Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal: 3 things we learned from the game | Premier League 2019-20

Manchester United versus Arsenal used to be a fixture that had fans and neutrals licking their lips in the past. The level of football displayed by the two mammoths in the turn of the century was exemplary and exciting.

However, the two sides are not at the same level they used to be and have fallen by the wayside in recent years. Both United and Arsenal are fighting to secure a top four finish at the end of the season and get to the yellow brick road that leads to the UEFA Champions League.

The Red Devils were hoping to get back to winning ways in the Premier League after their disappointing defeat at the London Stadium last weekend, while the Gunners were hoping to build on their incredible win over Aston Villa. However, both sides could only manage a 1-1 draw, with Scott McTominay and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang registering a goal each for their respective sides.

What was anticipated to be an open game with both sides expected to attack each other turned out to be a frustrating affair with both teams sitting back and hoping to hit the opposition on the counter-attack. Manchester United had the better opportunities to score, but a draw seemed like a fair result in the end.

Here are three things we learned from Manchester United's draw against Arsenal:

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#3 Nicolas Pepe failing to impress once again:

Nicolas Pepe is a long way from justifying the transfer fee Arsenal have paid to sign him.

Arsenal splashed a club-record fee to secure the signing of Nicolas Pepe from Lille in the summer after his stellar season in the Ligue 1. However, the Ivorian has made a slow start to his life in the Premier League and has failed to live up to the lofty expectations set by his price tag.

The 24-year-old endured a lacklustre game at Old Trafford last night. Pepe didn't create any major problems and was easily thwarted by Axel Tuanzebe, who played as the Red Devils' left-back. While the winger failed to create a single opportunity on the night, it was his pertinent pressing that won the ball for Arsenal in the build up to Aubameyang's equaliser.

With a solitary effort on target that was tame, to say the least, Pepe had an otherwise forgettable night. The expectations on his shoulders are very high especially considering his massive price-tag and he will need to get his act together and plays to the best of his abilities soon before fans start turning on him.

#2 Lack of composure in front of goal costs Manchester United once again:

Marcus Rashford was unable to find the back of the net for Manchester United.

Manchester United have been struggling to score goals from open play this season and one of the prime reasons for that is their lack of composure in front of goal. The Red Devils have failed to score more than one goal since the opening day of the Premier League against Chelsea, a stat which might worry every Manchester United supporter at the moment.

Against Arsenal, the Red Devils had the better chances to win the game but the lack of confidence in front of goal was clearly visible. Marcus Rashford found himself 1v1 with the goalkeeper in the first half but his hestitation allowed Sokratis Papastathopoulos to snatch the ball from his feet at the vital moment.

In the second half, Scott McTominay was presented a glorious chance from a corner to score his second of the game. Instead of adding to his tally, the Scot headed the ball over the crossbar from four yards out. In a game of fine margins, Manchester United cannot afford to miss opportunities as they did against Arsenal and their players need to be clinical in front of goal to stay in touching distance of the UEFA Champions League spots.

#1 Contrasting halves of football:

Scott McTominay showed immense composure to give Manchester United the lead.

Despite their recent struggles, both Manchester United and Arsenal were expected to go toe-to-toe when they faced each other at Old Trafford on Monday. However, both sides looked wary of each other from the first whistle and waited for the opposition to make a mistake.

This resulted in a very cagey first half with no clear opportunities for either side. Scott McTominay injected life into the game with a good strike from outside the box just before half-time. This resulted in a very open and attacking second half. Both sides looked to attack the opposition at every opportunity which made the game more open and watchable. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalised for the Gunners a few minutes before the hour mark with a brilliant chip over David De Gea that was initially ruled out by the linesman.

It was a bit strange to see two attack-minded managers approaching a game in such a measured way, which displayed the lack of confidence in both the sides at the moment but it proved to be an example of showing how the once mighty have fallen.