Barclays Premier League: Arsenal vs Manchester United, Match Report, Highlights Video
Played at Venue: Emirates Stadium Date: Saturday 8 November
Arsenal v Man Utd Match Report
Arsenal answered their critics with a 2-1 victory over Manchester United which kept Arsene Wenger's side in the running for the Premier League title.
A brace of goals from Samir Nasri was enough, although a last-minute response from Rafael Da Silva set up a tense finish to an enthralling game.
In the light of recent results, it was a must win encounter for the depleted Gunners.
They could have gone behind in the first minute when Mikael Silvestre passed the ball back to his keeper, who gathered momentarily with his hands leading to a free-kick inside the area.
As is often the case with such free-kicks, it was too close to goal and Cristiano Ronaldo's shot cannoned back of an Arsenal defender to Michael Carrick, whose poorly struck shot bobbled through a crowd and wide of the post.
Without the injured Emmanuel Adebayor and the suspended Robin van Persie, the Gunners relied on the lone attacking figure of Nicklas Bendtner.
It was a big responsibility on the 20 year-old's shoulders and he should have done better on 11 minutes when he rose unchallenged to meet Gael Clichy's cross from the left, but his effort flew high over the bar.
It was all Arsenal at this point, with Manchester United pegged back. Abou Diaby had a shot from inside the box blocked on 15 minutes after Edwin van der Sar only half-cleared a Bacary Sagna free-kick.
Wayne Rooney should have scored at the other end on 17 minutes after a good counter-attacking move set up by Dimitar Berbatov, but he lifted his shot high over Manuel Almunia's bar.
The Gunners took the lead on 22 minutes when United conceded another free-kick on the right.
Sagna's delivery was cleared by United but only as far as Nasri, who instantly sent a rocket of a half-volley back towards goal, taking a deflection on its was past van der Sar.
United looked dangerous on the counter-attack after the break, but a combination of a disciplined offside trap and sometimes desperate defending kept Sir Alex Ferguson's side out.
The Gunners got the vital second goal within three minutes of the re-start and again through Nasri.
A threaded pass from Cesc Fabregas picked up the Frenchman's run into the right side of the area for him to dispatch an instant shot across goal and beyond the helpless United keeper.
The visitors should have pulled one back a minute later and Ronaldo thought that he had. A deep cross from the left by Ji-Sung Park found the Portugal winger in acres of space.
He coolly tracked the trajectory of the ball and picked his spot but, to the astonishment of all, it rolled across the oncoming Almunia and wide of the left post.
United did pull a goal back through substitute Rafael in the 90th minute to set up a nervous end to the game.
Arsenal had failed to clear their lines and kept giving possession back to United around then area. The ball eventually fell to Rafael, whose shot beat Lukasz Fabianski, who had come on for the concussed Almunia.
The treatment given to the Arsenal keeper after he received a kick to the head earlier in the game meant that six minutes of injury time were added.
The tension was nail-biting as the Gunners fans and players must have been haunted by the recent submission to Spurs when they gave up a 4-2 lead.
But Arsenal held their nerve and their lead this time to capture all the points and keep themselves in the championship race.
Wenger proud of Arsenal players
Phelan unhappy with Man Utd's lack of luck
Gallas hails 'important victory'
Arsenal: Almunia (Fabianski 78), Sagna, Gallas, Silvestre, Clichy, Walcott (Song Billong 77), Fabregas, Denilson, Nasri, Diaby (Toure 86), Bendtner.
Subs Not Used: Vela, Ramsey, Wilshere, Djourou. Booked: Gallas, Sagna, Clichy.
Goals: Nasri 22, 48.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville (Rafael Da Silva 63), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Anderson (Giggs 72), Carrick, Park, Rooney (Tevez 77), Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Nani, O'Shea, Evans.
Booked: Evra, Carrick.
Goals: Rafael Da Silva 90.
Att: 60,106
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Arsenal v Man Utd EPL Highlights Video
Arsenal vs Manchester United EPL Goal(1:0)Nasri 22'
NASRI gives Arsenal the lead after United fail to clear a Fabregas free-kick, the ball fell to the French winger who fired it in from the edge of the area, the ball deflecting off Neville and past Van der Sar.
Arsenal vs Manchester United EPL Goal(2:0)Nasri 48'
Nasri grabs his second goal of the game with a lovely finish from just inside the penalty area after a lovely pass from Fabregas cut the United defence to piece leaving the French winger with plenty of time and space to pick his spot and slam it home
Arsenal vs Manchester United EPL Goal(2:1)Rafael Da Silva 90'
Rafael scores a spectacular volley from just inside the penalty area after Arsenal failed to clear their lines as United keep putting the Gunners under pressure.
Played at Venue: Emirates Stadium Date: Saturday 8 November
Samir Nasri struck twice as Arsenal beat Manchester United and delivered an emphatic confirmation of manager Arsene Wenger's belief that they are still serious Premier League contenders.
Arsenal v Man Utd Match Report
Arsenal answered their critics with a 2-1 victory over Manchester United which kept Arsene Wenger's side in the running for the Premier League title.
A brace of goals from Samir Nasri was enough, although a last-minute response from Rafael Da Silva set up a tense finish to an enthralling game.
In the light of recent results, it was a must win encounter for the depleted Gunners.
They could have gone behind in the first minute when Mikael Silvestre passed the ball back to his keeper, who gathered momentarily with his hands leading to a free-kick inside the area.
As is often the case with such free-kicks, it was too close to goal and Cristiano Ronaldo's shot cannoned back of an Arsenal defender to Michael Carrick, whose poorly struck shot bobbled through a crowd and wide of the post.
Without the injured Emmanuel Adebayor and the suspended Robin van Persie, the Gunners relied on the lone attacking figure of Nicklas Bendtner.
It was a big responsibility on the 20 year-old's shoulders and he should have done better on 11 minutes when he rose unchallenged to meet Gael Clichy's cross from the left, but his effort flew high over the bar.
It was all Arsenal at this point, with Manchester United pegged back. Abou Diaby had a shot from inside the box blocked on 15 minutes after Edwin van der Sar only half-cleared a Bacary Sagna free-kick.
Wayne Rooney should have scored at the other end on 17 minutes after a good counter-attacking move set up by Dimitar Berbatov, but he lifted his shot high over Manuel Almunia's bar.
The Gunners took the lead on 22 minutes when United conceded another free-kick on the right.
Sagna's delivery was cleared by United but only as far as Nasri, who instantly sent a rocket of a half-volley back towards goal, taking a deflection on its was past van der Sar.
United looked dangerous on the counter-attack after the break, but a combination of a disciplined offside trap and sometimes desperate defending kept Sir Alex Ferguson's side out.
The Gunners got the vital second goal within three minutes of the re-start and again through Nasri.
A threaded pass from Cesc Fabregas picked up the Frenchman's run into the right side of the area for him to dispatch an instant shot across goal and beyond the helpless United keeper.
The visitors should have pulled one back a minute later and Ronaldo thought that he had. A deep cross from the left by Ji-Sung Park found the Portugal winger in acres of space.
He coolly tracked the trajectory of the ball and picked his spot but, to the astonishment of all, it rolled across the oncoming Almunia and wide of the left post.
United did pull a goal back through substitute Rafael in the 90th minute to set up a nervous end to the game.
Arsenal had failed to clear their lines and kept giving possession back to United around then area. The ball eventually fell to Rafael, whose shot beat Lukasz Fabianski, who had come on for the concussed Almunia.
The treatment given to the Arsenal keeper after he received a kick to the head earlier in the game meant that six minutes of injury time were added.
The tension was nail-biting as the Gunners fans and players must have been haunted by the recent submission to Spurs when they gave up a 4-2 lead.
But Arsenal held their nerve and their lead this time to capture all the points and keep themselves in the championship race.
Wenger proud of Arsenal players
Phelan unhappy with Man Utd's lack of luck
Gallas hails 'important victory'
Arsenal: Almunia (Fabianski 78), Sagna, Gallas, Silvestre, Clichy, Walcott (Song Billong 77), Fabregas, Denilson, Nasri, Diaby (Toure 86), Bendtner.
Subs Not Used: Vela, Ramsey, Wilshere, Djourou. Booked: Gallas, Sagna, Clichy.
Goals: Nasri 22, 48.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville (Rafael Da Silva 63), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Anderson (Giggs 72), Carrick, Park, Rooney (Tevez 77), Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Nani, O'Shea, Evans.
Booked: Evra, Carrick.
Goals: Rafael Da Silva 90.
Att: 60,106
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Arsenal v Man Utd EPL Highlights Video
Arsenal vs Manchester United EPL Goal(1:0)Nasri 22'
NASRI gives Arsenal the lead after United fail to clear a Fabregas free-kick, the ball fell to the French winger who fired it in from the edge of the area, the ball deflecting off Neville and past Van der Sar.
Arsenal vs Manchester United EPL Goal(2:0)Nasri 48'
Nasri grabs his second goal of the game with a lovely finish from just inside the penalty area after a lovely pass from Fabregas cut the United defence to piece leaving the French winger with plenty of time and space to pick his spot and slam it home
Arsenal vs Manchester United EPL Goal(2:1)Rafael Da Silva 90'
Rafael scores a spectacular volley from just inside the penalty area after Arsenal failed to clear their lines as United keep putting the Gunners under pressure.
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