Arsenal Manager, Arsene Wenger, has defended his team’s performance after their 3-2 loss to Manchester United on Sunday, saying they showed both spirit and commitment and insisted they are still in the title fight.
The Gunners came in as favourites to earn a first Premier League victory at Old Trafford in a decade but went 2-0 down after two quick first-half goals and couldn’t recover against a makeshift United team.
“Our spirit, our commitment was 100 percent there. But it’s difficult to win away from home when you concede three goals,” Wenger told Sky Sports. “Apart from that I could not question out desire or commitment at all.”
Wenger gave Danny Welbeck his first Premier League start of the season and he responded by giving the Gunners hope when he pulled back a goal for 2-1 late in the first half. However, the decision to start Theo Walcott up front instead of Olivier Giroud backfired as the England forward was largely anonymous before being substituted for the Frenchman with 30 minutes left.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Marcus Rashford scored United’s first two goals in his Premier League debut, as Louis van Gaal was forced to play several youngsters in place of a slew of injured starters. But Wenger dismissed the notion that this was a United team that Arsenal should have beaten.
“The players are young maybe, some of them. But honestly, in midfield they were playing Schneiderlin, Herrera, Mata, and at the back with Carrick, Blind, De Gea,” Wenger said. “Yes they had young strikers, but they have quality. It’s not the name that counts, it’s the performance. And their strikers put a good performance in.”
Rashford marked his league debut by scoring in the 29th and 32nd minutes to put his team 2-0 ahead — three days after a double in the Europa League against FC Midtjylland on his senior United debut.
After former United striker, Welbeck, replied for Arsenal, Rashford set up Ander Herrera for a shot from the edge of the area that deflected in off Laurent Koscielny.
Mesut Ozil made it 3-2 in the 69th but fifth-place United held on comfortably to move three points off the top four.
Arsenal, which put in an off-colour performance against a young and injury-hit United side, dropped five points behind leader Leicester.
Van Gaal, under much pressure amidst the team’s troubles this season, delivered some light relief when he fell to the ground theatrically while remonstrating with the fourth official in the technical area.
The Old Trafford crowd roared with laughter, adding to an atmosphere that was buoyant throughout the game as United’s youngsters proved too energetic for Arsenal.
Former Arsenal striker and Sky Sports pundit, Thierry Henry, expressed doubt about Arsenal’s title credentials after the defeat, saying “that was not the performance of a team that wants to be champion.”
However, Wenger said there was no reason to feel too disheartened.
“No, why? We are in the fight, where we can show that we have great character and a great mental response on Wednesday night, and that’s what you want to do,” Wenger said. “We lost three points but we have to show that we are up for a fight and give absolutely everything in our next game. Things can change quickly, but only if you keep going and keep believing.”
