OLD TRAFFORD IS the venue as Manchester United host Arsenal in the weekend’s biggest game.
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Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal
Good afternoon all. We’re 20 minutes away from kick-off at Old Trafford so I’ll get right to it. Here are the two starting teams:
Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Jones, Carrick, Kagawa, Rooney, van Persie. Subs: Giggs, Lindegaard, Hernandez, Nani, Cleverley, Fellaini, Januzaj.
Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey, Ozil, Cazorla, Giroud. Subs: Wilshere, Monreal, Fabianski, Bendtner, Jenkinson, Gnabry, Hayden.
Despite rumours this afternoon that Robin van Persie wouldn’t be involved, the Dutchman is named in the team to face his old club. Phil Jones will partner Michael Carrick in midfield while Shinji Kagawa looks likely to start on the left with Rooney in behind RVP.
The Gunners are without Per Mertesacker and Thomas Rosicky, who are both ill, so Thomas Vermaelen comes into the backline. Olivier Giroud, with eight goals this season, leads the line.
Minute’s silence out of the way so here we go. An observation from my colleague Steve O’Rourke: “Why does Fred The Red get to take part?”.
Under that enormous suit, mascots are real people too, Steve.
Early pressure from United in the opening five minutes but Arsenal deal with it sufficiently. The Gunners then get a hold of the ball and begin to string several passes together in the opposing half.
As the two sides feel their way into the game, Wayne Rooney takes a shot from distance which takes a deflection before being collected by Wojciech Szczesny.
Nice interchanges from Arsenal with Mesut Ozil down the right but Jones gets his body in front of Giroud and wins a free-kick. Expect the all-action England international to be in the thick of it today.
That coat of Wenger’s has been causing him a bit of trouble again…
GOAL! Manchester United 1 Arsenal 0 (Robin van Persie)
Who else but RVP? The striker makes a late run to the front post to guide a glancing header into the far post from Rooney’s corner. He celebrates emphatically.
The home team are pushing for a second and Rooney appeals for a penalty after going down under a challenge from Giroud. Referee Michael Oliver is having none of it and it looks a good call.
There has just been a nasty clash of heads between Jones and Szczesny during a United corner leaves the Polish goalkeeper on the ground. He requires treatment but is okay to continue.
Harshly, Jones picks up a yellow card for his attempt to win a header.
Mathieu Flamini has also just been booked for a tackle on Jones a couple of minutes later.
Half-time: Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal
De Gea comes flying out of his goal and collides with Vidic, leaving the Serbian defender on the floor. He is stretchered off the pitch just before the half-time whistle and looks unlikely to return after the break.
Second half — here we go. One change for United with Tom Cleverley coming on for the injured Vidic and Jones dropping back into central defence.
New signing Marouane Fellaini remains on the bench.
Free-kick to Arsenal after Cleverley takes Giroud down 30 yards out. Vermaelen tries his luck but it is nowhere near the target.
An Arsenal corner falls to Sagna, who puts the ball back into the danger area. Ozil takes a touch before shooting from an acute angle where he can only find the sidenetting.
Next, Giroud steps over the ball and Ramsey gets his shot off early. De Gea isn’t troubled and gets down to smother the ball.
Big chance for Rooney. Kagawa heads on to Van Persie and he feeds his strike partner, who cuts in onto his left and drags a shot just wide of the post.
Jack Wilshere is on for Flamini, meanwhile.
They may be enjoying the majority of possession but, as of yet, Arsenal have been unable to break down United’s backline. As I write that, there is some fairly desperate defending to get the ball clear.
Rooney then sprints three-quarters of the pitch and catches Vermaelen late. Free-kick but no card.
Sagna’s cross is a good one but Evans gets the slightest of touches to put it out of the reach of the loitering attackers. The corner finds its way to Cazorla, but the Spaniards gets his angles all wrong.
Yellow card for Rooney after he chops down Ramsey.
Ryan Giggs is coming on for the final 13 minutes with Kagawa making way. Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, is introducing Nicklas Bendtner for Santi Cazorla.
Van Persie sends in an inviting free-kick into the box and Smalling arrives at the back post but can’t get his head to it.
The defender makes up for the miss moments later with a perfectly-timed tackle on Giroud.
Backs against the wall for United now. Two minutes plus injury time to play.
Full-time: Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal
Given their indifferent start to the season, that is a massive win for United. With Man City losing out to Man City, David Moyes’ men are up to fifth — just five points behind Arsenal.
