After Granit Xhaka - yep, Granit Xhaka - had rifled home a long-ranger to put this game beyond Manchester United, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo had a short conversation before the restart.
It was hands-over-the mouth stuff but the looks of disgust on their faces told the story. How can we call ourselves one of the elite when we are rarely a step away from defensive calamity? When Erik ten Hag begins his rebuild, it has to start from the back.
This was a scoreline that flattered Arsenal but the bottom line is that there is almost always a shambles around the corner for this United team. It might be a truly laughable couple of moments at the back or it might be a missed penalty - both present and incorrect here - but, more often than not, it is something.
Presumably, Ten Hag was busy preparing for the Ajax game at NEC Nijmegen but when he catches up with the match at The Emirates, he will see how United’s faint hopes of securing a Champions League place evaporated in a haze of basic errors. It is now 51 goals conceded in the Premier League and that is unacceptable.
And amidst such headline faults, not enough is made of this United squad not being fit enough. They do not seem physically capable of sustained pressing and are not muscular enough in defence. Alex Telles’s forgettable performance included being bruised out of a couple of challenges by Bukayo Saka, who is hardly cruiserweight in physique. It was no surprise Telles conceded the penalty that Saka converted to double Arsenal’s lead after Nuno Tavares had scored within 150 seconds of the first whistle.
And that Tavares opener was United’s season in a comic nutshell. To have one air shot when attempting to clear a bog-standard cross is unfortunate. To have two - courtesy of Telles and Raphael Varane - is careless. And while David de Gea’s initial save looked flashily good, he should have done better than to simply serve up a tap-in for Tavares. That sort of goal will be among the least of Ten Hag’s myriad concerns because there is simply no legislation for such a succession of mistakes.
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But it did highlight the simple, obvious need for better players. Harry Maguire had his best game for some time and did not get off the bench. And the match also highlighted the biggest dilemma facing the new manager. What part of the masterplan can Ronaldo fulfil? The argument that says he is as much a part of the problem as anyone has become flimsier with each scoring contribution. In reducing the first half arrears with a neat, left-footed, half-volleyed finish, he was scoring his 16th Premier League goal of the season and the 100th of his career.
Aside from the touching poignancy of the moment - Ronaldo pointing to the heavens - it was another special moment. And only a hair’s breadth offside decision cost him a lovely second around the hour mark. Perhaps he should have taken the penalty that Bruno Fernandes - whose dreadful afternoon also featured a mistake ahead of Xhaka’s thunderbolt and a booking - had rolled against the outside of the post moments earlier. If Ronaldo wants to stay for the second year of his contract, then it is surely impossible for Ten Hag not to make him central to his plans. Not to do so would be a very brave gamble.
Ronaldo’s movement in this defeat actually belied his years and his vision remains excellent, one perfectly-weighted pass giving Dalot the opportunity to draw a high-quality save out of Aaron Ramsdale. At the moment, every United miss seems to be followed by punishment and after Xhaka had dished it out, Ronaldo and Sancho could only mutter to each other and shake their heads. Before it gets much better, Ten Hag will probably know how they felt.
