Smilla Holmberg's 95th-minute volley saved Arsenal's blushes, but a 1-1 home draw against Manchester United tells you everything that is starting to feel worrying about Renée Slegers' side this season.

This Was Not a Good Day at the Emirates

Arsenal came into this one having scored just one goal from 43 shots across their opening two WSL fixtures, including a goalless draw at home to newly promoted Crystal Palace. A Manchester United side that had shipped five without reply the previous weekend was supposed to be the medicine. Instead, the north Londoners were made to look ordinary again.

Georgia Stanway, one of Arsenal's better performers overall, summed up the afternoon's dysfunction with a misplaced pass back towards Steph Catley that rolled directly into the path of Julia Zigiotti Olme. The United midfielder took it around Catley and slotted it through Misa Rodríguez's legs. The Emirates fell silent. United's bench went berserk.

From that point, it was backs to the wall for Eva Olid's side, much as it had been for the vast majority of the match. Phallon Tullis-Joyce was superb in the United goal, including a fine save from a Stina Blackstenius header and a strong low stop to deny Caitlin Foord. United defended their shape doggedly and, had Leah Williamson not picked out Holmberg at the back post with a deep diagonal ball in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Arsenal would have lost at home to a side that arrived on the back of a hammering.

That is the uncomfortable truth Slegers now has to sit with.

Four Points Gone Before October

Arsenal are already four points behind Manchester City, the defending champions, after just three rounds. Slegers herself admitted: "It's not ideal, it's not what we wanted at all, four lost points." She was also honest enough to acknowledge the conversion problem: "Not converting dominance into wins, that's something we have to look at."

Fair enough to point out there are plenty of games left. Less comfortable is the fixture list staring them down: their next two WSL games are away trips to Chelsea and Manchester City. [The WSL talking points piece we ran this week](/uprise/football/wsl-talking-points-olid-must-weather-united-storm-arsenal-wasteful) is worth a read if you want the wider picture, but the short version is that Arsenal are wasting chances at a rate that would concern anyone.

For United, the afternoon offered genuine encouragement. Olid spoke plainly after the game: "After losing 5-0, the focus this week was the defensive shape, because I think the attack will come. Implementing a new style of play needs time. But the effort, the hard work, the intensity, that can never be missing."

That is a manager buying herself time, and on this showing she deserves it. Elisabeth Terland caused problems before half-time, Zigiotti Olme's goal was taken with real composure, and the entire back line held firm for long enough that Arsenal nearly lost a home game in front of their own supporters. For a club that had [their men's side under similar scrutiny for different reasons](/uprise/football/are-manchester-united-as-poor-as-the-early-premier-league), any point in any competition right now probably feels welcome.

The Verdict

Holmberg's late show flatters Arsenal. A 95th-minute rescue act does not fix a team that cannot break down a low block or convert good positions into goals. Three games in and the gap to City is already four points. That is not a crisis yet. But it is a problem, and the schedule coming up will tell us very quickly whether it becomes something more serious.