CLASSIC UNITED v GUNNERS CLASHES
January 19th 2007 20:55
ARSENAL V MANCHESTER UNITED: CLASSICS
Manchester United travel to Arsenal's Emirates Stadium for the first time on Sunday afternoon looking to avenge the 1-0 defeat to the Gunners at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
Here, premierleague.com looks back at three classic north London encounters between the great Premier League rivals.
Arsenal 2-4 Manchester United - February 1, 2005
Games between Arsenal and Manchester United are usually stormy encounters and this 2005 clash was no different.
Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira had to be pulled apart after becoming embroiled in an angry tunnel row even before walking out onto the pitch and it set the tone for another full-blooded encounter.
However, with just eight minutes gone, Vieira put aside his tussle with Keane to head Arsenal into the lead as he headed in Thierry Henry's corner.
When United did concentrate on attacking, they were mesmerising to watch and equalised with 18 minutes gone after a superb one-touch move.
Paul Scholes' driven low cross was laid back by Wayne Rooney into the path of Ryan Giggs, whose first-time half-volley looked to be deflected past Manuel Almunia.
Arsenal seized back the lead nine minutes before the break as United were caught cold at a free-kick.
Vieira fired the ball forward, Mathieu Flamini ducked and left the ball to Thierry Henry, who controlled it, turned and rolled a measured pass into the path of Dennis Bergkamp, who fired the ball through Roy Carroll's legs.
Rooney had been sailing close to the wind throughout the first half with displays of petulance and a couple of hefty challenges but Sir Alex Ferguson`s faith in leaving his striker on was repaid with his involvement in the build-up to United's second equaliser 10 minutes after the restart.
Rooney played the ball to Giggs, who set up Cristiano Ronaldo as he cut inside from the left flank and buried his shot underneath Almunia.
United's tails were up and, even though Rooney then struck the bar with a superb free-kick, they still seized back the lead with their second goal inside just three minutes.
Keeper Almunia rashly came haring off his line to take on Giggs near the goal-line and was beaten to the ball by the Welshman.
With Almunia out of position, Giggs' cross landed invitingly for Ronaldo, who made no mistake from just two yards out.
Controversy was never far away, however, and United were reduced to 10 men as Mikael Silvestre was dismissed for head-butting Ljungberg as they argued over a clash with Bergkamp.
Arsenal were unable to make that advantage pay and, when John O'Shea produced a sublime chip to catch Almunia off his line, they were left with only regrets.
The Gunners eventually finished second, six points ahead of United in third but a whopping 12 points behind champions Chelsea.
Arsenal: Almunia, Lauren (Fabregas 83), Campbell (Hoyte 79), Cygan, Cole, Ljungberg, Flamini (Reyes 70), Vieira, Pires, Bergkamp, Henry. Subs not used: Lehmann, Van Persie.
Manchester United: Carroll, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Heinze, Fletcher (O'Shea 61), Keane, Scholes, Ronaldo (Brown 70), Rooney, Giggs (Saha 77).
Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United, November 9, 1997
Arsenal hauled themselves to within a point of leaders United thanks to David Platt's late winner at Highbury.
There was no Dennis Bergkamp, no Emmanuel Petit and surprisingly no Steve Bould, dropped to accommodate Gilles Grimandi for Arsenal.
But United, with Andy Cole fit despite the pre-match injury scares, were off the pace, criminally so when Arsenal took the lead in the eighth minute.
Ian Wright's header set the fit-again Marc Overmars in possession, but the move seemed to be going nowhere when the Dutchman's shot was blocked.
Nicolas Anelka, though, was alive to the situation, taking up the ball and United, despite plenty of bodies, unaccountably stood off the French teenager.
It was a fatal hesitation, Anelka placing a low right footer from 20 yardsbetween Peter Schmeichel and his right-hand post for a first Arsenal goal that sent Highbury into ecstasy.
In the 26th minute, Arsenal appeared to take a real grip on proceedings.
Ray Parlour's corner was aimed for Tony Adams, although Henning Berg got a touch to half-clear.
Patrick Vieira had to divert his run outside the box but he turned as he reached it to flash in a right footer that flew through a crowd and in off the bar past Schmeichel before the Dane could move.
French players had been at the heart of everything, and so they were again as United dragged themselves back into it.
This time, however, it was an act of omission rather than commission, Grimandi going absent without leave when Gary Neville swung the ball in from the right for Teddy Sheringham to plant a header into the back of the net.
Gary Pallister was stretchered off after a clash with Anelka and Ronny Johnsen came on, but almost before the Norwegian had touched the ball, United were back on terms as Arsenal lost concentration.
Nicky Butt headed forward from midfield and Ryan Giggs knocked on. There was still plenty to do, but Sheringham hit the ball as he turned onto his left foot, a low drive for his eighth of the season that gave David Seaman no chance.
With eight minutes left, Schmeichel produced a moment of outstanding genius to keep the visitors level when Ian Wright broke away down the right, and pulled back for Christopher Wreh.
Schmeichel was going one way, on his backside as the ball struck Gary Neville and headed the other.
Somehow the great Dane thrust up a huge right hand to paw the ball to safety and was hugged by Neville for the stop.
However, relief was short-lived when Ray Parlour swung in the resulting corner. Platt rose highest of all to steer a floated header that gave even Schmeichel absolutely no chance as it went in just under the angle of post and bar.
Arsenal clinched the Premier League title with three games remaining thanks to a 4-0 win over Everton, though they eventually finished a single point ahead of United.
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Winterburn, Vieira (Bould 45), Adams, Platt, Wright, Anelka (Wreh 79), Overmars, Parlour, Grimandi. Subs not used: Manninger, Boa Morte, Hughes.
Manchester United: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Pallister (Johnsen 38), Beckham, Butt, Cole, Sheringham, Giggs (Solskjaer 71), P. Neville, Scholes, Berg. Subs not used: McClair, Poborsky, Van Der Gouw.
Arsenal 2-2 Manchester United April 16, 2003
It was honours even at Highbury in 2003 as the two sides slugged each other to a standstill in a riveting contest that left the championship wide open.
United opened the scoring after 24 minutes when Ruud van Nistelrooy exchanged passes with Ryan Giggs near the halfway line before bursting past Campbell with almost nonchalant ease.
Leaving the remnants of the Arsenal defence trailing in his wake, the Dutchman bore down on Stuart Taylor, a replacement for the sick David Seaman, before clipping the ball past him for his first goal against Arsenal.
United were immediately under increased pressure at the start of the second period and Arsenal, with Robert Pires now in a central role, soon equalised.
Left-back Ashley Cole burst onto an pass by Pires and, having bundled his way past Wes Brown, clipped his shot past Fabien Barthez.
Despite all Cole's hard work, however, the ball deflected in off Thierry Henry, who was credited with the goal on the scoreboard.
Gilberto firing a through-ball through the centre of the United defence, who were caught napping and Henry was onto the ball in a flash, burying his shot past Barthez for his second of the game.
Arsenal were themselves punished for some haphazard defending 60 seconds later as Solskjaer's cross was met by Giggs at the far post.
However, they were soon without Campbell as he was dismissed for an elbow on Solskjaer, witnessed by the referee's assistant.
It proved to be United's year again as they ended the season as champions, five points ahead of Arsene Wenger's side.
Arsenal: Taylor, Lauren, Keown, Campbell, Cole, Ljungberg, Silva, Vieira (Edu 34), Pires (Kanu 80), Bergkamp (Wiltord 75), Henry. Subs not used: Warmuz, Luzhny.
Manchester United: Barthez, Brown, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea (Gary Neville 45), Solskjaer, Butt, Keane, Giggs, Scholes, van Nistelrooy. Subs not used: Phil Neville, Beckham, Ricardo, Fortune
Manchester United travel to Arsenal's Emirates Stadium for the first time on Sunday afternoon looking to avenge the 1-0 defeat to the Gunners at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
Here, premierleague.com looks back at three classic north London encounters between the great Premier League rivals.
Arsenal 2-4 Manchester United - February 1, 2005
Games between Arsenal and Manchester United are usually stormy encounters and this 2005 clash was no different.
Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira had to be pulled apart after becoming embroiled in an angry tunnel row even before walking out onto the pitch and it set the tone for another full-blooded encounter.
However, with just eight minutes gone, Vieira put aside his tussle with Keane to head Arsenal into the lead as he headed in Thierry Henry's corner.
When United did concentrate on attacking, they were mesmerising to watch and equalised with 18 minutes gone after a superb one-touch move.
Paul Scholes' driven low cross was laid back by Wayne Rooney into the path of Ryan Giggs, whose first-time half-volley looked to be deflected past Manuel Almunia.
Arsenal seized back the lead nine minutes before the break as United were caught cold at a free-kick.
Vieira fired the ball forward, Mathieu Flamini ducked and left the ball to Thierry Henry, who controlled it, turned and rolled a measured pass into the path of Dennis Bergkamp, who fired the ball through Roy Carroll's legs.
Rooney had been sailing close to the wind throughout the first half with displays of petulance and a couple of hefty challenges but Sir Alex Ferguson`s faith in leaving his striker on was repaid with his involvement in the build-up to United's second equaliser 10 minutes after the restart.
Rooney played the ball to Giggs, who set up Cristiano Ronaldo as he cut inside from the left flank and buried his shot underneath Almunia.
United's tails were up and, even though Rooney then struck the bar with a superb free-kick, they still seized back the lead with their second goal inside just three minutes.
Keeper Almunia rashly came haring off his line to take on Giggs near the goal-line and was beaten to the ball by the Welshman.
With Almunia out of position, Giggs' cross landed invitingly for Ronaldo, who made no mistake from just two yards out.
Controversy was never far away, however, and United were reduced to 10 men as Mikael Silvestre was dismissed for head-butting Ljungberg as they argued over a clash with Bergkamp.
Arsenal were unable to make that advantage pay and, when John O'Shea produced a sublime chip to catch Almunia off his line, they were left with only regrets.
The Gunners eventually finished second, six points ahead of United in third but a whopping 12 points behind champions Chelsea.
Arsenal: Almunia, Lauren (Fabregas 83), Campbell (Hoyte 79), Cygan, Cole, Ljungberg, Flamini (Reyes 70), Vieira, Pires, Bergkamp, Henry. Subs not used: Lehmann, Van Persie.
Manchester United: Carroll, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Heinze, Fletcher (O'Shea 61), Keane, Scholes, Ronaldo (Brown 70), Rooney, Giggs (Saha 77).
Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United, November 9, 1997
Arsenal hauled themselves to within a point of leaders United thanks to David Platt's late winner at Highbury.
There was no Dennis Bergkamp, no Emmanuel Petit and surprisingly no Steve Bould, dropped to accommodate Gilles Grimandi for Arsenal.
But United, with Andy Cole fit despite the pre-match injury scares, were off the pace, criminally so when Arsenal took the lead in the eighth minute.
Ian Wright's header set the fit-again Marc Overmars in possession, but the move seemed to be going nowhere when the Dutchman's shot was blocked.
Nicolas Anelka, though, was alive to the situation, taking up the ball and United, despite plenty of bodies, unaccountably stood off the French teenager.
It was a fatal hesitation, Anelka placing a low right footer from 20 yardsbetween Peter Schmeichel and his right-hand post for a first Arsenal goal that sent Highbury into ecstasy.
In the 26th minute, Arsenal appeared to take a real grip on proceedings.
Ray Parlour's corner was aimed for Tony Adams, although Henning Berg got a touch to half-clear.
Patrick Vieira had to divert his run outside the box but he turned as he reached it to flash in a right footer that flew through a crowd and in off the bar past Schmeichel before the Dane could move.
French players had been at the heart of everything, and so they were again as United dragged themselves back into it.
This time, however, it was an act of omission rather than commission, Grimandi going absent without leave when Gary Neville swung the ball in from the right for Teddy Sheringham to plant a header into the back of the net.
Gary Pallister was stretchered off after a clash with Anelka and Ronny Johnsen came on, but almost before the Norwegian had touched the ball, United were back on terms as Arsenal lost concentration.
Nicky Butt headed forward from midfield and Ryan Giggs knocked on. There was still plenty to do, but Sheringham hit the ball as he turned onto his left foot, a low drive for his eighth of the season that gave David Seaman no chance.
With eight minutes left, Schmeichel produced a moment of outstanding genius to keep the visitors level when Ian Wright broke away down the right, and pulled back for Christopher Wreh.
Schmeichel was going one way, on his backside as the ball struck Gary Neville and headed the other.
Somehow the great Dane thrust up a huge right hand to paw the ball to safety and was hugged by Neville for the stop.
However, relief was short-lived when Ray Parlour swung in the resulting corner. Platt rose highest of all to steer a floated header that gave even Schmeichel absolutely no chance as it went in just under the angle of post and bar.
Arsenal clinched the Premier League title with three games remaining thanks to a 4-0 win over Everton, though they eventually finished a single point ahead of United.
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Winterburn, Vieira (Bould 45), Adams, Platt, Wright, Anelka (Wreh 79), Overmars, Parlour, Grimandi. Subs not used: Manninger, Boa Morte, Hughes.
Manchester United: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Pallister (Johnsen 38), Beckham, Butt, Cole, Sheringham, Giggs (Solskjaer 71), P. Neville, Scholes, Berg. Subs not used: McClair, Poborsky, Van Der Gouw.
Arsenal 2-2 Manchester United April 16, 2003
It was honours even at Highbury in 2003 as the two sides slugged each other to a standstill in a riveting contest that left the championship wide open.
United opened the scoring after 24 minutes when Ruud van Nistelrooy exchanged passes with Ryan Giggs near the halfway line before bursting past Campbell with almost nonchalant ease.
Leaving the remnants of the Arsenal defence trailing in his wake, the Dutchman bore down on Stuart Taylor, a replacement for the sick David Seaman, before clipping the ball past him for his first goal against Arsenal.
United were immediately under increased pressure at the start of the second period and Arsenal, with Robert Pires now in a central role, soon equalised.
Left-back Ashley Cole burst onto an pass by Pires and, having bundled his way past Wes Brown, clipped his shot past Fabien Barthez.
Despite all Cole's hard work, however, the ball deflected in off Thierry Henry, who was credited with the goal on the scoreboard.
Gilberto firing a through-ball through the centre of the United defence, who were caught napping and Henry was onto the ball in a flash, burying his shot past Barthez for his second of the game.
Arsenal were themselves punished for some haphazard defending 60 seconds later as Solskjaer's cross was met by Giggs at the far post.
However, they were soon without Campbell as he was dismissed for an elbow on Solskjaer, witnessed by the referee's assistant.
It proved to be United's year again as they ended the season as champions, five points ahead of Arsene Wenger's side.
Arsenal: Taylor, Lauren, Keown, Campbell, Cole, Ljungberg, Silva, Vieira (Edu 34), Pires (Kanu 80), Bergkamp (Wiltord 75), Henry. Subs not used: Warmuz, Luzhny.
Manchester United: Barthez, Brown, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea (Gary Neville 45), Solskjaer, Butt, Keane, Giggs, Scholes, van Nistelrooy. Subs not used: Phil Neville, Beckham, Ricardo, Fortune
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