Giroud breaks Mourinho’s heart with late equaliser, saves Arsenal

Substitute French striker, Olivier Giroud converted Arsenal’s first effort on target in the 89th minute to rescue a smash-and-grab 1-1 draw for Arsene Wenger’s side at Manchester United on Saturday.

Juan Mata’s 69th-minute strike looked to have earned Jose Mourinho’s United a much-needed win, only for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to tee up his fellow substitute Giroud for a last-gasp leveller.

The result preserved Arsenal’s six-point lead over sixth-place United, but left United falling even further behind the table leaders.

Arsenal remain without a league win at Old Trafford in 10 years and Wenger has still not beaten Mourinho in the league in 12 attempts.

But this was a draw that will have felt like a win for the Frenchman, particularly after Mourinho provocatively cited his 12-year wait for a league title in the build-up to the game.

Giroud’s goal, only his fourth of the season, extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions and left United with just two wins from their last nine league fixtures.

Mourinho, who shared an icy handshake with Wenger before and after the match, must now rouse his players for Thursday’s key Europa League home game with Feyenoord.

Alexis Sanchez came through a fitness check on a troublesome hamstring to boost Arsenal and he was his usual, buzzing self in the early stages, steering a header off-target from Theo Walcott’s flick-on.

But with Michael Carrick anchoring United’s midfield again and Antonio Valencia, back from a fractured arm, supplying drive from right-back, there was poise and purpose to the hosts’ football.