Manchester United's Brazilian full back Rafael da Silva replaced
captain Gary Neville just after the hour mark during the club's
Emirates visit, a game the reigning double champions lost by two
goals to one.
Neville's contribution to the game included an own goal, as he
unwittingly deflected a first half Samir Nasri strike beyond the
reach of Dutch goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar and into his own
net.
Despite Rafael's young age he instantly left an indelible mark on
the game with a good performance in the modern wing back
position.
He was sound at the back, ran the lines well, was strong in attack,
and even though he made a few erring passes he would follow up a
mistake with a crunching challenge, and nearly inspired a United
comeback following his 90th minute strike that halved Arsenal's
lead, and ensured a nervy finish that stretched for SIX added
minutes.
"The boy's such a gutsy character, and he's got such talent," Sir
Alex told MUTV. "He's got great courage to play.
"He's got the Brazilian mentality of 'give me the ball, I want to
play', and every time we get the ball, he wants the ball. It's a
great attribute to have for such a young kid," he said.
Rafael also put in a good shift against Celtic in the recent
Champions League Group E encounter and looks to have a bright
future at the club.