EPL [ 12 ] : Arsenal 2 - 2 Manchester United

Barclays Premier League
Emirates Stadium, Sat 3 November

ARSENAL 2
Fabregas (48), Gallas (90)

MANCHESTER UNITED 2
Gallas o.g (45), Ronaldo (82)

William Gallas netted at both ends at the Emirates Stadium, including Arsenal's last-gasp equaliser after Cristiano Ronaldo looked to have scored the winner.

The Gunners’ captain struck two minutes into injury time to earn Arsene Wenger’s side a 2-2 draw after the Reds had twice taken the lead in a pulsating match.

United went in front on the stroke of half-time when Gallas turned in Wayne Rooney's effort with his arm. Cesc Fabregas drew the hosts level three minutes after the restart when the Reds were slow to react in their own box, but Ronaldo then put United 2-1 up eight minutes from time. Victory was then in United's grasp until Gallas intervened again.

Sir Alex Ferguson made two changes to the side that had thrashed Middlesbrough a week ago with recalls for both Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra, who had missed the Boro win through injury. The Reds boss also had significant options on the bench with Louis Saha and Michael Carrick back in the frame after returning from knee and elbow injuries respectively. Tomasz Kuszczak, Nani and John O’Shea took up the remaining sub spots.

Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, stuck with the same eleven who earned a point at Anfield last weekend. Both sides went into the game in top form - the Gunners unbeaten with six league wins out of six on their own patch, while United had eight consecutive league victories under their belt.

The game began at a frantic pace as both sets of players took time to settle. Arsenal’s first sight of goal arrived on 10 minutes with Gael Clichy firing in a cross for Emmanuel Adebayor but his header was off target. A minute later, Carlos Tevez fired an effort wide of Manuel Almunia’s right-hand post after a fizzed centre from Ryan Giggs.

Shouts for an Arsenal penalty rang round the Emirates 15 minutes in when Aleksandr Hleb went down under Nemanja Vidic’s clumsy challenge. Replays showed the Serbian centre-back had a handful of Hleb’s shirt, but referee Howard Webb, a somewhat fussy officiator throughout, waved away the Gunners’ appeals.

Two minutes later Ryan Giggs, making his 37th appearance against Arsenal, poked the ball just wide after an excellent break from United and a fine cross from Ronaldo into the Welshman's path at the back post. The Reds’ skipper fired an effort just over the bar soon after, picking up Tevez’s deflected knock down before turning and hitting it first time. Almunia looked to have covered had it been on target.

United seemed content to let Arsenal have possession and play on the counter-attack with the Reds’ backline and midfield duo of Anderson and Owen Hargreaves standing firm. Kolo Toure found a glimmer of an opening after exchanging passes with Hleb just before the half hour but his shot flew over.

Arsenal’s possession percentage continued to grow as the half drew to a close and their best chance of the opening period duly arrived on 36 minutes. Fabregas whipped in a free kick to the near post where William Gallas stooped in front of Patrice Evra to head the ball goalwards. Edwin van der Sar saved well with his legs as United’s travelling army breathed a sigh

Having gone so close at one end to opening the scoring, it was Gallas who got the final touch as United made the vital breakthrough in first half injury time. Wes Brown shrugged off a challenge from Hleb, before slotting the ball into Ronaldo who in fired a low cross. Rooney took a swing at it at the near post with the last touch coming off Gallas and past Almunia.

After a somewhat cagey opening 45 the game burst into life three minutes after the restart. Having looked so solid in defence during the first half, United found themselves stretched for the first time in the match and it led to Arsenal's equaliser. Van der Sar bravely blocked Adebayor’s effort and as the ball ran loose, Bacary Sagna was quickest to react slotting the ball into Fabregas’ path. The Spaniard picked his spot and fired into the bottom corner.

Fabregas found the target again three minutes before the hour mark, curling a low free kick under the United wall. Thankfully, van der Sar was alert to the situation grasping the ball on the line.

United continued to weather the Arsenal storm and went close through Rooney on 64 minutes. The England front man picked up the ball in midfield after Fabregas had given possession away and slipped a pass through to Giggs. The Welshman chipped a superb cross back into Rooney’s path, but the striker was unable to guide his header on target.

Rooney flicked a ball through to Evra soon after but the Frenchman's cut-back eluded Ronaldo who was unable to get there in front of a cluster of Arsenal defenders.

Ronaldo was not to be denied eight minutes from time, however, as United snatched the lead once more. Saha, on for Tevez, slid a superb ball into the onrushing Evra who crossed brilliantly for Ronaldo to simply slot the ball home.

The drama was not finished though as Arsenal went in search of another equaliser. As the game entered added time the Gunners grabbed a point through Gallas who guided the ball home brilliantly from a tight angle. Van der Sar looked to have saved it, but an eagle-eyed linesman spotted that the Dutchman was behind his goal line when he parried the ball clear. It was a sickening moment for the Reds who were so close to avenging their loss to Thierry Henry’s late goal last season.

It felt like a defeat when the final whistle sounded but many United fans would have taken a point before kick-off, and it could prove to be a vital point in the long run.

Teams

Arsenal: Almunia; Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy; Eboue (Walcott, 74), Flamini, Fabregas, Rosicky (Eduardo, 81); Hleb (Gilberto, 81), Adebayor. Subs not used: Lehmann, Diarra

Booked: Fabregas

United: van der Sar; Brown (O'Shea 71), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo, Anderson (Carrick, 76), Hargreaves, Giggs; Tevez (Saha, 76), Rooney. Subs not used: Kuszczak, Nani

Booked: Evra, Hargreaves


Attendance: 60,161