LONDON — Manchester United’s winless run continued but it gave under-fire coach Louis van Gaal crumbs of cheer with a committed display in an entertaining 0-0 draw with Chelsea while Arsenal went top of the table Monday.
Arsenal beat Bournemouth 2-0 with goals from Gabriel and Mesut Ozil to move on to 39 points from 19 Premier League games, one ahead of Leicester City which is at home to Manchester City, in fourth, Tuesday.
Dutchman Van Gaal, whose tenure in the Old Trafford hot seat is under intense scrutiny after a Champions League exit and three successive league defeats, was afforded a warm reception by fans who have been critical of his team’s lack of flair.
Van Gaal hinted after a 2-0 defeat at Stoke City Saturday that he could walk away but, after a performance of attacking intent against Chelsea, he said he would not quit.
“No reason to resign for me, maybe the media want that but I shall not do that,” he told BT Sport. “You have seen they (the players) are fighting for me."
United, now eight games without a win in all competitions, struck the woodwork twice in the opening 16 minutes. Juan Mata rattled the crossbar with a fierce left-footed effort and Anthony Martial drilled the ball against the post.
But it was not all one-way traffic. Keeper David De Gea kept out John Terry’s powerful header and made a fine double save to deny Pedro and Cesar Azpilicueta at the start of the second half.
Opposite number Thibaut Courtois then somehow kept out Ander Herrera’s close-range shot.
Chelsea, playing its second game under interim manager Guus Hiddink after Jose Mourinho’s sacking, wasted the game’s best opportunity when Nemanja Matic raced clean through before blazing the ball wildly over.
Wayne Rooney might have won it late on but skied the ball over to leave United in sixth spot on 30 points.
Champion Chelsea, which was minus the suspended Diego Costa and played without a recognized striker, is 14th with 20 points.
The draw left Hiddink reasonably content. “On one hand I am happy with a point because we had a difficult game but, on the other, we had two big chances to get three points. In general I’m happy,” said the Dutchman.
Arsenal, thrashed 4-0 at Southampton Saturday, got back to winning ways by seeing off Bournemouth at The Emirates.
Ozil set up center back Gabriel for the opening goal on 27 minutes, his first for the club, and scored the second after the break by sidefooting home Olivier Giroud’s flicked pass.
Substitute Andy Carroll’s 79th-minute winner lifted West Ham United to seventh with a 2-1 victory over Southampton.
