Back at Old Trafford, the referee checked his watch as the players drifted into their last positions of the half before letting his whistle sound as the ball rolled toward midfield, the crowd settling for a moment.
"And that brings the first half to a close. Arsenal leads by three, and the story so far is impossible to ignore. Izan has lit up Old Trafford yet again, and this is getting detrimental for Manchester United by the minute."
Arsenal walked off together, their shoulders relaxed, knowing the job was only half done.
Izan wiped his face with his shirt as he mixed with the other players heading down the tunnel.
United's frustration lingered in the air behind them, but Arsenal barely glanced sideways.
The tunnel narrowed, sound bouncing off concrete as boots echoed forward.
A few stewards nodded them through, cameras catching brief flashes of faces before the squad disappeared into the away dressing room.
