Manchester United – Arsenal

1. It's been billed as the biggest game of the decade by Sir Alex Ferguson. Will it live up to the hype? Join us from 16.05 BST.

2. Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira has been declared fit to play against Manchester United in the 'game of the half century' (copyright every tabliod newspaper in the land)at Old Trafford this afternoon but United captain Roy Keane is ruled out with a virus (ah, bless). Phil Neville steps in to take his place in midfield as United attempt to end Arsenal's unbeaten league run which stretches 49 matches. What's that you say? You already knew about the record. Oh, alright then.

3. So, here we are, just minutes away from the most important game of football in the history of the world. Ever. This match has received more hype than the last Lord of the Rings film and we all know how that eneded up: good but not quite all that. Great battle scenes though. Hmmm....

4. "Football is not war," said Arsene Wenger this week but we can be sure of a few fireworks when these two go head to head. United need to win to stay in the title race, Arsenal need a win or a draw for the big 50. Excited? I know I am; lets hope it doesn't disappoint.

5. Arsenal get the ball rolling, literally, in front of an Old Trafford crowd baying for blood.

6. 1'

   First crunching tackle (and free kick) of the afternoon as Cole goes for a ball he is entitled to but gets Ronaldo's ankle instead after theUnited man mis-controlled.

7. 2'

   Edu pushed off the ball by a couple of kids, Rooney and Ronaldo, as the game opens at predictably fiery tempo.

8. 3'

   Edu breezes past a desperate Scholes 'tackle' and should have put Henry in behind the United defence but his weak pass is easily cut out by Ferdinand.

9. 4'

   Arsenal work the ball down their favoured left hand side but a combination of Neville's head and Silvestre's feet block the route this time.

10. 6'

    Mistake by Viera lets Rooney in on goal and his first time effort is heading in until Toure throws himself in front of the ball to block.

11. 7'

    United retain possession and a cute cut back from Rooney sets up Giggs but Campbell stands up big and strong to put in the second goal saving block in a minute.

12. 8'

    After Arsenal looked to be forcing the game in the first couple of minutes United are seeing a lot of the ball at the moment and the noise level in the ground is deafening.

13. 9'

    United come again but Heinze inexplicably tries a shot from wide left a long, long way out. He misses by some distance.

14. 10'

    Not for the first time Arsenal try a long ball forward searching out the run of Henry but he is well policed by the United central defenders.

15. 11'

    Lucky, lucky Lehmann. A hash of a clearance from the German keeper goes straight to a United man but the first time pass that sets van Nistlerooy clear on goal finds the striker in an offside position.

16. 13'

    Toure does pick out Henry from his own half as the Frenchman drifts left. Interchange of passes with Reyes before he jinks into the box. Henry went down under no contact but, to his credit, got straight back up again.

17. 14'

    A restbite in the action as Reyes goes off to receive some treatment after a clash with Heinze.

18. 15'

    The ball is in the back of the Arsenal net after a sweet half volley from 25 yards from Scholes but the celebrations are muted as the whistle had gone well before he struck it. Wonderful shot though. Still nil-nil.

19. 16'

    Cole, getting forward a lot, even at this early stage, fouls Neville in his right back position.

20. 17'

    Loose ball from neville sets up a lightning quick Arsenal break that found Ferdinand and Ljungberg racing for the ball deep in United territory. Ljunberg goes to ground (Ferdinand is the last man) but he played for the foul and referee Riley is having none of it.

21. 18'

    Tempers bubbling up nicely now after a few juicy foul, the latest of which is on Ronaldo out wide right.

22. 19'

    Ronaldo swings the dead ball to the back post and Lehmann punches unconvincingly behind for a corner.

23. 20'

    Corner comes in and this time Lehmann shows good hands to pluck the ball from the air under some pressure.

24. 22'

    Angled, flighted ball from Scholes perfectly picks out Ronaldo in the right of the box level with the six yard box. Opportunity to cushion the ball across the goal but he fluffs it. Wasteful.

25. 23'

    First of the tradditional 'crowd scenes around the referee' as Reyes' trickery draws Neville (G) into a blatant foul. Should have been the first booking of the game but the card stayed in the pocket.

26. 24'

    The petty fouls continue, this time Vieira upending Ronaldo needlessly.

27. 25'

    Inches away from a clear cut chance. Again a United attack broke down and Arsenal shot up the field with Henry. Ljungberg made the perfect run behind the defenders but Henry failed in his atempt to thread the ball through.

28. 26'

    Physio on the pitch as Lehamnn changes his boots.

29. 27'

    Free-kick for Arsenal 30 yards out almost dead centre is driven by Henry but the wall does its job.

30. 28'

    Giggs runs at Lauren for the first time and, but for a slip at an inopportune moment, would probably have got the better of him. As it is Lauren is able to clear.

31. 29'

    Few players slipping around as the Manchester weather does everything to live up to its reputation.

32. 30'

    The mood of the game bubbling under now as Ronaldo and Vieira get caught up with each other in the centre circle.

33. 31'

    Cole, who is having a fine game, comes back to tackle van Nistlerooy who seems to stamp his studs on the Arsenal man's knee. Cole is hurt but again there is no action from the referee.

34. 32'

    Cole still getting some attention from the physio but he is up and running again now.

35. 34'

    Ashley Cole becomes the first man to see yellow. Some great, slick passing down the left broke down and as Rooney broke away Cole tripped him. Probably deserved it but no more than Neville (G) and van Nistlerooy before him.

36. 35'

    Neville (G) is very, very lucky to still be on the pitch. He is finally booked for a cynical foul on Reyes but he should already have had one.

37. 36'

    This is getting a little tetchy now. Rooney and Reyes eye-ball each other for a bit. I know who my money would be on if that one kicked off.

38. 37'

    The Nevilles seem to have it in for Reyes. This time Phil over runs a challenge on the Spaniard and joins his brother in the referee's notebook. Can we have some football played again please; it was a good game until the last few minutes.

39. 39'

    Lack of communication between Campbell and Lehmann. A vicious, fizzing ball into the near post is bound for the keeper's gloves until Campbell nicked in front of him to head behind.

40. 40'

    Corner breaks sharply to the feet of Ronaldo around the six yard box but his angled side-footed shot flashes wide. Not the easiest of chances but you would have expected better from the youngster.

41. 41'

    Fantastic piece of goalkeepeing from Carroll. An angled run across Ferdinand from Henry was picked out by a dinked through ball from Edu but Carroll was out smarlty to smother at the Frenchman's feet.

42. 42'

    United prod and probe in the Arsenal half but can find no way through a solid rearguard.

43. 43'

    Decent ball into a dangerous area from Giggs once more sees Campbell take no chances and head out of Lehmann's hands.

44. 44'

    A something and nothing tangle involving Rooney, Heinze, Henry and Ljungberg precipitates a minor handbag-esque bit of pushing and shoving. All very tame stuff.

45. 45'

    Ronaldo finds himself in oceans of space just inside the Arsenal half but wastes the position by striding forward and letting fly with an effort that finds its way high into the stands behind the goal.

46. 45'

    The interval arrives and after a lot of huffing and puffing, a little bit of argy bargy and no shortage of quality football, it remains goal-less.

47. 45'

    The driving rain has abated as the van Nistlerooy and Rooney get the second-half started.

48. 46'

    Lauren does well to track Rooney down the left flank and put in a perfectly timed challenge that concedes a corner.

49. 47'

    A routine we have all seen before, but evidently Arsenal are not wise to, sees the ball floated to Scholes just outside the box but his volley skids off the outside of his boot and well wide of the target.

50. 48'

    Edu, who has looked very assured in the middle of the pitch, slips a diagonal ball aimed at Vieira. There is too much on the pass but Heinze makes sure by clattering into the Frenchman. No foul.

51. 50'

    A moment of indecision in the United box is rectified by an impressive defensive header from Neville (P) before his brother completes the clearance.

52. 51'

    Lauren finds himself well forward and goes for goal. He makes a hash of it but the dragged effort almost falls to Henry. Had he been expecting it Henry may have reacted better.

53. 52'

    Real chance for Bergkamp. Ljungberg skinned Heinze down the arsenal right and cut back a low ball to the feet of the Dutchman but his first time shot aimed at the far post was well short of the standard you would expect of him.

54. 53'

    An over eager ball boy did litle to impress his employers by picking up the ball before it went out for what would have been a United goal kick. Instead it is a drop ball but thankfully for the youngster concerned nothing came of it. Phew!

55. 54'

    Ronaldo goes close by rising highest to meet a deep cross but sends a good chance wide in the end.

56. 56'

    Ronaldo and Cole are playing out a fascinating duel on one side of the pitch. Ronaldo just shades it on this ocassion but having cut inside his marker the delivery into the box is not good enough.

57. 57'

    Another trademark pacy counter attack from Arsenal invloving Vieira, Henry and then Ljungberg is halted by Ferdinand just as it looked like Ljungberg had turned inside him. Great defending from the England man.

58. 58'

    Poorly timed challenge from Reyes takes out Ronaldo after he had evaded Cole. No card and Reyes can consider himself lucky.

59. 59'

    Free kick is floated to the back post witht he intended target of Ferdinand. The Flight of the ball, however, gave Campbell time to close down his England team-mate.

60. 60'

    Pattern of the second-half very much the same asthe first with neither side doing enough to claim they are on top.

61. 61'

    Heinze putting himself around to good effect wining headers and tackles down the left flank.

62. 63'

    It has been a bright, competetive game but still the keepers aren't being forced to earn their match fee enough to make it a classic.

63. 64'

    United enjoying a period of possession but nowhere near the Arsenal goal.

64. 65'

    Heinze shrugged off Edu - there was the suggestion of an arm in the face but not much - before striding to the edge of the box and unleashing a powerful drive that Lehmann did well first to save and second to hang on to in wet conditions.

65. 66'

    Promising Arsenal move, again down the left, with some great one touch football, comes to nought after Henry over hit a ball forward aimed for Bergkamp. Pity as it was building into a fine move.

66. 67'

    Lehmann goes off on one of his rush of blood to the head rushes out of the box and he is lucky to see van Nistlerooy penalised for a shove on him.

67. 68'

    Silvestre does well to marshall Begkamp away from his goalkeeper after a soft back-pass.

68. 69'

    First substitution of the afternoon sees the battered and bruised Reyes make way for Robert Pires - a like for like swap.

69. 70'

    Loose ball forward from Ferdinand is not dealt with by Toure and Rooney is able to collect and run at the defence. He is forced wide but keeps the move going with a couple of passes with Giggs. Rooney gets it back, turns inside Campbell in the box and...

70. 71'

    ...is tripped by the England man. PENALTY to United!

71. 72'

    Up steps van Nistlerooy, Lehmann goes right, the ball goes low and left and the deadlock is broken. 1-0 United.

72. 73'

    The game has changed. It was tight and competetive but Arsenal were probably shading it on points but now the atmosphere has been cranked up again.

73. 74'

    As the United fans celebrate Vieira, perhaps showing some frustration, scythes through Giggs and is rightly booked.

74. 75'

    Arsenal go searching for an equaliser and Pires gets the ball on the edge of the box. Looked to be a shot on but instead he squared it to Henry who was closed down by three United men.

75. 76'

    Free-kick out wide on the left for Arsenal is wasted by Bergkamp who doesn't even clear the first man with his delivery.

76. 77'

    With virtually the entire United team camped in or around their own box Toure has two chances to shoot from 20 yards and both hit a red wall.

77. 78'

    With tempers and the tempo raised Edu becomes the latest to be shown yellow for a late challenge on Ronaldo.

78. 79'

    United unlucky not to be given a second spot-kick. In clear view of the linesman Ronaldo sold Cole a dummy and the Arsenal man took his legs out. For my money a clearer penalty than the first one.

79. 81'

    Arsenal continue to pour forward with Ljungberg pulling the strings on the rigth but his crossing is being dealt with time and again by Ferdinand and Silvestre.

80. 82'

    Edu shows the lack of a calm head by trying his luck from all of 30 yards and not coming even close.

81. 83'

    Cole and Pires combine well down the left and even though Pires' low centre was poor Scholes took no chances and conceded a corner.

82. 84'

    Corner comes to nothing but Arsenal retain possession and come again. Great response to going behind from the champions but the United defence is standing firm.

83. 85'

    United substitution brings Alan Smith into the action in place of Ronaldo.

84. 86'

    Looks like an attack against defence practice session with Arsenal as the attackers. But, so far, the defenders are coming out on top.

85. 87'

    Neat passing between Henry, Pires and Cole sets up a snap shot for Cole that flashes just wide of the upright with Carroll struggling to make up the ground.

86. 88'

    Glorious chance for Giggs to settle it. A clever ball from Scholes put him through one-on-one with Lehmann but, with the keeper coming out, Giggs' low shot was too close to him.

87. 89'

    A time wasting change for United sees Louis Saha come on for the goal scorer van Nistlerooy.

88. 90'

    Arsenal come forward with Ljungberg again, his square ball in to Toure sees him throw himself pathetically in search of a penalty. No chance.

89. 90'

    Happy birthday Wayne! On his 19th birthday Rooney ends the game in stoppage time with one of the easiest finishes of his short career. 2-0 and Arsenal lose.

90. 90'

    With Arsenal stretched searching for the equaliser Smith found room on the right and was aware enough to pick out the unmarked Rooney right in front of goal. A minute or so of stoppage time to play but there is no question how this one will end.

91. 90'

    Bergkamp in trouble for throwing an arm at Smith but the referee somes some sense just to have a word with the two of them and leave it at that.

92. 90'

    Final whistle goes and an enthralling game played in difficult conditions comes to a close with the final score Manchester United 2-0 Arsenal.

93. 90'

    Well, all good things must come to an end and today Arsenal's unbeaten run came to an end at the last place they would have wanted. It wasn't a classic but it was committed, entertaining and between all the huffing and puffing there was some good football on show.

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