Andre Onana's message to Man Utd teammates during Arsenal defeat speaks volumes
Arsenal pipped Manchester United thanks to two late goals, but it was an earlier moment which said just as much about how Erik ten Hag's side couldn't get the better of the Londoners.
The game was a first Premier League trip to the Emirates Stadium for United goalkeeper Andre Onana after his summer arrival from Internazionale. Within the space of one first-half minute, the Cameroon international went through the best and worst of footballing emotions, and his team-mates saw this first hand.
Onana went from loudly celebrating his team taking the lead to encouraging his colleagues to calm down, all in the blink of an eye. And it would all end in tears more than an hour later, with stoppage-time efforts from Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus giving Arsenal all three points.
It was Marcus Rashford who gave United the lead, finishing off a swift counter-attack by curling an effort out of the reach of Aaron Ramsdale. Onana was as vocal as anyone else after the go-ahead goal, but moments later he was picking the ball out of his net.
Martin Odegaard was the man to bring the hosts level. The Gunners captain was left in too much space on the edge of the United box, and swept the ball into the corner of Onana's net
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United were able to maintain a foothold in the second half, though they were handed a let-off when a penalty decision in favour of the hosts was overturned after a VAR check. United even thought they'd snatched victory late on, only for a tight offside call to deny Alejandro Garnacho.
Andre Onana's celebrations were plain to see (PA)In the end, though, it was Mikel Arteta's side who made a late, late breakthrough. Rice's deflected effort put them in front, followed by a late clincher from substitute Jesus on the break.
Onana was beaten by a deflection for Rice's goal, letting the ball squirm in at his near post. And ormer United keeper Peter Schmeichel wasn't impressed by the role played by the former Ajax man.
"I’ve got no words…I’m shocked," Schmeichel said. "It’s a terrible way to lose a game. United defended so badly for the corner at the end, Declan Rice had so much time and the goalkeeper should save it."
Man Utd's keeper urged calm after Arsenal equalisedUnited boss Erik ten Hag addressed the quick concession of an equaliser after the game. However, he still felt his team have been improving across their first four outings of the season.
“You saw the game but it’s no offside [for the Garnacho goal which was ruled out], wrong angle," he said. "It’s a penalty on [Rasmus] Hojlund and then we concede a goal [scored by Declan Rice] where there’s a foul on Jonny Evans. It's so clear and obvious.
"Okay, you can now say finish your chances. You can say don't concede the goal after you go 1-0 up. Yeah, it's all true. But I think there's really a step forward and I was happy with the performance."
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