Sir Alex Ferguson, up in the directors’ box, could have been forgiven for letting his mind wander back to the battles he has seen between these teams in north London. Not at the Emirates so often.
Arsenal haven't been the force of old since they moved here and the titanic battles - the one preceded by Roy Keane's exchange with Patrick Vieira in the tunnel for instance - took place up the road at Highbury.
Another time, another time, as Harold Pinter wrote of seeing Sir Len Hutton bat. It wasn't the ghosts that were so troubling here as the shadows. Players that are a pale comparison with their predecessors, some that bear little resemblance to their younger selves.
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Stunning: Wojciech Szczesny made a brilliant save to deny Van Persie in the dying stages at the Emirates
Despite losing Rafael at half-time to a nasty fall sustained minutes earlier, United held out well. Rio Ferdinand, his replacement, partnered Nemanja Vidic at centre half and if not like old times at least the outcome was; nothing added to the goals against tally, a rare occurrence for United these days.
Moyes’ team could even have nicked it with then minutes to go, when Michael Carrick mopped up and Robin van Persie broke, feeding Wayne Rooney who returned the favour with a sweet chip. Van Persie threw himself at the header but Wojciech Szczesny was equal to it, tipping the ball against the bar.
Overall, United had the best of the chances. In the 62nd minute, a Santi Cazorla corner was met by Laurent Koscielny and looked goalbound, until Antonio Valencia rose to keep out the header with one of his own. Just two minutes later a cross from Kieran Gibbs was steered wide by Giroud, who missed too many chance for the comfort of Arsenal's title challenge. Soon after a cross from Bacary Sagna should have been converted by the striker at the near post, but United were equal to the challenge again.
Change: Robin Van Persie had an early opportunity to open the scoring for the visitors but fluffed his lines
How did you miss? Van Persie rues his poor effort after blowing the chance to put Manchester United in front
With the home crowd growing ever more impatient, David de Gea saved well from Cazorla. The biggest cheer with the news that trains north from Euston were cancelled due to the bad weather, but it is Arsenal who are stuck where they don't want to be this morning. Second.
There was a lot of tension around this game, two teams desperate not to lose for very different reasons, and that is never good for the spectacle.
No points dropped for United in this dismal season reflect well on Moyes right now. As for Arsenal, with Chelsea dropping points on Tuesday night and Manchester City's home match with Sunderland postponed, any failure to return to the top of the Premier League would be seen as a sign of failure.
Time was, a point against Manchester United would have been enough, no matter the circumstances. Not now. This is a team there for the taking and the frustration of the home fans when Arsenal failed to take advantage of considerable first-half possession told its own tale.
In on goal: Jack Wilshere takes a shot during a first half that failed to live up to expectations at the Emirates
Old friends: England manager Roy Hodgson and former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson
The
conditions were not to blame. The Emirates was, if not becalmed, then
certainly benign if compared to the north of the country. The squalls of
a 5-1 defeat at Liverpool, and two home points dropped against Fulham
got the better of these teams, rather than any bank of low pressure. In
the second minute when Mikel Arteta almost set his former team-mate Van
Persie up for the opening goal, the stage was set.
Arsenal's captain has been in indifferent form of late, and this was a poor start, caught in possession after a ball out from Szczesny, Van Persie on him like a big cat and through on goal. Arsenal supporters must have feared the worst, having seen the man finish from a similar position so many times in a red shirt, but Manchester United's key players have lost much of the old certainty since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down, his last big signing among them. Van Persie shot low, but too near Szczesny who smothered his attempt, comfortably.
Up the other end it was little different. Jack Wilshere hustled his way past Vidic, whose every performance lessens his summer options having given up on United, and the ball was blocked by Chris Smalling for a corner.
Arsenal's captain has been in indifferent form of late, and this was a poor start, caught in possession after a ball out from Szczesny, Van Persie on him like a big cat and through on goal. Arsenal supporters must have feared the worst, having seen the man finish from a similar position so many times in a red shirt, but Manchester United's key players have lost much of the old certainty since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down, his last big signing among them. Van Persie shot low, but too near Szczesny who smothered his attempt, comfortably.
Up the other end it was little different. Jack Wilshere hustled his way past Vidic, whose every performance lessens his summer options having given up on United, and the ball was blocked by Chris Smalling for a corner.
Close shave: Antonio Valencia cleared Laurent Koscielny's effort off the line in the second half
Hurt: Rafael receives treatment after taking a knock and was later replaced by veteran Rio Ferdinand
Curled in by Cazorla, it was met by Olivier Giroud in a ridiculous amount of space considering Moyes's reputation for stout defence, but the Frenchman steering a free header wide - a huge escape for United.
From there, it was tame fare, considering the blood and thunder nature of these clashes in previous decades. Tomas Rosicky had a shot deflect off Vidic, which goalkeeper De Gea had to scramble to stop, Van Persie cut inside on the left and hit a low shot across the face of goal.
There were too many mistakes. Passes went astray, moves built urgently but just as quickly fizzled out. It is hard to understand why a manager with a team as ordinary as this United no longer finds a place for Adnan Januzaj, the one little gem prised from Moyes’s first season at Old Trafford, considering the transfer of Juan Mata is yet to deliver more than a PR splash.
Here, Mata was deployed on the left of a midfield four, a puzzling decision consider Jose Mourinho claimed he had left Chelsea to play for United in his favourite position. It is unlikely he had the Nani role in mind when that conversation took place. Wayne Rooney didn't appear exactly delighted with covering Sagna on the occasions Mata had something better to do, either. It looked very much a work in progress
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