Arsenal failed to make up ground in the Premier League title race despite Declan Rice cancelling out a Bruno Fernandes free-kick in their 1-1 draw with Manchester United.

Mikel Arteta's side had seen Liverpool move 16 points clear with a 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday and needed to respond in the first of their two games in hand on Sunday.

But they failed to carve out a clear-cut chance in the first half and went behind on the stroke of half-time, Fernandes beating David Raya from 25 yards with United's first shot on target.

Raya's positioning for that strike was suspect, but he atoned by keeping Arsenal in the game early in the second half, denying Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee with reflex saves.

25 - Bruno Fernandes has been directly involved in 25+ goals in each of the last three seasons (12 goals, 13 assists this season); one of only three players to have done so for a Premier League club, along with Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland. Talisman. pic.twitter.com/87XqPUSPML

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 9, 2025

As United dropped deeper and deeper, Arsenal's leveller finally arrived in the 74th minute, Rice firing off the far post and in after being teed up by Jurrien Timber.

Arsenal were unable to build on that moment, however, and they could have lost the game in the 93rd minute.

Fernandes looked destined to score from near the penalty spot, but Raya sprung to his right to parry the midfielder's initial shot, then prevented the loose ball from spinning back over the line.

While United stay 14th with 34 points, the result is another frustrating one for Arsenal, who are 15 points behind Liverpool at the summit.

Arne Slot's Reds need just 16 more points to win the title, giving them a good chance of wrapping it up before they face Arsenal in seven games' time.

Man Utd were INCHES from claiming victory at the end 

David Raya pulled out this incredible save to keep the scores level #MUNARS pic.twitter.com/gJgk7TdbLy

— Premier League (@premierleague) March 9, 2025

Data Debrief: Arteta's landmark outing falls flat

Arteta took charge of his 200th Premier League game on Sunday, reaching the milestone against the first team he ever beat as Arsenal boss, on New Year's Day 2020.

He had little to celebrate despite Rice wiping out United's lead, overseeing his 37th draw as a Premier League boss. 

He has a win rate of 59% through his first 200 games in the competition, a better figure than Arsene Wenger's 55% but some way short of Pep Guardiola's 73%.

The Gunners have now failed to win three matches against sides starting the day 15th or lower in the Premier League table this season, after winning all 12 of the games they played last campaign against opponents between 15th and 20th in the standings.

If, as seems likely, Arsenal fail to overturn Liverpool's gargantuan lead at the top, those could be the results they are left to stew on at the end of the season.