While Arsene Wenger insisted this was not a result to be ashamed of, his title chances now look bleak - according to a man who should know.
Having come close to a back injury from picking the ball out of the net six times at Old Trafford last Tuesday, Bradford's keeper, Matt Clarke, is well placed to judge the relative strengths of the championship contenders. He feels Arsenal's lack of ruthlessness does not bode well.
Had Wenger's players taken their chances they would have made Bradford's progress look more suited to the US Open than the Premiership. Instead, Ashley Cole's equaliser and Benito Carbone's failure with two late opportunities saved them.
"I know United were at home, and they were lucky with a couple of deflections, but they stick things away," said Clarke. "To be championship teams Chelsea and Arsenal have got to come and beat teams like us."
Bradford: Clarke, Nolan, Myers (Jacobs 81), McCall, Wetherall, Ward, Carbone, Beagrie (Sharpe 71), Atherton, Petrescu, Hopkin. Subs Not Used: Whalley, Windass, Davison. Goals: McCall 10.
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Pires, Ljungberg, Wiltord (Kanu 67), Henry, Parlour, Grimandi, Luzhny, Cole. Subs Not Used: Vivas, Lukic, Vernazza, Weston. Booked: Grimandi, Ljungberg. Goals: Cole 66.
Referee: A Wiley (Burntwood).
