Let me just set up the Match of the Season (Thus Far) for you:
- Arsene Wenger saw his very first unbeaten run as an Arsenal manager end at Old Trafford.
- Wayne Rooney, who as a 16-year-old ended a 30-game unbeaten run Arsenal had put together two years ago, was celebrating his 19th birthday today.
- Arsenal have gone unbeaten in the Premiership for 49 matches and were hoping to make it 50 at Old Trafford.
- United were 11 points behind Arsenal before this match and it was a must-win game for United despite it being October. Losing it would have meant United needed to win all their remaining matches and hope that Arsenal, unbeaten since the start of last season, would lose several matches.
As expected, it was a tense, gripping match though not a particularly entertaining one.
Ferguson would’ve been in the soup had he lost this match — and as it happens he was in the soup anyway — but he had always maintained United could win it.
And win it United did. United’s 2-0 win meant Arsenal had tasted defeat for the first time in 50 Premiership matches. (Reports: BBC, Soccernet, ManUtd.com, Guardian, pix.)
It’s a pity the match was marred by some wimpy refereeing. Mike Riley had decided to play it lenient early in the match and a number of fouls went uncarded. However, his attempt to calm things down by talking to the players did nothing to reduce the simmering tensions between these two sides and Riley was soon reduced to flashing the yellow card.
But the ref really earned the ire by getting some crucial decisions wrong including United’s two penalty claims. Rooney dove and bamboozled the ref into awarding United a penalty while Ronaldo, who was later hacked down by Cole in the Arsenal box, had his own legitimate penalty claim dismissed. To be fair, it’s worth pointing out that even Sky colour commentator Andy Gray got both decisions wrong the first time around and you really needed the benefit of a replay to be absolutely sure.
(Wenger, as you might expect, was whingeing about the penalty that was given but curiously silent about the one that wasn’t.)
The dubious nature of the penalty call aside, you have to admire the guts van Nistelrooy showed to take the penalty. Cast your mind back to the last time United were awarded a penalty against Arsenal at Old Trafford. Arsenal’s unbeaten run stood at a mere seven and van Nistelrooy could have stopped it there and then had he not missed. One wonders how many times that thought must have played through the Dutchman’s mind as Arsenal went on to win the Premiership and create history. Too many, I think. The man stepped up again and this time fired a low shot to his right and the screaming celebrations that followed should have told you he had just exorcised some demons.
United’s vaunted forward line has been criticised for not producing the goals but it was three United forwards who combined for the second goal. Saha passed to Smith who could have gone for goal but instead unselfishly passed to Rooney to tap it in.
It could’ve been 3-0 had Lehmann not saved Giggs’ attempt earlier after the Welshman had been put clear by a Scholes ball.
The lowpoints? Some of United’s aggression was a bit distasteful to watch. Van Nistelrooy raised his studs and caught Cole painfully just below his knee as the Arsenal man came charging in and the Nevilles clattered into Reyes several times. Arsenal gave as good as they got but I don’t really like it when United resort to that kind of ugly football.
United are now 8 points behind Arsenal and United’s fans will be hoping this win will kickstart the team’s season. It didn’t happen earlier after the wins against Liverpool and Fenerbahce but perhaps this win will do it.
The danger now is United will turn complacent against lesser foes. United’s next Premiership match is against Portsmouth on Saturday so we’ll find out one way or the other.
