Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho dubbed his side “the unluckiest team in the Premier League” after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Arsenal yesterday.
United claimed reward for their mounting pressure when Juan Mata put them ahead in the 69th minute, only for Olivier Giroud to equalise a minute from time with Arsenal’s first attempt on target.
United have won just two of their last nine league games and trail Arsenal by six points.
“Of course it is two points dropped. We were the best team by far. They had no chances to win,” Mourinho said.
“They could not be Arsenal the way they normally play football. We were phenomenal defensively. The way we pressed and the way we controlled their counter-attacks.
“Then when we had the ball we were very comfortable. We scored a fantastic goal, we had chances to win the game and then the only time they go there and the only time we had a situation we could not resolve, they scored.
“They are the lucky ones and we are the unlucky ones. The team played very well. This team at the moment is the unluckiest team in the Premier League. That is the reality.”
Arsenal had not troubled United goalkeeper David de Gea until Giroud climbed to head home fellow substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross.
But visiting manager Arsene Wenger drew heart from their refusal to accept defeat.
“The result in the end is positive for us because we were 1-0 down with two minutes to go,” the Frenchman told Sky Sports.
“For the rest it was a bit of a scrappy game with two teams well organised who defended well.
“The players who came on made a massive difference today. When you are 1-0 down and come back to 1-1, of course you have to feel happy.
“We lacked a bit of sharpness today. What is it down to? I don’t know, but at least we came back.”
Arsenal have not won at United in the league since September 2006 and Wenger admitted his side’s dismal record at Old Trafford had crossed his mind as he watched from the bench.
“I wondered during the game about that. Honestly, you never know,” he said.
“Last year we would have maybe lost this game and today we didn’t, so we have improved on that front. Hopefully now we can kick on with some wins.”