Nigeria Content Online

Arsenal started the match like a house on fire, even though they were without the injured Cesc Fabregas. They kept United pinned in their half with about 80 perecent possession in the first ten minutes but the clearest chance in this time, was in the third minute, when a loose ball fell to Jack Wilshire on the edge of the United box but he dragged his shot wide.

This is the kind of missed opportunities that has led to the collapse of the Gunners’ season.

Another great chance was created by Arsenal in the seventh minute when a teasing cross from the left by Gael Clichy was blazed over by Theo Walcott. And in the passage of play, with Arsenal setting a high defensive line, Javier Hernandez was caught offside twice in the first quarter of the game.

There will always be talk about the referee and this match will not be an exception.
Chris Foy, the man chosen to handle the FA Cup final, made too many wrong decisions in the first half and about half of the incidents involved Manchester United captain, Nemanja Vidic. The Serbian centre-back fouled Wilshire on the edge of the box in the 19th minute but Mr Foy waved play on. But the most contentious happened in the 32nd minute when Vidic used his arm to divert for a corner, a cross by Walcott from the right wing. So as the first half ended, all the talk was about the gaffes of Chris Foy.

Ramsey’s goal

The second half was no less easy for Mr Foy as he continued to fumble major decisions. Andrei Arshavin came on for an injured Samir Nasri, but the Gunners kept their shape. Arsenal started on the front foot again but the first goalmouth action was caused by the Red Devils.

In the 50th minute, a free kick about 30m from goal, was almost converted by Rooney but Arsenal’s young goalkeeper, Woljech Szczesny made an outstanding save while Patrice Evra fired into the side netting from a tight angle on the follow up.

United grew in confidence after that near goal and started pushing Laurent Koscielny and Johann Djourou back a bit. But on Arsenal’s next foray forward, they got a deserved goal. Aaron Ramsey won a ball in midfield and fed Robin van Persie, who had shifted to the right.

Van Persie then teased Evra before laying the ball back into the path of Ramsey, who coolly slotted past van der Sar, in goal for United. United then had to at least seek an equaliser and Alex Ferguson brought on Dimitar Berbartov for Hernandez, who had been kept quiet by the Arsenal defenders. Szczesny made a good save in the 77th to help keep the Gunners lead intact.

Rooney played in Nani but Szczesny was quick off his line to make a good stop. Michael Owen replaced Michael Carrick in the 85th minute to try and salvage a goal and Owen almost repaid the faith of his manager in the 87th minute. There were strong penalty appeals, at least from the United bench, when Owen went down just inside the box after contact with Clichy.

Television replays showed that it was a borderline decision for Mr Foy, who waved play on. And that was the last chance that United could muster. They now go into a crunch week where they face Schalke 04 in the Champions League semifinal second leg with a comfortable 2-0 lead and wait to entertain Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday for what could be a title-deciding match.