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...
They pulled away from the house together, leaving the last lights of Sarah and Mike's home behind them.
By the time Francesco and Leah reached Richmond, the evening had settled properly over London.
The roads were quieter now. The rush of the afternoon had disappeared, leaving only the occasional headlights passing through the darkness as Francesco guided the car toward home.
Neither of them felt the need to fill every minute with conversation.
Sarah's birthday had left them with the pleasant kind of tiredness that came from spending hours surrounded by people they cared about. There had been food, stories, laughter, family arguments that were not really arguments, and the small moments that mattered precisely because nobody had planned them.
But football waited for no one.
The following morning, Francesco was back at London Colney.
The familiar rhythm returned almost immediately.
There was no ceremony to it. No dramatic reminder that the Champions League match against Lyon was behind them. The players simply arrived, changed, collected their equipment and went about the work that had become routine.
The Lyon result had been important, but it was already being filed away.
Manchester United was next.
Arsenal's schedule offered very little room for reflection.
The first session was controlled rather than punishing. Wenger and his coaching staff wanted the players physically recovered while making sure the sharpness from the previous match remained.
Passing circuits occupied much of the opening work.
Players moved between marked stations, receiving on the half-turn, playing one-touch passes and immediately shifting into new positions. Kanté and Xhaka worked together through the central areas, while Özil frequently drifted into the spaces between the midfield lines during the positional exercises.
Francesco operated with Alexis and Gnabry during attacking patterns.
The emphasis was movement.
Not simply running for the sake of running, but understanding why the movement was being made.
One player dropped.
Another went beyond.
A third occupied the space created by the first two.
Wenger stopped one sequence.
"Again."
The players reset.
"Watch the distance," he said. "If you move too early, you make it easy for them. Make them choose."
They repeated the pattern.
This time it worked.
Francesco dropped toward the ball, Gnabry moved inside and Alexis stretched the defensive line. Özil received between the imaginary defenders and immediately played into the space.
The next phase focused on defensive organization.
Robertson and Walker worked on dealing with wide attacks while Van Dijk and Koscielny coordinated the central line. Kanté dropped between the midfield and defensive units, covering the spaces that appeared whenever Arsenal's full-backs advanced.
Then came finishing.
Crosses were delivered from different angles. Low balls were pulled toward the penalty spot. Cutbacks arrived late. Francesco, Alexis and Gnabry rotated through the finishing positions while the goalkeepers worked through their own demanding sequence.
By the final session before travelling, the emphasis had shifted toward Manchester United specifically.
Wenger wanted the team prepared for transitions.
United could attack quickly through Lingard, Martial and Rashford, while Herrera and Matić could provide the platform for those movements.
The message was simple.
Do not give them cheap turnovers.
And if Arsenal won the ball, move it forward intelligently.
The next day, the squad travelled north.
The journey to Manchester was noticeably different from the European trips they had become accustomed to. There were no unfamiliar customs procedures, no foreign airport routines and no European matchday build-up.
It was simply another Premier League away fixture.
The Arsenal players arrived at the airport together, luggage being loaded into the designated area while staff checked that everyone was accounted for.
Once aboard the plane, the mood was relatively relaxed.
Some players talked quietly.
Others put headphones on.
A few watched videos or looked through their phones.
Francesco sat with his seatbelt fastened, looking out through the window for a while as London gradually disappeared beneath the clouds.
Across the aisle, Alexis was already discussing the match with Gnabry.
"You know they will come hard," Alexis said.
Gnabry smiled.
"They always do."
Francesco looked over.
"That means we have to be ready for the first ten minutes."
Alexis nodded.
"No free gifts."
"Exactly."
The flight passed without incident.
After landing in Manchester, the squad transferred directly onto the team transport. The familiar journey continued through the city before eventually reaching the hotel.
There was dinner, recovery work and a final review of the following day's schedule.
Nobody needed to be told what was coming.
Old Trafford.
The next afternoon, Arsenal arrived at the stadium.
Even before entering the building, there was something unmistakable about the scale of the occasion.
Old Trafford stood around them with its enormous stands rising above the surrounding structures, and the sound of supporters was already beginning to build.
Inside the players' area, everything became more controlled.
Equipment was checked.
Shirts were laid out.
Boots were prepared.
Staff moved between rooms with the practiced efficiency that came from countless matchdays.
Eventually, Francesco and the rest of the Arsenal squad made their way onto the pitch.
The stadium was filling rapidly.
Manchester United supporters were beginning to occupy the stands in greater numbers, while the Arsenal travelling section had already found its voice.
The warm-up began.
Stretching came first.
Then movement exercises.
The players worked through short accelerations, changes of direction and mobility drills before moving into passing combinations.
Francesco partnered with the attacking group, exchanging quick passes with Alexis and Gnabry before rotating through different positions.
The ball moved rapidly.
Two touches.
Sometimes one.
Then came finishing.
Crosses were sent toward the penalty area while attackers timed their runs. Goalkeepers worked separately at first before joining the main sequence, facing shots from different angles.
Čech moved from low saves into higher catches, then into reactions from close range.
The intensity increased gradually.
Nobody was sprinting recklessly.
Nobody wanted to waste energy.
This was preparation.
Not performance.
When the warm-up finished, the players applauded the travelling supporters before heading inside.
The dressing room was different now.
The relaxed feeling had disappeared.
Training tops came off.
Match shirts went on.
Socks were adjusted.
Boots were tightened.
Players checked their laces, shin pads and shirts.
The room became quieter without ever becoming completely silent.
Francesco sat for a moment, elbows resting against his knees, before looking around at his teammates.
Then Wenger entered with his coaching staff.
Everyone turned toward him.
"The team is unchanged," Wenger said.
Petr Čech remained in goal.
Robertson, Van Dijk, Koscielny and Walker formed the defensive line.
Kanté and Xhaka would operate in midfield.
Özil would play ahead of them.
Alexis Sánchez and Serge Gnabry would support Francesco in attack.
Wenger then turned toward the other side of the tactical board.
"Manchester United."
David de Gea.
Marcos Rojo.
Eric Bailly.
Chris Smalling, captain.
Ander Herrera.
Nemanja Matić.
Matteo Darmian.
Diogo Dalot.
Jesse Lingard.
Anthony Martial.
Marcus Rashford.
Wenger let the names settle.
"They will try to attack quickly," he said. "We cannot give them transitions for free."
He pointed toward the midfield.
"Possession must have purpose. If the pass is available, play it. If it is not, do not force it."
His attention moved toward the attacking players.
"You will rotate. Francesco can come toward the ball. Alexis can move inside. Serge can attack the outside or come into the half-space. But when one moves, another must recognize the space."
Francesco nodded.
Wenger continued.
"Defensively, concentration. Especially when the ball changes sides. Lingard will move. Martial and Rashford will look for the channels. Their speed becomes dangerous if we lose our structure."
He looked around the room.
"This is Old Trafford. They will make you feel the pressure. You must not react emotionally to it."
A brief pause.
"Stay disciplined. Stay connected. And when the opportunity comes, attack it."
The players rose.
There was no speech.
No attempt to manufacture emotion.
They knew what the match required.
The squad moved toward the tunnel.
Manchester United were already waiting opposite them.
Smalling stood at the front of the United line, while Francesco stood at the front of Arsenal's.
The noise beyond the tunnel seemed to grow with every passing second.
Then the referee gave the signal.
Both teams walked onto the pitch.
The Premier League match presentation unfolded beneath the Old Trafford lights.
The players lined up beside the officials.
Handshakes followed.
Francesco shook hands with the referee before greeting the Manchester United players one by one.
Smalling did the same.
Then both teams gathered for the official starting-eleven photograph.
Once the photographs were completed, the players separated.
Francesco and Smalling walked toward the centre circle.
The referee held the coin between his fingers.
"Call it."
Smalling called.
The coin turned through the air.
He chose the right side.
Manchester United would kick off.
Smalling returned to his teammates.
Francesco jogged back toward Arsenal's half.
The players took their positions.
Čech stood several yards in front of his goal.
Van Dijk and Koscielny checked their spacing.
Robertson and Walker moved wider.
Kanté and Xhaka looked toward the centre.
Özil stood ahead of them.
Alexis and Gnabry took their positions around Francesco.
The referee checked his watch.
The noise rose.
Then the whistle sounded.
Manchester United moved the ball immediately.
The opening minutes were fast without being reckless.
Herrera dropped toward Matić to help United build from the back, while Lingard moved between Arsenal's midfield and defensive lines.
Arsenal pressed selectively.
Francesco closed the central passing lane before dropping back.
Alexis followed the ball toward the left.
Gnabry stayed available on the opposite side.
United worked the ball wide to Dalot, who attempted to advance before Robertson stepped across and forced him backward.
The next Arsenal attack came quickly.
Xhaka won possession and found Özil.
Özil turned.
One touch toward Francesco.
The striker laid it off before Bailly could close him down, allowing Alexis to carry the ball forward.
Smalling stepped out and intercepted.
The ball went back toward midfield.
Neither side was willing to surrender control.
At the other end, Rashford found space behind Walker for a moment, but Van Dijk covered across and prevented the pass from reaching him.
Čech collected the eventual cross comfortably.
The match settled into a demanding rhythm.
Arsenal had spells of possession.
United had their own.
Kanté covered enormous amounts of ground, repeatedly appearing where Arsenal needed him.
Xhaka attempted to dictate the tempo.
Özil looked for the smallest gaps.
Alexis and Gnabry constantly changed their positions around Francesco.
United remained dangerous whenever Lingard received between the lines.
At one point Herrera slipped a pass toward Martial, but Koscielny read the movement early and stepped in.
Moments later, Arsenal nearly created something at the opposite end when Gnabry cut inside and found Francesco, but Bailly recovered quickly enough to block the shooting lane.
The game was becoming increasingly open.
Then, in the 28th minute, Arsenal found their moment.
Kanté recovered the ball in midfield and played it into Xhaka.
Xhaka moved it forward to Özil.
The German looked up.
Francesco had begun drifting away from the centre, pulling Smalling's attention with him.
Alexis moved toward the ball.
Gnabry attacked the opposite channel.
For a moment, United's defensive line hesitated.
That was enough.
Özil slipped a precise pass into the space Francesco had created by moving away.
Francesco reached it inside the area.
He took one touch to bring it under control.
De Gea moved off his line.
Francesco did not rush.
He opened his body and struck the ball beyond the goalkeeper.
It crossed the line.
"Goal!"
The Arsenal supporters behind the goal erupted.
Francesco turned toward Özil first.
The German was already running toward him.
"You saw it!"
"I saw you," Özil replied.
Alexis and Gnabry arrived moments later, followed by the rest of the Arsenal players.
Francesco briefly clenched both fists before pointing toward the travelling supporters.
The away section was bouncing.
Arsenal led 1–0.
Manchester United immediately changed their tempo.
They began pressing higher.
Matić pushed farther forward.
Herrera became more aggressive with his passing.
Lingard started appearing closer to the Arsenal penalty area.
Arsenal were forced deeper at times.
Čech made an important save from Rashford after the forward received a pass on the edge of the area.
Then United came again.
Herrera collected possession in the right half-space and waited for Martial's movement.
Martial began his run behind the Arsenal defensive line.
Herrera found him.
Martial took the ball in stride.
Koscielny tried to close the angle, but Martial shifted the ball onto his preferred foot and finished beyond Čech.
34 minutes.
1–1.
The home crowd responded immediately.
Martial turned toward the supporters while Herrera raised both arms.
Arsenal regrouped.
Francesco walked toward the centre circle, clapping once toward his teammates.
"Come on. Reset."
The match resumed.
There was no collapse.
Arsenal continued attacking.
Alexis tested Rojo.
Gnabry forced Darmian to retreat.
Özil found pockets between Herrera and Matić.
United continued looking for Rashford and Martial in transition.
The final minutes of the half became increasingly tense.
Then Arsenal regained momentum.
Kanté intercepted a loose United pass near midfield.
Rather than slowing the attack, he immediately carried the ball forward.
Gnabry had already begun moving into the space on the right.
Kanté released the pass.
Gnabry collected it, cut inside and continued his run toward the area.
A United defender moved toward him.
Gnabry shifted the ball away from the challenge and finished low through the crowded defensive shape.
44 minutes.
2–1 Arsenal.
Gnabry turned toward Kanté, who was already approaching.
"You gave me that one," Gnabry said.
Kanté smiled.
"You still had to score."
The rest of the Arsenal players gathered briefly around them.
Then Francesco pointed toward the halfway line.
"Back."
There was still time before the interval.
United tried to use it.
Rashford carried the ball forward, but Walker stayed with him.
Lingard found a pocket centrally, only for Xhaka to close the space.
A late cross came toward Martial, but Van Dijk rose above him and headed clear.
The referee checked his watch.
Then the whistle came.
Half-time.
Manchester United 1–2 Arsenal.
The players walked toward their respective dressing rooms.
Arsenal entered carrying the intensity of the opening forty-five minutes with them.
Water bottles were opened immediately.
Towels were handed around.
Some players sat.
Others remained standing as staff moved through the room.
Francesco took a drink and wiped his face before looking toward Wenger.
The manager entered a few moments later.
He waited until everyone was ready.
"Good," he began. "We have attacked well. We have created opportunities, and we have scored twice."
He pointed toward the tactical board.
"But this match is not finished."
Nobody spoke.
"Manchester will continue to push. We cannot give them the belief that they can control this game."
Wenger looked toward the attacking players.
"We need another goal."
Francesco nodded.
"Keep attacking with purpose. The spaces behind their defensive line are there. When they push forward, we must recognize them."
Then Wenger's attention moved toward the midfield.
"Keep the ball when it is possible. Do not turn every possession into an attack. But do not become passive either."
He paused.
"We score the third goal first."
That sentence was deliberate.
"Then we can change the approach. We can become more compact. We can counterattack. We can make them take risks."
Wenger looked around the entire room.
"But not before."
Kanté nodded.
Xhaka leaned forward, listening carefully.
Özil remained focused on the board.
Alexis took another drink.
Gnabry adjusted his socks.
Francesco looked around at his teammates.
There was still another forty-five minutes.
Arsenal had the advantage, but nothing about Old Trafford suggested it would remain comfortable.
Wenger stepped back from the board.
"Stay together. Stay intelligent. When the chance comes, take it."
The players absorbed the instructions.
Outside, the stadium continued to roar.
The second half was waiting.
And Arsenal would return to it with a 2–1 lead, knowing that the match was still entirely open.
Then the players emerged from the tunnel once again, and the sound inside Old Trafford seemed to have risen another level.
As Arsenal returned to the pitch with their 2–1 advantage intact, but there was no sense that the match had become any easier.
Francesco took his position near the centre circle, glancing across at the Manchester United players as they settled into their positions.
Smalling was already talking to his defenders.
Herrera gestured toward the midfield.
Matić pointed toward Francesco.
On the opposite touchline, José Mourinho was standing close to the technical area, speaking rapidly to several of his players.
Wenger remained composed.
He watched the shape of his team for a few seconds before giving a brief instruction toward Xhaka.
"Keep the distances."
The referee checked both sides.
Then the second half began.
United immediately pushed forward.
Herrera received the first pass and carried it toward Arsenal's half before releasing it toward Dalot. The full-back attempted to advance, but Robertson met him quickly and forced him to play backward.
The ball was recycled through Matić.
This time Lingard dropped deeper.
Martial moved inside.
Rashford stayed wide before suddenly accelerating toward the space behind Walker.
The movement forced Arsenal to adjust.
Walker tracked him.
Van Dijk shifted across.
Koscielny remained central.
Rashford eventually received the ball, but his attempted cross was blocked by Walker and deflected out for a throw.
Mourinho clapped sharply from the touchline.
"Higher! Keep going!"
United's intention was obvious.
They wanted Arsenal under pressure before the visitors could settle.
Arsenal refused to simply retreat.
Kanté received the throw-in and immediately played forward to Xhaka.
Xhaka found Özil.
Özil turned away from Herrera and released the ball toward Gnabry.
The German winger accelerated down the right.
Alexis moved centrally.
Francesco began his run between Bailly and Smalling.
Gnabry's cross was low and hard, but Smalling stretched out a leg and diverted it away.
The ball reached Matić.
United countered.
For several seconds the match became almost end-to-end.
Martial carried the ball through the left channel.
Walker stayed with him.
A pass toward Rashford looked dangerous, but Van Dijk stepped forward at precisely the right moment and intercepted.
Arsenal tried to turn the recovery into an attack.
Kanté found Alexis.
Alexis slipped past Dalot and attempted to find Francesco near the edge of the penalty area.
Bailly got there first.
The defender cleared under pressure.
Neither team could establish complete control.
Every time United advanced, Arsenal looked for the space left behind them.
Every time Arsenal attempted to exploit it, United's defenders recovered.
The battle in midfield became increasingly physical.
Herrera and Xhaka competed for second balls.
Matić repeatedly positioned himself between Özil and the defensive line.
Kanté continued moving from one contest to another, covering gaps before they became problems.
On the touchline, Mourinho kept demanding more.
"Press them!"
"Don't let them turn!"
"Move it!"
Wenger responded with quieter instructions.
"Patience."
"Stay together."
"Keep the ball."
Arsenal's players understood the difference.
They did not need to match United's urgency with panic.
They needed to make that urgency work against them.
The 55th minute arrived with the score still 2–1.
United nearly equalized.
Herrera won possession after Xhaka's forward pass was intercepted and immediately sent the ball into Martial.
Martial turned.
Rashford was already sprinting beyond him.
The pass came.
Rashford reached it inside the area and attempted to finish across goal.
Čech reacted quickly, dropping low and pushing the ball away with both hands.
Koscielny cleared the rebound before Martial could reach it.
The Arsenal defenders shouted encouragement toward the goalkeeper.
Čech simply got back onto his feet.
There was no time to celebrate a save.
United were already pressing again.
Mourinho gestured toward his players.
"Again!"
The home side continued pushing.
Arsenal absorbed the pressure without abandoning the attacking instruction Wenger had given at half-time.
That became particularly important when United's full-backs began moving higher.
Robertson noticed the space immediately.
He played into Xhaka.
Xhaka moved it to Özil.
Özil turned.
Francesco had dropped toward the ball, dragging Smalling several yards away from the centre.
Gnabry began moving into the space behind him.
The pass went toward Francesco.
He touched it first time into Alexis.
Alexis tried to release Gnabry.
Smalling recovered just enough to intercept.
The chance disappeared.
Francesco turned and immediately jogged back into position.
"Keep going," he told Gnabry.
Gnabry nodded.
The match had become a test of concentration as much as technique.
Then, in the 63rd minute, Arsenal found the opening they had been waiting for.
The attack began with Kanté.
He collected the ball near the centre circle and played a simple pass into Xhaka.
Xhaka moved it toward Özil, who attracted Herrera before releasing it wide to Alexis.
Alexis took the ball near the left side.
Dalot moved toward him.
Alexis slowed.
Then accelerated.
The change of pace created half a yard.
He drove toward the edge of the area before lifting his head.
Gnabry was coming from the opposite side.
Francesco had occupied the centre.
The movement of all three Arsenal attackers forced United's defenders to make decisions simultaneously.
Alexis waited until Gnabry reached the gap.
Then he slid the ball across.
Gnabry met it in stride.
One touch.
Then the finish.
The shot travelled beyond De Gea and into the far side of the net.
63 minutes.
3–1 Arsenal.
For a moment, Gnabry simply stood there.
Then he turned toward Alexis.
The Chilean was already approaching him.
"You again," Alexis laughed.
Gnabry grinned.
"You gave me the ball."
Francesco arrived and grabbed Gnabry by the shoulders.
"That was excellent."
Kanté joined them, followed by Xhaka and Özil.
It was a brief celebration.
There was no need for anything elaborate.
Arsenal had finally created the cushion Wenger had demanded.
The travelling supporters were celebrating behind the goal, but the Arsenal players quickly returned toward halfway.
United had barely restarted when Mourinho was shouting again.
"Come on! Come on!"
The home supporters responded.
The volume increased.
United pushed forward with renewed desperation.
Martial attempted to run at Walker.
Walker stayed tight and forced him toward the sideline.
Rashford moved centrally.
Lingard found a pocket between Kanté and Xhaka.
He received and immediately turned toward goal.
Koscielny stepped out.
The pass toward Rashford was blocked.
Matić recovered the loose ball and struck from distance.
The shot went over Čech's crossbar.
Wenger turned toward his bench.
The three-goal advantage was not yet there, but the two-goal margin had changed the nature of the match.
Arsenal could now choose their moments.
Yet Wenger still did not want them sitting back.
He raised his hand.
"Keep playing!"
The instruction mattered.
Arsenal continued looking forward.
Then came the 69th minute.
Wenger made his move.
Francesco's evening was finished.
So was Gnabry's.
Özil would also leave the pitch.
The three players walked toward the touchline together.
Olivier Giroud came on for Francesco.
Youri Tielemans replaced Gnabry.
Bukayo Saka replaced Özil.
Francesco slowed as he reached the sideline.
He handed the captain's armband to Koscielny.
"Keep them organized."
Koscielny nodded.
"I've got it."
Francesco shook Giroud's hand.
"Finish the job."
Giroud smiled.
"We'll try."
Francesco stepped away from the pitch, applauding the supporters as he walked toward the technical area.
At the same moment, Mourinho made three changes of his own.
Anthony Martial came off for Romelu Lukaku.
Marcos Rojo was replaced by Marouane Fellaini.
Jesse Lingard made way for Paul Pogba.
The changes altered the shape of the match immediately.
United now had more physical presence.
Lukaku offered a direct target.
Fellaini occupied the central areas.
Pogba could carry the ball forward and strike passes over the Arsenal defensive line.
Mourinho stood near the edge of his technical area.
"Push!"
The substitutions had made his intention clear.
United were not accepting the scoreline.
Arsenal adjusted.
Giroud began occupying the centre-forward position, giving Arsenal an outlet when they needed to escape pressure.
Saka stayed wider and looked to attack the space behind United's advancing players.
Tielemans moved into midfield and immediately began showing for possession.
His first few touches were simple.
Receive.
Pass.
Move.
Then receive again.
The game continued at a relentless pace.
United attacked.
Arsenal defended.
Arsenal broke forward.
United recovered.
Lukaku battled with Van Dijk and Koscielny for aerial balls, while Pogba attempted to move United through the middle.
But Arsenal's structure remained intact.
Then, in the 78th minute, Arsenal produced another attack.
Kanté won the ball deep and gave it to Tielemans.
The Belgian midfielder looked up.
Giroud had begun moving away from the centre-back, dragging Smalling with him.
Saka moved inside from the flank.
Tielemans waited.
He then played a beautifully weighted pass into the space ahead of Giroud.
Giroud reached it just inside the area.
He took the ball onto his left side, shielded it from Bailly and finished firmly beyond De Gea.
4–1.
Giroud turned immediately.
Tielemans was running toward him.
The striker pointed at the young midfielder.
"That pass!"
Tielemans laughed.
Saka arrived next, wrapping an arm around Giroud's shoulders.
Koscielny and the other Arsenal players followed.
The celebration lasted longer than the previous one, but it remained controlled.
Arsenal knew what the goal meant.
The margin was three.
Old Trafford had become noticeably quieter.
Mourinho stood with his hands on his hips for a moment before turning toward his bench.
The home supporters were frustrated, but United refused to disappear.
They kept coming.
Pogba began finding more room.
Fellaini pushed higher.
Lukaku stayed between the centre-backs.
Arsenal's defensive line dropped several yards.
Wenger watched carefully.
"Stay compact."
This time there was no contradiction.
Arsenal had created the stronger cushion.
Now they could manage the game.
United moved the ball from side to side.
Dalot crossed.
Van Dijk headed away.
Pogba recovered the second ball.
Fellaini challenged Xhaka.
The ball broke toward Herrera.
Herrera attempted to find Lukaku.
Koscielny blocked the pass.
But United continued.
Eventually, in the 86th minute, their pressure produced a response.
Pogba received the ball outside the penalty area.
He looked up.
Lukaku was beginning his movement between Van Dijk and Koscielny.
Pogba waited until the Belgian striker had created the angle.
Then he delivered the pass.
Lukaku attacked it.
One touch brought him into the area.
He finished beyond Čech.
86 minutes.
4–2.
The home supporters found their voice again.
Lukaku turned toward them, raising both arms.
Pogba followed.
For Arsenal, the reaction was immediate.
Koscielny pointed toward the centre.
"Reset."
No complaints.
No panic.
They knew the situation had changed.
Two goals still separated the teams, but Manchester United now had momentum.
Wenger stepped closer to the technical area.
"Keep the ball!"
Arsenal needed to make United chase.
The next few minutes were played with greater care.
Tielemans dropped closer to Xhaka.
Kanté remained alert to any loose pass.
Robertson stopped making unnecessary forward runs.
Walker stayed deeper.
Saka continued offering an outlet on the flank.
Giroud held the ball whenever it came toward him, using his strength to bring teammates into play.
United continued searching.
Pogba attempted another forward pass.
Van Dijk intercepted.
Fellaini rose for a cross.
Koscielny challenged him and cleared.
Dalot delivered another ball.
Robertson got there first.
The clock continued moving.
89 minutes.
Old Trafford was tense now.
Every Arsenal clearance was greeted by noise.
Every United attack brought another wave of expectation from the home supporters.
Čech took his time with a restart.
Xhaka moved into space.
Tielemans showed for the ball.
Arsenal worked it out from the back rather than simply launching it forward.
That was what Wenger wanted.
Control.
Not possession for appearance's sake, but possession that removed seconds from the clock.
United pressed.
Saka escaped down the left and carried the ball toward the corner before winning a throw.
Giroud held off Bailly and earned another foul.
Kanté collected a loose ball and passed backward.
The seconds disappeared.
Then United launched one final attack.
Pogba crossed toward the penalty area.
Lukaku challenged.
Van Dijk won it.
The ball dropped to Xhaka, who cleared toward the halfway line.
The referee looked at his watch.
One final whistle.
Then another.
And finally, the match ended.
Manchester United 2.
Arsenal 4.
For a second, nobody on the Arsenal bench moved.
Then the relief arrived.
Not wild celebration.
Just the unmistakable reaction of players who understood exactly how difficult the afternoon had been.
Koscielny exhaled and looked toward Van Dijk.
"We made it complicated."
Van Dijk smiled.
"But we won."
Nearby, Giroud was congratulated by Tielemans and Saka.
Kanté walked toward them and gave Tielemans a brief embrace.
"You did well."
Tielemans smiled.
"Good pass."
"Very good pass."
At the technical area, Francesco had already removed his training top and was standing beside Wenger.
The manager shook his hand.
"You contributed what we needed."
Francesco nodded.
"The team finished it."
Wenger glanced toward the pitch.
"Exactly."
The Arsenal players began walking toward the travelling supporters.
They had travelled all the way north to see their team play at one of English football's most famous grounds, and the players wanted to acknowledge them properly.
Koscielny led the group with the captain's armband.
Giroud, Saka, Tielemans, Kanté, Xhaka, Alexis and the rest followed.
Francesco joined them.
The supporters were still singing.
The players applauded them.
Some raised their hands.
Others pointed toward the away section.
Gnabry, having already changed into a jacket, stood near the edge of the technical area watching his teammates.
His two goals had made the difference.
Francesco caught his eye and gave him a thumbs-up.
Gnabry returned it with a grin.
Across the pitch, Manchester United's players slowly made their way toward the tunnel.
Smalling remained among the last to leave, his expression reflecting the disappointment of a match that had twice seemed capable of turning in United's favour.
Mourinho stood near the technical area for a moment longer, speaking quietly with members of his staff before finally disappearing down the tunnel.
Arsenal remained together for another few moments.
There was satisfaction, certainly.
But there was also an understanding of what had been required.
They had led.
They had been pegged back.
They had rebuilt the advantage.
They had survived another spell of pressure.
And they had finished the match with four goals at Old Trafford.
Now the Premier League had demanded something completely different.
And Arsenal had answered it.
Koscielny raised his hand toward the supporters one final time.
The players began walking toward the tunnel.
Francesco followed.
Old Trafford remained loud around them, but the noise no longer belonged entirely to Manchester United as tonight, Arsenal had taken their share of it with them.
__________________________________________________
Name : Francesco Lee
Age : 19 (2017)
Birthplace : London, England
Football Club : Arsenal First Team
Championship History : 2014/2015 Premier League, 2014/2015 FA Cup, 2015/2016 Community Shield, 2016/2017 Premier League, 2015/2016 Champions League, Euro 2016, Premier League Champion 2016/2017, FA Cup 2016/2017, 2016/2017 Champions League, 2017/2018 Carabao Cup, Premier League 2017/2018, FA Cup 2017/2018, Champions League 2017/2018, 2018 World Cup, and 2018/2019 Community Shield.
Season 17/18 stats:
Arsenal:
Match: 21
Goal: 24
Assist: 1
MOTM: 0
POTM: 0
England:
Match: 2
Goal: 2
Assist: 0
MOTM: 0
Season 17/18 stats:
Arsenal:
Match: 59
Goal: 76
Assist: 6
MOTM: 7
POTM: 0
England:
Match: 11
Goal: 14
Assist: 1
MOTM: 7
Season 16/17 stats:
Arsenal:
Match: 55
Goal: 87
Assist: 5
MOTM: 14
POTM: 1
England:
Match: 1
Goal: 1
Assist: 0
MOTM: 0
Season 15/16 stats:
Arsenal:
Match Played: 60
Goal: 82
Assist: 10
MOTM: 9
POTM: 1
England:
Match Played: 2
Goal: 4
Assist: 0
Euro 2016
Match Played: 6
Goal: 13
Assist: 4
MOTM: 6
Season 14/15 stats:
Match Played: 35
Goal: 45
Assist: 12
MOTM: 9