Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has accused Arsenal of “diving and getting the game stopped” in order to leave Old Trafford with a 2-2 draw.
The Gunners took the lead on two occasions during an entertaining Premier League encounter on Wednesday, with Shkodran Mustafi breaking the deadlock and a comination of Marcos Rojo and Alexandre Lacazette adding a second.
United were, however, to hit back quickly having twice fallen behind, with Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard offering immediate responses .
The hosts had been hoping to snatch a winner in the closing stages and offer their season a welcome shot in the arm, and their manager believes they were denied the chance to do so by underhand tactics from their opponents.
Mourinho claimed afterwards that Unai Emery’s side were “wanting the draw, diving, getting the game stopped and waiting for the game to go to the end”.
It was, all in all, a frustrating evening for the Red Devils boss as he once again saw his inconsistent side fail to emerge victorious on home soil .
Mourinho admits that his players are doing themselves few favours , with David de Gea having fumbled Mustafi’s effort over the line before Rojo deflected past his own goalkeeper.
“We scored four goals and we drew 2-2. But we score four goals and even in matches like today where we play well, we always shoot ourselves,” said Mourinho.
“Sometimes we miss chances with an open goal, other times defensive mistakes, but fantastic spirit, good performances.
“I feel that is a moment where, for example, we play against the team that is at the top of their season, in a moment where everything goes well for them. That’s clearly a team on a high against a team with so many problems and the top of these problems, during football matches, we shoot ourselves.”
The Portuguese added on the good fortune he considers Arsenal to have enjoyed at Old Trafford: “We had very good performances where we make mistakes and we are always punished.
“How many times are we the team with the big occasion in the start, but almost always, we don’t score, the opponent goes there and they don’t know how, but they are winning 1-0?
“It always happens and seems related to mistakes that we make, but sometimes we don’t have the feeling we played that really frustrates me. The frustration is the result, but the attitude was fantastic by everybody.”
Wednesday’s draw means United are now sat eighth in the Premier League table, eight points adrift of the top four and a Champions League spot.