Sunday, 13 April
2008
Manchester United went six points clear at the
top of the Premier League after coming from behind to beat Arsenal
in a pulsating encounter at Old Trafford.
Arsenal were on top for long spells but striker Emmanuel
Adebayor wasted some gilt-edged chances, before he appeared to use
his arm to open the scoring. United levelled through a twice-taken
Cristiano Ronaldo penalty after William Gallas had handled in the
Arsenal box. Owen Hargreaves won it with 20 minutes to go with a
superb 25-yard free-kick. The result all-but ends Arsenal's hopes
of winning the title and after their Champions League exit at the
hands of Liverpool in midweek, means they will end a third
successive season trophyless.
United deserved to be behind, but Arsenal have recently become a
team that looks afraid to be ahead and only four minutes later they
were pegged back. Hargreaves' ball into the box was inexplicably
handled by Gallas and after his first penalty was ruled out for
encroaching, Ronaldo slammed his second effort into the bottom
corner.
Sensing blood, United sent on Carlos Tevez and Anderson, while
Wenger replied with the introduction of Theo Walcott, under the
watching gaze of England coach Fabio Capello. Tevez almost made an
immediate impact, his sizzling 25-yard strike flying inches wide of
the Arsenal goal with Lehmann comfortably beaten.
After Gael Clichy's deflected cross was tipped onto a post by
Van der Sar, United dealt a hammer blow to the Gunners' hopes of
winning silverware this season. Evra was tripped 25 yards out and
Hargreaves stepped up to delightfully clip the ball up and over the
wall and into the unguarded corner of Lehmann's net.
Van der Sar saved late on from substitute Nicklas Bendtner as
United held on for a victory that may well secure them yet another
Premier League title.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown,
Ferdinand, Pique, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Hargreaves (Giggs 89),
Scholes (Anderson 55), Park (Tevez 55), Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, O'Shea.
Booked: Brown, Carrick.
Goals: Ronaldo 54 pen, Hargreaves
72.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Toure (Justin Hoyte
85), Gallas, Song Billong, Clichy, Eboue (Walcott 61), Fabregas,
Silva, Hleb, Van Persie (Bendtner 76), Adebayor.
Subs Not Used: Djourou, Fabianski.
Booked: Van Persie, Gallas, Lehmann,
Adebayor, Justin Hoyte.
Goals: Adebayor 48.
Att: 75,985.
Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
