Report: Arsenal 2 United 2
William Gallas snatched a last gasp equaliser for Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium after Cristiano Ronaldo looked to have given United victory in a pulsating match in North London.
The Gunners’ captain struck two minutes into injury time to earn Arsene Wenger’s side a 2-2 draw after the Reds had twice taken the lead.
United went in front through Wayne Rooney on the stroke of half-time via a wild deflection off William Gallas's arm. Cesc Fabregas drew the hosts level three minutes after the restart after United had been slow to react in their own box, before Ronaldo put United 2-1 up eight minutes from time. It looked likely to give the Reds all three points until Gallas struck seconds from time.
Sir Alex Ferguson made two changes to the side that had thrashed Middlesbrough a week earlier with recalls for both Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra, who had missed the Boro win through injury.
The Reds’ boss also had significant options on the bench with Louis Saha and Michael Carrick back in the frame after returning from knee and elbow injuries respectively. Tomasz Kuszczak, Nani and John O’Shea made up the remaining sub spots.
Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, stuck with the same eleven who earned a point at Anfield last weekend. Both sides went into the game in the form of their lives - the Gunners unbeaten with six league wins out of six on their own patch, while United had eight consecutive league victories under their belt.
The game began at a frantic pace as both sets of players took time togoal arrived on 10 minutes with Gael Cliché firing in a cross for Emmanuel Adebayor but his header was off target.
A minute later, Carlos Tevez fired an effort wide of Manuel Almunia’s right-hand post after a fizzed centre from Ryan Giggs.
Shouts for an Arsenal penalty rang round the Emirates 15 minutes in when Aleksandr Hleb went down under Nemanja Vidic’s somewhat clumsy challenge. Replays showed the Serbian centre-back had a handful of Hleb’s shirt, but referee Howard Webb waved away the Gunners’ appeals.
Two minutes later Ryan Giggs, making his 37th appearance against Arsenal, poked the ball just wide after an excellent break from United and fine cross from Ronaldo in Giggs’ path at the back post.
The Reds’ skipper fired an effort just over the bar soon after, picking up Tevez’s deflected knock down before turning and hitting it first time. Almunia looked to have covered had it been on target.
United seemed content to let Arsenal have possession and play on the counter-attack with the Reds’ backline and midfield duo of Anderson and Owen Hargreaves standing firm. Kolo Toure found a glimmer of an opening after exchanging passes with Hleb just before the half hour but his shot flew over.
Arsenal’s possession percentage continued to grow at the half drew to a close and their best chance of the opening period duly arrived on 36 minutes. Fabregas whipped in a free kick to the near post where William Gallas stooped in front of Patrice Evra to head the ball goalwards. Edwin van der Sar saved well on his line with his legs as United’s travelling army breathed a sigh of relief.
Having gone so close at one end to opening the scoring, it was Gallas who got the final touch as United made the vital breakthrough in first half injury time. Wes Brown did brilliantly to withstand a challenge from Hleb, before slotting the ball into Ronaldo who in fired a low cross. Rooney took a swing at it at the near post with the last touch coming off Gallas’ hand and past Almunia.
After a somewhat cagey opening 45 the game burst into life three minutes after the restart. Having looked so solid in defence during the first half, United found themselves stretched for the first time in the match and it led to an Arsenal equaliser. Van der Sar bravely blocked Adebayor’s effort and as the ball ran loose, Bacary Sagna was quickest to react slotting the ball into Fabregas’ path. The Spaniard picked his spot and fired the ball into the unguarded net.
Fabregas found the target again three minutes before the hour mark, curling a low free kick under the United wall. Thankfully, van der Sar was alert to the situation grasping the ball right on the line.
United continued to weather the Arsenal storm and went close through Rooney on 64 minutes. The England front man picked up the ball in midfield after Fabregas had given possession away and slotted a pass through to Giggs. The Welshman chipped a superb cross back into Rooney’s path, but the striker was unable to guide his header on target.
Rooney flicked a ball into Evra soon after. The denied eight minutes from time as United snatched the winner. Saha, on for Tevez, slid a superb ball into the onrushing Evra who crossed brilliantly for Ronaldo to simply slot it home.
The drama was not finished though as Arsenal went in search of another equaliser. As the game entered added time the Gunners snatched a point through Gallas who guided the ball home brilliantly from a tight angle. Van der Sar looked to have saved it, but an eagle-eyed linesman spotted that the Dutchman was behind his goal line when he punched the ball clear. It was a sickening moment for the Reds who looked to have got their own back on the Gunners with a late winner having gone down to Thierry Henry’s last gasp goal last season.
Nevertheless, many United fans would have taken a point before this match and in the long run this point could prove to be a very valuable one.
Teams
Arsenal: Almunia; Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy; Eboue (Walcott, 74), Flamini, Fabregas, Rosicky (Eduardo, 81); Hleb (Gilberto, 81), Adebayor.
Subs not used: Lehmann, Diarra
Bookings: Fabregas
United: van der Sar; Brown (O'Shea 71), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo, Anderson (Carrick, 76), Hargreaves, Giggs; Tevez (Saha, 76), Rooney.
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Nani
Bookings: Evra, Hargreaves
But there's always highlights
fair result, too.
