In the build-up to Sunday's match at Old Trafford, Arsene Wenger and Louis van Gaal both spoke of the need to make a statement regarding next season's ambitions. Against a top four rival, this was an opportunity to put down a marker.
"We feel we have made progress," said Wenger. "But we have a good opportunity to show that on Sunday because in every game that is questioned. That is what is at stake until the end of the season, to show that we can be stronger next year."
If that was the intention, it fell spectacularly short. United dominated the first half and Arsenal had decent spells after the break, finishing stronger. However, both teams were assisted more by the other's deficiencies than through their own excellence.
As an indicator of just how easy both sides seemed to take the match, there was no yellow card issued until Ander Herrera cynically broke up play in stoppage time. Imagine such a scenario in the days of Neville vs Reyes, Keown vs Van Nistelrooy and Keane vs Vieira. Given the air of 'just not quite' to both clubs' seasons, the apparent lack of desire to push home any advantage seemed odd, and was disappointing.
The instant retort is that this was a nothing game with very little to play for. That's partly true, but this game was only meaningless because both teams were so far behind Jose Mourinho's Chelsea with two games left. The immediate conclusion from Manchester United vs Arsenal: Chelsea will take some catching next season.
* Van Gaal used his programme notes to reiterate that his is a mission only partly accomplished. United are not a club for whom a top four finish is enough. They have finished behind neighbours City for the second season in a row for the first time in 37 years.
'I know for a club of this stature that finishing fourth in the Premier League is not something to celebrate,' Van Gaal wrote. 'But I hope you will agree that it is a step in the right direction to getting this club back to competing at the highest level, both domestically and in European competition.'
That's true, and further improvement is needed if Van Gaal is to be given another rumoured £150m transfer budget this summer. Make a serious title challenge next season, finishing in the top two and reaching the Champions League quarter-finals. Win the title in 2016/17. Those must surely be the realistic aims?
* The game started in bitty fashion, with neither side able to enjoy possession for more than 10 or 15 seconds at a time. United soon moved onto the front foot, however, with Juan Mata's reverse ball putting Radamel Falcao through for the first chance of the game. Nacho Monreal got back to block the Colombian's shot from a tight angle. From the resultant corner, Chris Smalling also had a shot blocked, this time by Hector Bellerin.
Arsenal then fell into a rut, completely unable to hold onto the ball. They seemed to lack all confidence in their own game, too often launching the ball into the channels for Olivier Giroud to run onto. That's far from his strong point. The first half almost completely passed Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil by, the pair completing 19 passes between them in 45 minutes.
Sanchez in particular struggled, appearing fatigued and wholly unable to influence play. The Chilean prides himself on being the livewire in Arsenal's side, hounding the opposition in possession and dictating play. Sanchez completed six passes in the first half, and had as many touches of the ball as David Ospina. He won possession just four times, but lost the ball on 11 occasions before the break.
* Has a player's career ever been more perfectly summed up in a few seconds than by Phil Jones' desperate crawl across the Old Trafford turf in an attempt to clear the ball?
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