Manchester United must build around young stars and saviour Bruno Fernandes and give struggling Joshua Zirkzee new role

Passion off the pitch, passion on it. This showed how much people care about Manchester United. This was a good day for the club. The sun even came out. 

Thousands of United fans protested against their club’s co-owners, the Glazers, with a march before the game and chants during it.

They raged against the mismanagement of United, the shameful accumulation of debt, and the treatment of their club by the Glazers as an asset to be sweated.

Fans care deeply. The time United should worry is when there’s apathy. 

Their head coach, Ruben Amorim, obviously cares. His reputation has taken a kicking, and he’s desperately keen to prove himself, and his methods.

Amorim’s body language throughout captured his emotional engagement with his players, encouraging and organising them. 

His players have had their passion questioned but not here.

Bruno Fernandes certainly cares for the cause, Alejandro Garnacho, too, as did the inexperienced but whole-hearted substitutes like Ayden Heaven and Toby Collyer.

Even if the supporters’ hopes of getting the Glazers out looks a forlorn one – there’s too much money for the Americans to rake in longer-term – they can take some hope for the future in the fight most of their players showed in a deserved draw against Arsenal. 

Some are unlikely to be here next season, ageing players like Christian Eriksen, Casemiro and the consistently unconvincing Victor Lindelof.

United have to get them off the wage-bill, and build around younger, hungrier, more mobile players. And around Fernandes, United’s key player at 30.

He has his critics, but few inside Old Trafford. He has rescued United too often this season. He rallied the team when Arsenal were controlling the first half.

Martin Odegaard ran the show, too quick of mind and body for Casemiro and Eriksen.

Fernandes annoys, moans, frustrates but he cares. After Garnacho won a free-kick shortly before the break, Fernandes punished David Raya’s inexplicable decision to leave so much of the left side of his goal open.

Fernandes accepted the invitation, and lifted the ball over the wall and in. He scores important goals – against Arsenal in the FA Cup, the winner against Rangers in the Europa League, and launching fightbacks against Everton and Manchester City. 

Fernandes’ passing also releases Garnacho, the 20-year-old dribbler who has to remain part of Amorim’s plan. He reflects the promise of youth, so often an elixir for United.

Lenny Yoro, a 19-year-old centre-back who mixes a sharp reading of incoming danger and his touch and fluidity of movement in possession. He suits Amorim’s approach.

Heaven came on at half time for Yoro, who’d frustratingly taken a knock. Heaven is a raw prospect, a year younger than Yoro, and playing his first minutes in the Premier League. 

Heaven received a few boos from the fans of Arsenal, who he’d left in the summer. Quick and strong in the air, Heaven was fully committed.

He’s left-footed, a useful option with Lisandro Martinez injured. Heaven was not to blame when Jurrien Timber cut in from the right to set up the equaliser after 74 minutes.

Noussair Mazraoui failed to stick with Timber, who cut the ball back for Declan Rice. The £105m midfielder scored with a sweeping shot from right to left. “Declan Rice – we got him half-price,” sang the Arsenal fans.

Rice, meanwhile, was down the other end, shushing the Stretford End. It was a fine goal, and his subsequent tackle on Rasmus Hojlund carried echoes of Bobby Moore in timing and precision.

But it was still a disappointing day for his team. The title race was over anyway, but great teams fight to the end, however bitter.

Arsenal would have lost but for Raya, who made an astonishing double-save from Fernandes. 

Odegaard tried to force a way through but Collyer hounded him until Arsenal’s captain surrendered possession. Collyer brought some welcome mobility to United’s midfield. 

Collyer had replaced Zirkzee, who has a neat touch but lacks the the physicality or mentality for the No.9 role. He’s better from deeper.

He managed one good back-heel, well-saved by Raya, but was otherwise controlled by William Saliba. There was a 60-40 in his favour with Timber and the Arsenal defender won it.

It’s been a wretched season for United, but there will surely be more belief in Amorim and his methods after this second half.

Patrick Dorgu is an Amorim signing and at 20 years old has the pace and boldness for left-wing back but was suspended here.

So there is hope for the future, including the possibility that the remaining players will increasingly absorb Amorim’s tactics, especially after he has had a pre-season with them.

Amorim makes a legitimate point about Mikel Arteta being given time to build Arsenal, although United’s head coach really needs to tone down his occasional gloomy pronouncements.

He still needs four or five players in the summer. Arsenal, to the surprise of nobody, still need a No 9.