Gary Neville pointed the finger at Arsenal’s defensive wall for making it too easy for Bruno Fernandes to score a stunning free-kick in Manchester United’s Premier League clash on Sunday. The United captain capitalized on the space given to him and curled the ball past David Raya to break the deadlock just before halftime.
Despite United’s lack of attacking threat in the first half, they took the lead when Leandro Trossard fouled Alejandro Garnacho just outside the box. Fernandes then stepped up and bent the ball over the Arsenal wall and beyond a stranded Raya, sending Old Trafford into celebration.
Before Fernandes struck the ball, Neville had already voiced concerns about Arsenal’s setup. He pointed out that the wall appeared to be too far back, giving Fernandes a bigger target. As the ball hit the back of the net, Neville reiterated his observation, noting that the wall had positioned itself too generously.
Replays later confirmed that Arsenal’s wall stood 11.2 yards away from the ball, slightly more than the usual distance. Neville suggested that Declan Rice and William Saliba could have edged closer to limit Fernandes’ options, making the free-kick harder to execute.
The former United defender also criticized Raya’s reaction, questioning whether the goalkeeper could have done more to prevent the goal. Despite this, he acknowledged the quality of Fernandes’ strike, which left the Arsenal shot-stopper with little chance to react.
Roy Keane, another former United player, agreed with Neville’s assessment, saying both the wall and Raya shared responsibility for conceding. However, he emphasized that Fernandes’ strike was an exceptional piece of skill, generating enough power to beat the defense and goalkeeper alike.
United’s first-half performance may have been underwhelming, but Fernandes’ moment of brilliance ensured they went into the break with momentum. Arsenal, on the other hand, will be left questioning whether their defensive setup could have been tighter to prevent such an easy opportunity.