Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United: Nas the way to do it

This was supposed to be the day when Waterloo, Agincourt and Trafalgar combined into one for a beleaguered Arsene Wenger and signaled the end of Arsenal's title hopes.

Instead, it was Bastille Day for the Frenchman.

On the back of the remarkable draw with Tottenham, the controversial defeat at Stoke and the sterile Champions League offering against Fenerbahce, Wenger found his judgement questioned for the first time in his decade at Arsenal. And the arrival of Manchester United, champions of England and Europe, at the Emirates was going to confirm Arsenal's demise.

But by the time referee Howard Webb blew his whistle for the final time to bring a pulsating match to an end, Arsenal looked more than capable of deposing United come next May after victory in an epic game.

"Fantasy football," is what Sir Alex Ferguson called it.

"Playground stuff - you attack, we attack."

True, but Arsenal scored twice from their attacks while Fergie's men managed only one - and that was enough for Wenger to hail the triumph as a vital one in the development of his young team.

"It was a big day for the future of this team," he said. "It keeps them in the race and it was important for them to know they can beat big teams. And Manchester United are a great team."

Arsenal indeed came of age after United threatened to run rampant after a superb opening 30 minutes when they could have been at least two goals ahead. But Wayne Rooney was having one of those days when nothing would go right and his fuse was lit by constant frustration. On such days, Rooney can find himself in a red mist in which he can often see a red card.

Fortunately, his one real lack of composure came in front of the Arsenal goal when a superb flowing move involving Anderson, Dimitar Berbatov and Cristiano Ronaldo ended with Rooney shooting over the bar from 10 yards.

It was to prove a costly miss.

In the 22nd minute, the outstanding Cesc Fabregas put in a free-kick that was cleared by Berbatov only as far as Samir Nasri on the edge of the box.

His shot was true enough but Edwin van der Sar looked favourite to cover the effort until it deflected into the net off Gary Neville.

Arsenal were ecstatic. Suddenly they had belief in themselves and the new system of a five-man midfield that was imposed on Wenger by the absence of the injured Emmanuel Adebayor and the suspended Robin van Persie.

Nasri in particular began to acknowledge that he had responsibility to track back as well as surge forward and the space which was so plentiful in the first 30 minutes for Ronaldo began to shrink.

Still United stayed positive - and Ferguson claimed they should have had a penalty just before half-time. "It was handball by Clichy," said Ferguson.

"But when you need a break you don't get them."

Replays showed he had a case but this was to be the day when Arsenal had reason to smile after the gloom of the preceding week. Two minutes into the second half, confirmation came that their season was back on track.

Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have formed one of the most formidable central defensive partnerships in the country. But the radar was on the blip as Fabregas fed the ball through to Nasri after Vidic had been sucked out of position to leave an opportunity which the midfielder drove past Van der Sar.

"A poor goal for us defensively," said Ferguson who was fulsome in his praise of United's response. "I couldn't fault the effort or spirit of my team," he said and he pointed to a glaring miss by Ronaldo with 30 minutes left as a crucial moment.

"If that had gone in, then I think we would have got something out of the game."

United were reliant on a late strike from Brazilian sub Rafael da Silva to provoke thoughts of a Tottenham-like finish when Arsenal conceded two late, late goals. Yesterday they had to survive for six minutes.

"When the fourth official told me there would be six added minutes, I felt that was a very long time," said Wenger, clearly paraphrasing for a family audience what he really said and really felt.

But Arsenal held out without the drama of 10 days ago. This could be a defining moment in their season.

MAN OF THE MATCH
Cesc Fabregas 8
This was the Fabregas of old, the one for whom both Barcelona and Real Madrid are willing to pay more than £30million. The architect supreme

MANAGERS
Arsene Wenger 8
Tactics worked to perfection

Alex Ferguson 7
Team lacked clinical finish

REFEREE
Howard Webb 6
Not his best game

DID YOU KNOW?
United's last win at Arsenal was 4-2 in February 2005. Vieira put Arsenal one up but goals from Giggs, O'Shea and a brace from Ronaldo won it for the Reds.

KIDS' STUFF
Rafael became the youngest Premier League goalscorer this season at 18 years and 122 days old

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