Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal - Barclays Premier League

Arsenal were knocked off the top of the Premier League table after a narrow 1-0 defeat at Manchester United on Monday night.

The goal had more than a touch of good fortune about it. Nani’s cross deflected on to the head of Ji-Sung Park four minutes before half-time, though the Korean’s reaction was razor-sharp.

Manchester United also missed a second-half penalty when Wayne Rooney blazed over the bar.

Those were the major moments of the game. In between them, there was little to split the sides. Arsenal’s performance was combative and controlled. Though we have said it before, on another night they might have gleaned something from the game.

Yes rookie keeper Wojciech Szczesny made more saves than Edwin van der Sar but this is Old Trafford and the volume of the travelling Arsenal fans at full time suggested they still had pride in their side after this evening.

A fifth defeat of the season is a big blow to Arsenal’s title hopes but this performance means they can still claim that very quality - hope – for the remainder of the campaign.

The stand-out team news was the selection of Szczesny in goal. Lukasz Fabianski had damaged his hip in the final seconds of the win over Partizan Belgrade last Wednesday and so his compatriot took the gloves for the first time in a Premier League game.

Cesc Fabregas had been out with a hamstring problem since the 2-0 defeat in Braga last month. He was a significant doubt in the days before this game and began on the bench.

Otherwise Wenger shuffled his squad as he has done throughout the past month.

This game was an opportunity for Arsenal. They came to Old Trafford as the Premier League leaders but had yet to attain the kudos of a side with true title aspirations. That would change with a win this evening.

In the first half, they would never really find a fluency and would lose a goal but they were always competitive.

In the eighth minute, Van der Sar’s quick clearance found Rooney. The England striker turned sharply and his deflected shot was clutched by Szczesny with Park in close attendance.

The play was pretty even but the chances – such as they were - went to the home side.

Midway though the half, Darren Fletcher’s cross was aimed towards Rooney but Sebastien Squillaci intervened. The Frenchman’s header was weak and found Nani on the right of the area. His volley flew inches past the far post. It was by far the clearest chance of a tense opening quarter.

Just before the half-hour, Manchester United had a major shout for a penalty. Nani swung a cross over from the left and, as Marouane Chamakh stooped to nod the ball clear, it only brushed his head but hit his hand. Referee Howard Webb waved play on. Just as he had when Rafael blocked off Chamakh in the area earlier on.

Arsenal were holding their own but had not created a chance worthy of the name. Yet Manchester United were hardly carving the visitors apart.

In fact when they took the lead four minutes before the break, it required a healthy portion of luck.

Nani drove in-field with Clichy in close attendance and tried to cross the ball. His effort deflected off the Frenchman but Park reacted quickly and guided a header over Szczesny. It dropped agonisingly beyond the Arsenal keeper and into the net.

In a tight, fiercely-contested game, it was a huge moment. Arsenal went into the break feeling slightly aggrieved.

Tomas Rosicky thumped a cross-shot just wide in the opening moments of the second half. And, after Alex Song had nodded Rooney’s ball across his own goal and over the bar, Samir Nasri fired across goal only for Van der Sar to save at the near post.

Arsenal had upped the ante but Manchester United had been breaking quickly all night with long balls over the top. With the visitors chasing the game, this played into their hands.

In the 54th minute, Rooney fed Anderson and the Brazilian’s toe-poke was wonderfully batted away by Szczesny. His best save of the night so far.

A couple of minutes later Van der Sar made his first real stop. Nasri’s low cross-shot was turned into the path of Chamakh by the Dutchman. For a second the Moroccan had the goal at his mercy but Nemanja Vidic slid in to block as the Arsenal striker prodded a shot towards goal.

Wenger brought on Fabregas and Robin van Persie for Jack Wilshere and Rosicky. The away side were now pushing down the pedal but, when the Dutchman just failed to scramble home Sagna’s cross, you sensed it was not to be Arsenal’s night.

Anderson fired just wide with the right back lying prostrate after a high challenge from Rio Ferdinand.

Then, in the 72nd minute, Manchester United should have killed the game. On the right of the area, Nani tussled with the sliding Clichy. The Portuguese winger dragged the ball back on to the hand the Frenchman was leaning on and the assistant referee indicated a spot-kick. It was the fifth penalty awarded against Arsenal in their last eight trips to Old Trafford.

Often they are decisive but this one was missed. Inexplicably, Rooney thundered his effort high over the bar from 12 yards.

It was the impetus Arsenal needed and Wenger added pace to his side by replacing Andrey Arshavin with Theo Walcott.

But, as the seconds ticked by, Manchester United were defending deep and making the better chances on the break.

From one, in the 88th minute, Rooney tried to chip Szczesny. The Pole stretched his huge frame and batted the ball aside.

In final seconds of normal time, Walcott’s drifting cross was headed away from Van Persie by Ferdinand at the far post.

Manchester United were now closing the shutters and Arsenal could not prise them open.

There was one final half-chance when Chamakh nodded on and Walcott blazed over the bar.

But, despite a half-decent performance, this was just not Arsenal’s night.

Wenger: Arsenal under par

Arsene Wenger knows Arsenal were not at their best as they qualified for the Champions League second round.

The Gunners saw off the threat of Partizan Belgrade at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening, writes Stewart Coggin.

After going ahead through a Robin van Persie penalty, Arsenal were pegged back by Cleo's deflected effort in the 52nd minute.

Arsenal knew that a Braga victory against Shakhtar Donetsk in the other group match in the Ukraine would see them eliminated if they themselves were not victorious. With Shakhtar only winning that encounter late on, for long spells of the second-half Arsenal were flirting with potential elimination before Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri settled their nerves with goals in the 73rd and 78th minutes to secure a 3-1 win.

"I was never really nervous," said Wenger. "Worried yes, because in football you can never say never when you're 1-1 but I felt we had the resources to score and that in the last 20 minutes they would drop a little bit physically.

"It was a low-key game. We didn't find our pace in the game and find openings in their defence. They defended very well and were focused on closing us down everywhere.

"We were just below our normal pace. But you have to give them credit, on every single ball they closed us down. I felt the speed of our passing was not enough and a bit nervous as well."

Arsenal's attacking game lacked fluidity, with Van Persie and Marouane Chamakh failing to gel in attack.

"I was not completely happy with our offensive game," Wenger added. "Maybe it was down to the quality of Partizan's defending because I felt they defended in a very intelligent way. I will have to analyse that a bit better."

Arsenal will now face either Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Schalke in the second round, with Wenger claiming the Catalans are 'super favourites' to win the tournament.

Arsenal 3-1 Partizan Belgrade - UEFA Champions League

Arsenal took their place in the last 16 of the Champions League for the 11th straight season thanks to a 3-1 win over Partizan Belgrade on Wednesday.

Arsène Wenger’s side only needed a win to secure safe passage but it turned out to be a rather nervous night against the bottom side in Group H.

In fact, they could only breathe easily when Samir Nasri fired home the third 13 minutes from time.

Robin van Persie gave Arsenal the lead on the half-hour from the penalty spot but they failed to kick-on from there. Cleo’s 52nd-minute equaliser was hardly on the cards but it was always a danger.

Theo Walcott came off the bench to fire the home side back into the lead in the 73rd minute.

After Nasri’s goal, Arsenal should have cruised home but this was a not a fluent night at Emirates.

In the final stages, Bacary Sagna was sent off for a last-man foul on Aleksandar Lazevski.

Shakthar's win against Braga mean they have won Group H. That could present Arsenal with a problem in the draw on December 17.

But this was a night when Wenger’s side simply had to get through.

And they did.

The manager made three changes from the side that had squeezed past Fulham on Saturday. The most noteworthy was Van Persie, who came straight in as captain. It was only the Dutchman’s third start of the season and, interestingly, he operated ‘in the hole’ behind Marouane Chamakh.

Elsewhere, Denilson replaced Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs came in for Gael Clichy who had gone down with sickness.

It was mighty cold at Emirates Stadium this evening. Much had changed – including the season – since Arsenal had hit 11 goals in those massive wins over Shakhtar and Braga.

Defeats in the corresponding away games had left them needing to match the result of the Portuguese team in Ukraine to qualify. Braga were unlikely to win and Arsenal seemed a shoo-in against a side that were trying to avoid becoming only the 11th team to achieve zero points in a Champions League group.

It should have been straightforward for Arsenal but there was the potential of a nerve-jangling night.

And the first half-hour did not go to plan.

Although the home side were on top territorially, they created little. The closest they came was when Nasri tried to feed Van Persie at the near post.

Meanwhile the pacy Cleo was sitting on the shoulders of the Arsenal centre backs chasing long balls over the top and waiting for a mistake.

Then, in the 14th minute Gibbs turned his ankle in midfield. He tried to soldier on but only lasted 10 minutes. Emmanuel Eboue came on. But the right-sided defender was covering at left back and the move did nothing for Arsenal’s balance.

However, on the half-hour, Arsenal were thrown a bone.

Alex Song flicked Van Persie into space in the area and a rash challenge from Marko Jovanovic brought him down.

The Dutchman fired home from the spot. It was his first goal since the last game of last season.

Naturally the goal was a lift. Eboue’s quick feet took him past two defenders on the left and his probing cross was hacked over his own bar by Mladen Krstajic.

But they could not continue in that vein. Arsenal’s first 45 minutes this evening had been edgy and disjointed.

The opening minutes of the second half were better. Keeper Vladimir Stojkovic denied Chamakh and then Denilson's cross was deflected to Nasri, who thumped his shot high over the bar.

It seemed that Arsenal were finally getting going.

Then Partizan equalised.

The visitors worked the ball in from the right to Cleo just outside the area. He let fly and the ball took a crucial deflection off Squillaci to beat Fabianski.

It was only the second goal the Serbian side had scored in Group H – and that had been a penalty against Arsenal in Belgrade.

At this point, Braga were still drawing at Shakhtar so Wenger’s men were still through. But they seemed determined to take it to the wire.

Sagna’s cross drifted just beyond Van Persie at the far post and there was a glimpse of an opportunity when Stojkovic dropped a cross under pressure from Song. But they were only half-chances.

Midway through the half, Wenger made a change. Andrey Arshavin came off and Theo Walcott replaced him.

Arsenal were now building up some sort of momentum. When the substitute was blocked on the edge of the area, Van Persie’s free-kick was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Stojkovic. From the resulting corner Song curled an effort wide.

Arsenal were getting closer and they would soon make the breakthrough. In the 73rd minute, Sagna’s cross was nodded out straight to Walcott by Aleksandar Krstajic. The England international chested down the ball and fired into the far corner.

The relief was palpable and six minutes later the win was secure. Song danced through a couple of challenges and, after passing to Nasri, looked for the return. The Frenchman, however, dragged the ball back and fired low into the corner.

At the same time, over in Donetsk, Shakthar were taking the lead.

That killed off any chance of top spot. But, in reality, Arsenal still had a job to do here.

Five minutes from time, Sagna brought down Lazevski on the edge of the area. The right back was the last man and, unfortunately, had to go. Fabianski made a fine save from the free-kick from Radosav Petrovic.

Arsenal 2-1 Fulham - Barclays Premier League

Samir Nasri struck two goals of rare quality as Arsenal went top of the Premier League table with a 2-1 win over Fulham on Saturday.

The Frenchman has been simply brilliant in recent weeks but this afternoon he excelled himself.

Fourteen minutes from the start, he left two defenders on their backsides before thumping home from close range.

Fifteen minutes from the end, he bustled into the area, rounded one defender and then the keeper before hooking the ball home.

To be honest, much of the intervening time was filled with frustration. Diomansy Kamara equalised after Laurent Koscielny had been left dazed from an accidental collision with team-mate Sebastien Squillaci.

Arsenal chased the game with urgency and intelligence. But Fulham had drawn around 60 per cent of their games this season and you could see why.

Their tactics were to smother Arsenal’s invention and then snatch what they could via a breakaway or set-piece. Wenger’s men spent the afternoon prising them open.

After successive home defeats to Newcastle and Tottenham, the pressure was on. But they responded manfully.

Everton’s late equaliser at Chelsea and the postponement of Manchester United’s game allowed Arsenal to go top.

Now they simply have to stay there.

Wenger made nine changes from the midweek win over Wigan in the Carling Cup. Only Jack Wilshere and Koscielny kept their places.

However compared to Villa last weekend, the side was unchanged. Once again Tomas Rosicky was captain.

That Wigan win had lifted a little of the pressure on Arsenal at Emirates Stadium. But home form was still an issue for Wenger’s men in the title race. A defeat this afternoon would be their third straight in the Premier League – something that had not happened for 33 years.

But then Fulham hardly had history on their side. They had NEVER won a League game at Arsenal – and they had been trying since before the First World War.

In the opening stages, it seemed that run would carry on.

After seven minutes, Wilshere’s right-wing free-kick headed high towards Andrey Arshavin at the far post. The Russian waited for the ball to drop and let fly from point-blank range. Mark Schwarzer spread himself widely to block.

The Russian then prodded Nasri through the centre but he poked the ball wide of the upright.

The Frenchman would not have to wait long for his goal. In the 14th minute, Arshavin cut in from the left and, again, released Nasri on the right of the area.

He still had plenty to do – but he went and did it. Nasri weaved inside one defender, and then another before thumping home his 10th goal of the season. The Frenchman ran to the corner flag as the two bamboozled Fulham players picked themselves off the floor.

Arsenal might have doubled their lead soon afterwards but Wilshere elected to tee-up Marouane Chamakh instead of going for goal. Midway through the half, Arshavin thieved the ball, shrugged off a lame challenge and forced a scrambling save from distance.

The home side were looking to put the game to bed and Nasri was acting as the nightcap.

He muscled past Matthew Briggs on the right and his cutback was turned goalwards by Dickson Etuhu. Schwarzer saved on the line as Arshavin threatened.

Seconds later, Rosicky crossed from the right and Alex Song steered a shot just wide.

It was more than more than one-way traffic. It was a motorway of oncoming chances.

A lot of those had been coming down the Arsenal right and shortly afterwards Hughes took off left back Briggs. He did not appear to be injured.

However while home form is a new problem. Profligacy is an old one.

Despite that, the goal that Arsenal conceded on the half-hour would be laced with misfortune. Fulham staged a rare foray up front and, in clearing a ball, Squillaci headed his team-mate Koscielny clean in the face. The latter Frenchman was still groggy when Clint Dempsey clipped a ball into the space he should have been occupying. Kamara took it in his stride and sidefooted home.

As the goal went in, Koscielny fell to the floor. He was stretchered off and Djourou came on.

Suddenly those home comforts had gone. The nerves returned and Fulham tried to winkle Arsenal open at the back.

In injury time they did. Etuhu sent Kamara clean through but Fabianski stood up to make a crucial save.

That chance came seconds after Bacary Sagna had sent over a cross from the right and Chamakh’s bullet header found the hands of Schwarzer when he should have found the net.

Arsenal went into the break in a position of unnecessary parity.

Song set up Rosicky to fire wide in the opening minutes of the second half. Once again it was all Arsenal in the early stages.

Arshavin tried a ‘Nasri’ by weaving inside two defenders and letting fly. However his shot hit the feet of Schwarzer.

The traffic continued but the chances dried up. That prompted Wenger to bring on Robin van Persie for Rosicky in the 63rd minute.

It was turning out to be a frustrating afternoon. The Arsenal team were chasing every ball and closing down every opponent but Fulham were disciplined, organised and ate up clock where they could.

Midway through the half, Song muscled off John Pantsil and, from an angle, fired over the bar.

However, Fulham offered some danger. Fabianski missed his punch at a corner and Zoltan Gera’s header was booted off the line by Van Persie. Shortly after that Squillaci headed a probing cross from Simon Davies away from goal. Gera’s overhead kick then drifted wide.

With 17 minutes left, Fulham swapped Kamara for Andy Johnson while Theo Walcott came on for Wilshere.

The end-game was upon us – but before it had really begun Nasri put the visitors in check-mate.

Van Persie shaped to shoot on the edge of the area but instead fed the Frenchman. He dodged past one defender and danced past the keeper. His angle was now acute but he recovered sufficiently to hook his shot past Aaron Hughes on the line.

Fulham were not spent. Etuhu scrambled a shot inches wide almost immediately but Chamakh could have killed it but when, after receiving Clichy’s cross, he fired over.

Fabianski made a crucial late save from Gera and Fulham pushed for the equaliser.

But Arsenal deserved this.

They will have to show much more of that spirit to be there in May.

However, title triumphs are built on ground-out victories like the one at Emirates Stadium this afternoon.

Arsenal 2-0 Wigan Athletic - Carling Cup

Arsenal reached the League Cup Semi-Final for a record 14th time with a 2-0 win over Wigan at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.

The home side struggled in the snow early on and only broke the deadlock three minutes before the interval when Antolin Alcaraz inadvertently nodded a Theo Walcott corner into his own net.

They kicked on from there and, just past the hour, Nicklas Bendtner slid in a low cross from Carlos Vela to make it 2-0.

Walcott and Vela had chances to at least double the score in the final stages as Arsène Wenger’s side cruised home.

Reaching the Carling Cup Semi-Final is hardly a season-long aim for Arsenal but a youthful crowd seemed pretty happy this evening as they celebrated with Mexican Waves. The victory also helped ease the home form issues that have been troubling Arsenal for a couple of months.

In fairness Wenger has always said he wanted to win the Carling Cup, as it is now called, to complete a domestic set. This year he has backed that desire with a stronger team.

West Ham’s win over Manchester United means Arsenal’s will be installed as favourites to lift the trophy in February. That is jumping the gun.

But after tonight’s warming victory, this competition can now be put to bed until 2011.

The main talking point in Wenger’s team selection concerned Robin van Persie. The Dutchman started his first game since the 2-1 win at Blackburn on August 28 and also took the armband.

Walcott and Bendtner returned to the starting line-up after their heroics at Newcastle in the last round. Wojciech Szczesny and Vela also featured after starring at St James Park.

Jack Wilshere and Laurent Koscielny were the only players to retain their places from Saturday’s 4-2 win at Villa Park.

Denilson, Kieran Gibbs and Emmanuel Eboue were also inserted into the side.

Wenger’s bench was part insurance (Andrey Arshavin, Bacary Sagna and Samir Nasri), part education (James Shea, Jay Emmanuel Thomas, Havard Nordviet and Craig Eastmond).

A fluttering of snow greeted the players as they came out. There had been no real question marks over the game going ahead but it was still bitterly cold. Eboue took action against the freezing temperature by donning white tights. Perhaps he was just marking his 200th game in Arsenal colours.

Either way, it made the Ivorian stand out – and he would be caught out a couple of times in the opening 10 minutes.

First, Victor Moses turned him and fired into the sidenetting from a dangerous distance.

Then his errant backpass was anticipated and intercepted by Mauro Boselli. Fortunately the Argentinean’s first touch was so heavy that it stifled the opportunity.

Bendtner had nodded wide in the opening seconds and, on the quarter-hour, headed into the sidenetting. Vela saw a deflected shot go behind and Koscielny sent the resulting corner over the bar.

Still they were only half-chances. As we passed the midway point of the first half, Arsenal had simply not settled and Wigan were probing away at the home defence. It was a very even affair.

However, in the 26th minute, Vela should have tipped the balance.

Wilshere fed Van Persie on the edge of the area with his back to goal. The Dutchman must have spotted the Mexican racing through. He produced a gorgeous back-flick to send Vela into acres of space. Faced with only the keeper to beat, the striker tried his trademark lofted finish over the keeper. This time it drifted wide.

Moses had caused Arsenal problems so it was a body blow for the visitors when he collapsed under a challenge from Walcott holding his wrist. The former Crystal Palace striker was stretchered off in some distress. Charles N’Zogbia came on.

Seven minutes from the break, Arsenal had a loud shout for a penalty when Maynor Figueroa appeared to handle with Van Persie lurking at the far post.

Seconds later, Vela and Bendtner steered decent headers wide of the target.

Then, three minutes from the whistle, Arsenal broke the deadlock. Walcott fired over a corner from the left, Bendtner rose highest but missed the ball. It hit Alcaraz on the edge of the six-yard box and flew in.

Almost immediately the defender nearly had his revenge. Ben Watson thumped in a corner and a header from Alcaraz was nudged on by Boselli. Szczesny saved at the second attempt.

Suddenly this game had found some life.

In the dying seconds, another sumptuous flick from Van Persie sent Vela clear again. This time he stumbled as he raced into the area.

The Dutchman had been the stand-out performer in the first half and, within seconds of the restart, he was in the action again.

Van Persie threw himself into a header but got a bash on the nose for his trouble. After treatment he carried on.

Finally, Arsenal had started to take a full grip on the game. Walcott waltzed to the byline and Bendtner headed over.

N’Zogbia’s pace caused consternation on a couple of occasions but, in the 67th minute, the home side added a second.

Vela fired a low, left-wing cross to the far post and Bendtner slid his third goal of the season.

The Mexican was starting to shine. He could have added a third on two occasions just after that. But Ali Al Habsi denied his sliding shot from the angle having been put through.

Thirteen minutes from time, Vela sent Walcott clear. The winger’s sidefoot shot beat the keeper but drifted just beyond the far post.

Five minutes later, the England international would have another effort. This one appeared to be blocked by the arm of Figueroa.

In injury time, Nasri skipped past the keeper but his shot was booted of the line.

However, by then, this game had been more than won.

Arsenal are in the last four of this year's Carling Cup.