Man Utd stumble again found in Arsenal stalemate
Manchester United's Premier League title obstacle suffered a second setback in four days because they failed to breakdown an under-durability Arsenal in a 0-0 pull at the Emirates on Saturday.
United threw away leading spot with a shock 2-1 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United in midweek and so are now 3 points adrift of league leaders Manchester City having played a casino game a lot more than their local rivals.
A point edges eighth-placed Arsenal to within six points of the most notable four and it had been the Gunners who came closest to scoring when Granit Xhaka's free-kick struck the bar in the next half.
Unlike the first days of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign, it really is against their traditional top six rivals that the Red Devils' task for an initial league title since 2013 has faltered.
United have still yet to beat some of City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea or Arsenal in the group in six attempts this year.
After winning at Out of date Trafford three months ago, the Gunners went seven league games without a victory but have bounced back recent weeks.
Mikel Arteta's guys are now unbeaten found in seven to move back to contention for a good top-four finish, but might rue missing their possibilities in the next half to have all three things despite a number of key absences.
Two of Arsenal's most impressive performers this year, Kieran Tierney and Bukayo Saka, were missing through damage, while captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was likewise absent for the third consecutive game because of his mother experiencing an illness.
After a tentative begin from equally sides, Bernd Leno built an excellent save to deny Fred a clever opener for United as the Brazilian tried to lob the ball in from the edge of the field.
Arsenal had a number of half-chances before the break without screening David de Gea due to Thomas Partey and Nicolas Pepe shot just huge from the edge of the package and a teasing cross from Gabriel Martinelli just evaded Alexandre Lacazette.
- Fernandes goes close -
It is accurately a year to your day since United signed Bruno Fernandes and the Portuguese almost celebrated the anniversary with a curling work that drifted inches wide.
Fernandes has already established a transformative effect on United's fortunes and came closer than one to breaking the deadlock prior to the break with a good free-kick that was deflected inches over.
Willian has had the contrary impact since joining Arsenal on August, however the Brazilian was called upon by Arteta for the next half in place of Martinelli.
The former Chelsea winger's insufficient confidence was apparent as his weak effort was blocked behind when offered a great chance two minutes in to the second period.
Pepe then saw a good goalbound shot blocked by Harry Maguire as Arsenal were the better side after the break.
Xhaka's free-kick came even closer than Fernandes's effort from a similar area on the field due to the Swiss midfielder's shot crashed back off the bar.
Occasions later Emile Smith Rowe's powereful effort was first parried by De Gea.
Another swerving effort from Pepe merely did not have sufficient curl to nestle in the far corner, but United could even so have snatched a win to keep carefully the pressure on City late on.
Edinson Cavani was quiet for 88 minutes, however the Uruguayan pounced on Aaron Wan-Bissaka's dangerous cross and then see his volley fly inches wide.
A point may at least maintain United's long unbeaten try to escape from home in the little league, which now stands at 18 games, bettering the prior golf club record held by Alex Ferguson's 1998/99 treble-winning team.
