In a top-four race defined by stumbles and self-destruction, it was almost inevitable that what was once the Premier League’s greatest rivalry would descend into pure pantomime. There were punctuating moments of class – the grace and guile of Bukayo Saka that led to two goals, the certain instinct of Cristiano Ronaldo who pulled one back – but the prevailing reality was two defences playing Russian roulette, except their chambers were full and the bullets were shot with relentless precision into their own feet.
That has been the story of Arsenal and Manchester United’s seasons, of stuttering rebuilds and steady implosions, and the stakes here only seemed to ignite the stick of dynamite underneath them. There were defensive mishaps galore, penalties mindlessly conceded, VAR decisions decided by millimetres and tempers blown out of proportion, all played out to a rhythm of unremitting panic. This was far removed from the glory days of old, but it was beautifully chaotic all the same.
