Arsenal 1-2 Man United

In an eagerly anticipated match where two of the best teams the premiership has ever had faced off in a crucial match for both teams. Arsenal had to win to close the gap on fourth placed Chelsea, while Manchester United needed the win to keep up the chase that had been set by city rivals Manchester city, a chase that had been further increased after city’s last gasp win over Tottenham Hotspur.

The match started well for Arsenal however a resolute Manchester United defence proved hard to break down for the gunners. Arsenal maintained pressure without ever creating any real clear cut chances and as a result Manchester United started to find their feet, eventually taking over the first half reigns that had been first se by Arsenal. Manchester United showed their metal by going onto create chances in the first half and deservedly taking the lead on the stroke of half time, with the goal coming at the worst possible time for Arsene Wengers men.

The second was a different story and Arsenal played a lot better spurning a couple chances to equalize with the heart of Arsenal, Robin Van Persie, spurning the easiest of them chances when he decided to put his laces through the ball rather than place it into a corner. A shot on goal that should have made it 1-1. Aaron Ramsey also missed a good chance to equalize when he managed to slide past a couple of United defenders but only to see his shot blaze over the bar. Arsenal started to increase the pressure and it looked likely an equalizer was going to happen, and it did. Alex oxlade chamberlain, who had been a constantly running at the United defence found a gap and passed the ball to Van Persie who shot it through the legs of the onrushing defender to score past lindegaard, off the post.

Arsenal were now looking for the winning goal but never really created anything and this was further hampered by the removal of the ever popular Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain, much to the dismay of the Arsenal faithful. The player coming on, however, didn’t lighten the mood of taking Chamberlain off as the not so popular Andrey Arshavin came on for him. The substitution even proved bemusing to leading goal scorer Van Persie. Arshavin’s form this season has not been good especially when compared to the form he showed when he first joined Arsenal and was scoring goals like he did at previous club Zenit. This substitution proved crucial as Antonio- Valencia broke into the Arsenal penalty box with Arshavin failing to halt the run when it can be said he should have done better. Valencia cut the ball back to Danny Welbeck who dispatched the shot from inside the box to give United the lead with 10 minutes to go. Arsenal failed to create any clear cut chances in the remaining 10 minutes and the United defence stayed strong to give them a crucial 3 points in their chase for a 20th premier league title.

This loss could prove suicidal for Arsenal football club as they remain 5 points behind Chelsea and a 10 points behind North London rivals Tottenham. Could this loss be the pivotal factor in them failing to qualify for the champions league, finishing behind Tottenham and could it be even further pivotal by failing to keep fans favourite and top scorer Robin Van Persie?