Manchester United 2 Arsenal 1
Van Persie 3, Evra 66, Cazorla 90+4
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The early goal killed both teams.
The game only lasted 158 seconds.
In the third minute Vermaelen miskicked to Van Persie, who scored.
That early goal was virtually the final whistle.
Van Persie’s first touch of the game didn\’t just kill Arsenal, it killed Manchester United and killed the football match we were expecting to see.
United’s victory was a strange game, said Sir Alex, one where we should have scored five or six. He said it was nothing like a normal Man United- Arsenal game.
That was my view during the match and afterwards.
I thought it was shabby, lacklustre, by far the feeblest match I\’ve ever seen between these two teams.
Sky\’s Sunday Supplement show included Andy Dunn, The Sunday Mirror columnist, who was at Old Trafford yesterday.
He\’s one of our best football journalists.
Incisive as always, Andy said, “It was the biggest 2-1 hammering you’re ever likely to see. Rio Ferdinand said exactly the same thing, it could have been five, it could have been six. The way United played, with no sense of urgency- they knew they didn\’t have to. This was an Arsenal team that posed no threat.”
He said that sometimes one moment sums up a football match and here it was Andre Santos asking Robin van Persie for his shirt at half-time.
“What on earth is he thinking about? Getting it on the pitch in full view of 70,000 people, in full view of 2,500 travelling Arsenal fans. Not only was he doing it, he was doing it after 45 minutes in which he was absolutely awful. Has he got no self-awareness?
“That encapsulated what Arsenal were all about. And it showed them why Robin van Persie left the football club. This is why he left.
“He could see the mediocrity of the signings that came in. Podolski and Giroud didn\’t show. Arteta, his best form seems to be a little way behind him at the moment. And Van Persie could see this. This is why he left.
“And to top it all, no Theo Walcott starting the game. After he came on, 10 men with Theo was better than 11 men without Theo.”
Andy said, “Arsenal didn\’t look as if they belong at that level.â€
I actually saw Andy Dunn say, “Arsenal didn\’t look as if they belong at that level.”
He summed up this Arsenal better than I’ve ever dunn.