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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has labelled Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes as cleverer than his side and the referee after his free kick goal yesterday.
The Red Devils came away from the match with a credible 1-1 draw with Arsenal.
In fact, the home crowd will feel they could have and should have won the match after a flurry of second half chances.
Bruno Fernandes was once again the main inspiration for United. Despite a quiet first half by his standards, he produced a stunning free kick in added on time in the first period in front of a jubilant Stretford End.
His manager Ruben Amorim waxed lyrical over his captain after the game and claimed his side “need more Brunos” as he always “steps up” for his team.
Nonetheless, instead of focusing on the quality of the strike, Sky Sports pundits decided to concentrate on the fact that the Arsenal wall was more than the 10 yards (9.15m) behind the ball.
Arsenal manager Arteta also had his say on the matter in his post-match comments.
In quotes carried by The Manchester Evening News the Spaniard claimed that Fernandes had moved the ball back when the referee wasn’t looking.
He said, “they just mentioned that if Bruno is on that, football is for smart street players and if he’s done that and capitalised on that, he was cleverer than us and the referee.”
Asked on whether Fernandes should have been allowed to do it he stated, “I don’t know, but he’s done it, it was a goal, so they took advantage of that. Football is for clever people.”
It is a grey area as the FA rules state that the wall must be “at least 9.15 m (10 yds) from the ball”, which the free kick definitely was at just over 11 yards. Nonetheless, the free kick must also be “taken from the place where the offence occurred.”
Therefore, there is nothing wrong with the wall being further back than 10 yards but the question is whether Fernandes moved the ball back or not, which cannot be determined.
United will once again most likely rely on the brilliance of Fernandes when they welcome Real Sociedad to Old Trafford on Thursday in a season-defining match-up in the second leg of their Europa League tie, which is evenly poised at 1-1 after the first leg in San Sebastian.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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