By Myles Palmer
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ARSENAL 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 1
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Santa Claus turned up a month early at Highbury and he wasn’t an old man with a white beard.
He was a young left-footed Frenchman with a shaved head – Fabien Barthez.
The United keeper had made good saves to keep the score at 1-1.
Then after 80 minutes he booted Beckham’s backpass straight to Thierry Henry just outside the box.
Henry promptly slotted the ball past him to make it 2-1.
After 85 Barthez raced out to challenge Henry for Vieira’s lofted through pass – and fumbled the ball just inside the box, giving Henry another open goal, which he accepted.
Before that timid Thierry had been at his frustrating worst.
Too fancy, too feeble,too lazy, ignoring a good cross from Lauren as Gary Neville headed it away, giving the ball away constantly, running into Wes Brown and diving.
Henry was truly awful. An infuriating flaneur.As abysmal as he was against La Coruna.
One good pass to Kanu, and one run where Blanc pulled him down in the box, were all Henry had managed all day – until those two gifts from Barthez wrapped up the game.
Just before that, after 68 minutes, Barthez had a brawl with Upson, who fell next to him after they had contested a high ball.
Upson’s challenge looked routine, looked fair, but Barthez punched him on the body while both men were on the ground!Both players were booked.
United had scored with their first attack in 14 minutes.
Sylvestre’s fine low cross picked out Scholes, who netted from six yards past keeper Stuart Taylor, who was making his Premiership debut.
That was their only shot on target in a game which Arsenal dominated throughout.
The equaliser came after 48 minutes when Gary Neville passed to Pires, who played the ball across to Ljungberg.
Thanks Gary – it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
Freddie’s improvised, jabbed shot flew sharply up, over Barthez and into the net – a brilliant finish by a notorious Red-killer.
Roy Keane was very good, but United were a rabble.
A rabble like no Manchester United team I have ever seen. Blanc, Beckham and Veron were invisible.
Van Nistelrooy had no service and was denied by a superb Upson tackle at 2-1.
Campbell and Upson were excellent, despite a couple of early hiccups.
Stuart Taylor had little to do except grunt when he saved bravely at the feet of sub Solskjaer, who gave him a severe kick in the stomach.
Ray Parlour had a stormer and Kanu was Arsenal’s best player in the first half.
Ashley Cole had his best game since coming back from injury.
Amazingly, Yorke replaced Veron after 58 minutes. A sure sign that Fergie knew his fancy new formation was not going to work.
Overall, the team was a lot better without Wiltord and van Bronkhorst,who were left out in favour of Kanu and Parlour.
Bergkamp replaced Kanu after 63 and did some good things.
So, for once, Arsenal surprised me.
United surprised me as well – they stunk the place out today.
They were a shambles.They were completely outplayed. Roy Keane should find a team which deserves him.
It’s a funny old game, football. Full of twists and shocks.
Javier Irureta made nine changes today and Mallorca beat league leaders Deportivo 4-1.
25th November 2001.