BRU BEAUTY HITS GUNS

But Rice strike and Raya wonder saves salvage point

- by JOHN CROSS

THERE is something about Arsenal that stirs Manchester United.

But the Gunners could not lift themselves and they dropped points for the third game running to fall further behind in a title race they have long since surrendered.

It was a long way from being a classic from the days of 'Pizzagate' and the 'Battle of Old Trafford' when this fixture would often decide who would end up champions.

Arsenal are now 15 points behind leaders Liverpool after another sloppy, wasteful performance.

United, meanwhile, roused themselves to change the mood from anger among the fans with arguably the best performance they have produced at Old Trafford this season.

Bruno Fernandes delivered United's moment of magic with a wonderful free-kick in first-half injury time to give the home side an unlikely lead after the visitors dominated.

But, in keeping with so much of Arsenal's season, there was also a hard-luck story involved as referee Anthony Taylor had not measured out the wall properly and the Arsenal players were 11.2 yards back rather than the 10 it says in the laws of the game.