challenge from Maya Le Tissier. Arsenal play it short, Stanway and Smith exchange passes, but United crowd out their hosts before they can make a proper chance.
52 min Awujo comes off for Rebeca Bernal, the Mexico international who only joined United at the start of the month.
51 min Good chance! Batlle makes another of her driving runs forward and picks out Russo ahead of her. The angle is too tight for her to shoot, but she lashes in a dangerous cross which is only just cleared at the cost of a corner. Tullis-Joyce mops up before the hosts can do any more damage.
48 min Stanway picks out Blackstenius in the box, who works it to Smith, whose cross is cleared. Arsenal are pushing and probing.
Tom Garry
There are a few concerned-looking faces among the Arsenal crowd as they take their seats for the second half. They know their team can ill-afford to drop points here today after last week’s draw.
Second half kicks off
Arsenal get the game going again and immediately try to put pressure on United, who defend well.
The teams are back out, Gunnersaurus is doing his final high-fives, and the second half is about to begin. Who’s going to get the better of this one? Surely someone is going to score?
What did we make of that first half, then? Drop me an email with your thoughts.
Half-time, Arsenal 0-0 Manchester United
Both sides have played some good football and there have been decent openings for Terland, Caldentey and Blackstenius, but it’s goalless at the break. The second half is going to be very, very interesting.
45 min Huge save! Rodríguez sends a route-one ball up to the onrushing Batlle, who loses the ball on the edge of the area. It comes to Baum, however, who loops in an inch-perfect cross for Blackstenius to blast a header at goal. Tullis-Joyce is equal to it, making an acrobatic stop.
42 min Stanway plays an excellent diagonal ball from deep to Baum on the right, but she eventually runs into trouble. Baum then gets booked for dragging back Awujo as she looks to counterattack.
