Premier League: Nerves stop Arsenal from moving top
AT EMIRATES STADIUM
ARSENAL 0 vs MANCHESTER UNITED 0
ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger admits his team are psychologically bruised and struggling to revive their attacking fluency after missing the chance to return to the top of the Premier League last night.
Manchester United came closest to the morale-boosting win both sides sought when former Gunners captain Robin van Persie forced a smart late save from Wojciech Szczesny, while a lethargic Olivier Giroud failed to capitalise on the home side’s openings.
Instead of usurping Chelsea and capitalising on Manchester City’s postponement, Arsenal remain second while Liverpool, who beat the north Londoners 5-1 on Saturday, closed to within four points of the summit.
Wenger’s men were booed off by a frustrated crowd and the Frenchman believes still-fresh memories of their Anfield mauling inhibited his side’s attacking against a team held at home by basement club Fulham on Sunday.
“We’ve come out of two difficult results but we are still in it [the title race] – that’s the only positive,” he said. “Our team was highly focused not to concede and maybe that restricted us going forward.
“I felt we were nervous. It’s not worrying because we care about what we do and when you concede five like we did – we are only human beings, that’s what you get sometimes.”
United lost further ground in the fight for Champions League qualification, yet manager David Moyes has not given up on closing the 11-point gap to the top four.
“If there’s one club in history who’ve been great at winning games in the second half of the season and putting pressure on the teams above them it’s Manchester United,” he said.
Perhaps anxious to atone for poor weekend results, both teams could have scored in the first five minutes.
Van Persie robbed Mikel Arteta 25 yards out only to slip when shooting, while at the other end Giroud failed to steer a free header from a corner on target.
Van Persie went closest in the dying minutes but was denied by a superb Szczesny save.
Jack Wilshere was caught dozing this time, his former team-mate pilfering the ball, feeding Wayne Rooney and then meeting the return chip with a powerful header. It was the move of the match, and Szczesny’s tip onto the bar its equal.