‘Disappointment in only taking one point’ – Renee Slegers reacts to Man United 1-1 Arsenal | OneFootball

A late equaliser from Manchester United’s Melvine Malard denied Arsenal victory, with interim Gunners boss Renee Slegers calling it a “missed opportunity.”An explosive start saw both sides go head-to-head with relentless intensity, as they applied heavy pressure on their respective opposition’s backlines. United showed no signs of fatigue from the recent international break, fending off Arsenal’s early waves of attack with composure.

Alessia Russo, visibly energised on her return to face her former club, came close to breaking the deadlock early on. She fired a quick shot that narrowly missed, grazing past Phallon Tullis-Joyce’s post. Despite some strong attacking moves, both sides struggled to find composure in the final third, often falling short in the decisive moments.

Eventually, the breakthrough came from the visitors as Russo linked up with Emily Fox to finish a well-executed move. Fox raced down the right wing, cut back the ball to Russo, who hit it first time to slot past Tullis-Joyce, getting her first goal of the WSL season.

However, United refused to go down without a fight. Against the run of play in the 83rd minute, Melvine Malard equalised during a chaotic goalmouth scramble following a United corner that Arsenal couldn’t effectively clear.

The 1-1 draw continues United’s unbeaten run, but for Slegers, who recently confirmed she will be in charge for this block of five games following Jonas Eidevall’s departure, it was a bittersweet result.

She said: “Against top teams, it’s crucial to win, especially given where we’re coming from.

“We did a lot of things well – the players were engaged in what we set out to achieve in this block of games. Performance-wise, there were plenty of positives, but the disappointment lies in only taking one point.

“I’m happy for her [Alessia Russo scoring]. She’s been getting into good positions for a while now. She’s humble, asks questions, and is committed to improving. Those players with that mindset will develop.”