Late goals by Robin van Persie and Thierry Henry gave Arsenal a
thrilling 2-1 win over Manchester United on Sunday, shattering the
visitors' bid to open a nine-point lead in the Premier League.
A day after second-placed Chelsea lost 2-0 at Liverpool, England
striker Wayne Rooney headed United into a 53rd-minute lead that
could potentially have decided the title race.
But Van Persie came off the substitutes' bench to score an
83rd-minute equaliser and captain Henry headed a fine stoppage-time
winner.
Though victory completed a league double over United after
Arsenal's 1-0 win at Old Trafford in September, it was marred by
Van Persie suffering a broken bone in his foot that almost
certainly means a long spell on the sidelines.
United, chasing their first league title since 2003, have 57
points after 24 games. Chelsea, champions for the last two seasons,
have 51 points, Liverpool 46 and Arsenal 45.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said his team's victory had thrown
open the title race and that determination and team spirit had
turned the game around.
"It was a test of character, resilience and togetherness," he
told a news conference.
"I believe we went until the end, right up to the last second,
because we really wanted to win. In the last 20 minutes, it was all
us."
United manager Alex Ferguson was at a loss to explain how his
side had lost a game they were leading after conceding two goals
following high crosses from the right flank.
"They kept hitting long balls up to Henry and (Emmanuel)
Adebayor and we were coping with that great....We've lost two goals
from positions I didn't think we would lose goals in. But that's
football," he told Sky Sports.
FOOT INJURY
The only cloud on the horizon for Arsenal was a broken fifth
metatarsal for Van Persie, an injury which Wenger said the striker
had sustained in his goal celebration.
The break, likely to sideline him for at least six weeks, will
be a major setback for Arsenal as the Dutchman is their top league
scorer with 11 goals.
Arsenal, who flirted with their first defeat at their new
Emirates Stadium, will be grateful though for a win secured by some
relentless second-half pressure.
United seized the early initiative, with Rooney, Cristiano
Ronaldo and Henrik Larsson stringing passes through a hesitant
Arsenal defence.
Years of rivalry, along with the current title stakes, meant
there were plenty of crunching tackles. Space was at a premium and
clearcut chances almost non-existent.
United nearly snatched the lead on the stroke of halftime,
though, when Jens Lehmann tipped a Rooney shot onto the bar and
over and then palmed away a Larsson header from the corner.
Rooney was not to be denied eight minutes after the re-start,
though, when United defender Patrice Evra made a good run down the
left, his cross was touched on by Arsenal's Kolo Toure and the
England striker dived to head home at the far post. It was his
first goal in 13 games since early December.
ARSENAL PRESSURE
Arsenal pressed for an equaliser but struggled to create real
chances against a well-drilled United defence, while Ferguson's
side also threatened to score a second on the break.
It looked over for Arsenal until two crosses changed everything.
Van Persie rifled home the first from Tomas Rosicky at the far post
and Henry hit the net with a bullet header from Emmanuel Eboue's
ball with the second.
Earlier, Everton inflicted Wigan Athletic's seventh league
defeat in a row with a 2-0 victory at the JJB Stadium. Spanish
playmaker Mikel Arteta scored both.
Everton's England striker Andy Johnson was carried off on a
stretcher with an ankle injury.
(China Daily via Reuters January 22, 2007)