Olivier Giroud scored a late equaliser for Arsenal to deny Manchester United all three points on Saturday.
Manchester United’s Phil Jones in action with Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey
Manchester United defender Phil Jones told the club’s official website that conceding a late equaliser to Arsenal meant it felt like they had been beaten 6-0.
United led through a second half strike from Juan Mata going into the closing stages before Olivier Giroud scored an 89th minute header to deny Jose Mourinho’s side all three points.
The result means that United remain in sixth place – six points behind the Champions League places and nine points off the top, and they have failed to record back-to-back league wins since August.
Jones told manutd.com: “It feels like we have been slapped 6-0! We completely dominated the game from start to finish, and even when they had a spell of possession they never really created anything to test us.
“I thought we defended well, created chances and it was just one of those things. They got one chance and scored. We have to pick ourselves up, we are pleased with the performance but not with the result.”
Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud scores
The manner of those results can have a debilitating effect on sides, especially if their season hasn’t really got going but they key for United is that they bounce back – both in the week against Feyenoord in the Europa League, and in their double header against West Ham United – one in the league and the other in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.
Mourinho bemoaned bad luck, something which Jones agreed with in the interview but they must take heart from the performance and use it to try and go on a run which sees them trouble that top four and title contenders, even if they do have a sizeable lead over United for this stage of the season, but it can be clawed back if United put a good winning run together.
Three wins from their next three games in different competitions will enforce a sense of momentum in the coming games, that could lead to their season catching fire.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho
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