Gallas strike seals late draw
Arsenal signalled their determination to fight Manchester United
all the way for the Barclays Premier League crown with a dramatic
stoppage-time equaliser from captain William Gallas in the 2-2 draw
at the Emirates Stadium.
Cristiano Ronaldo's goal with eight minutes remaining looked set to
send the champions back to the top of the league and end the
Gunners' unbeaten run, which stretched back 24 matches.
However, this Arsenal side - who first drew level when Cesc
Fabregas equalised after Wayne Rooney's scuffed shot was deflected
home by Gallas for the opener - do not know when they are
beaten.
So it proved when the Gunners skipper made amends for his own goal
and volleyed in at the far post to keep Arsene Wenger's men on
top.
Despite the early kick-off, the atmosphere inside 60,000-seater
Emirates Stadium was electric - and the next 93 minutes did not
disappoint.
It was a bright start to the much-anticipated match, with some
slick passing on display from Wenger's men and little quarter given
by United in the tackle.
After eight minutes Ronaldo saw his downward header come back off
the post following a left-wing corner, but eagle-eyed referee
Howard Webb had spotted a push by the United midfielder on marker
Tomas Rosicky.
At the other end, Emmanuel Adebayor timed his jump all wrong to
send a cross from Gael Clichy over the bar.
Following an Arsenal free-kick after 16 minutes, United broke
quickly through Ronaldo down the right. Captain Ryan Giggs should
have done better when arriving at the far post to meet the eventual
low cross, but could only stab the ball wide from a yard out.
Sir Alex Ferguson was out of his dug-out when a decision went
against Patrice Evra, for kicking into the back of Emmanuel Eboue,
and was quick to give fourth official Alan Wiley a piece of his
mind as well as the referee.
In the 23rd minute Giggs tried his luck from just outside the area,
but the ball was always rising over the bar.
Despite Arsenal having seen plenty of possession, with 30 minutes
almost on the clock, the home side had not yet tested Edwin van der
Sar - until Alexander Hleb's run down the right on the counter
attack was checked by Anderson, six yards from the edge of the
area.
Fabregas whipped the resulting free-kick into the six-yard box,
where Gallas met it with a bullet header, only to be denied by the
legs of the United keeper.
However, United snatched the lead in first-half stoppage
time.
Wes Brown looked to have bundled Hleb off the ball before he
slipped in Ronaldo down the right. The low cross was met by Rooney
at the near post and his scuffed shot deflected up off the diving
Gallas and past Almunia into the net.
Arsenal's response was immediate, as they drew level just three
minutes into the second half.
Eboue floated the ball over from the right into the penalty area,
where Adebayor had timed his run perfectly.
Van der Sar was out quickly to block the Togo striker's volleyed
effort. However, the loose ball broke to Bacary Sagna, who squared
it back to Fabregas and the young Spaniard set himself before
drilling in his 11th goal of the season from 12 yards.
United were clearly shocked by the equaliser and the Gunners were
soon back on the offensive again with a sustained period of
pressure.
After 57 minutes Anderson and Owen Hargreaves bundled over Hleb
just outside the United penalty area.
Fabregas cleverly sent a low shot under the jumping wall, but van
der Sar was across to make a comfortable save.
Slowly.though, the champions began to find their own rhythm again.
A fine interchange between Rooney and Giggs set up the England
forward with a free header 12 yards out, but for once he was well
off target.
Following a quick counter-attack, Eboue weaved his way into the
United penalty area and fed Hleb, who made space before ballooning
an effort horribly wide.
United went back in front when substitute Louis Saha fed Evra, who
skipped into the right side of the box, drew Almunia and cut the
ball back for Ronaldo - who could not miss.
Arsenal pressed for an equaliser, which almost came when Evra
spooned the ball onto his own bar.
Just when it looked United were set to take the spoils and record a
ninth straight league win, Arsenal forced in a dramatic stoppage
goal when Gallas struck at the far post - the ball having been
palmed away by van der Sar from behind the line.
