Rice rescues point after Fernandes sparks United

Ruben Amorim had set the bar low, as he has sought to do during his tumultuous four months in charge at Manchester United.

- David Hytner

Ruben Amorim had set the bar low, as he has sought to do during his tumultuous four months in charge at Manchester United. Expectation management is the name of the game. "We just need to survive," the head coach said as he assessed the one-time must-see fixture of the English calendar, wary of a selection crisis that would deprive him of 11 players.

United did more than that and they were so close to cutting through the gloom at Old Trafford with an overdue victory. The United We Stand fanzine had a nice front cover. "Well, at least we've got Bruno," went the wording. When it was over, Amorim sang from the same song sheet. "We need more Brunos," he said.

It was Bruno Fernandes, of course, who put United in front at the end of a dull first half. And, after Declan Rice had equalised for an Arsenal team that flattered to deceive, Fernandes almost nicked it at the end.

United cast off the shackles and, when Alejandro Garnacho and Noussair Mazraoui combined up the right, there was Fernandes. His shot was half-stopped by David Raya and yet the ball bounced towards goal. Raya, who was at fault on the Fernandes free-kick, clawed to safety.