United stun champions Arsenal

Manchester United closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just three points with a 2-0 English Premiership win over Arsene Wenger's side at Old Trafford.

Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron went some way to repaying his 28 million pounds transfer fee from Lazio last year with United's first-half opener.

And 17 minutes from time England's Paul Scholes secured victory over the reigning champions for Alex Ferguson's injury-stricken side.

The result also ended Arsenal's run of scoring in 55 consecutive league matches and lifted United into second place although their other title rivals are all playing later Saturday.

United's win was all the more impressive as they were without the sidelined midfield trio of England captain David Beckham, club skipper Roy Keane and Nicky Butt.

Their first choice central defensive pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Laurent Blanc were also out through injury.

United took the lead in the 22nd minute. A poor clearance from Arsenal defender Pascal Cygan, one of seven French players who started the game, fell to United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

His cushioned header found fellow forward Ruud van Nistelrooy, who appeared to handle the ball.

But referee Dermot Gallagher allowed play to continue and the Dutchman's through ball found Scholes.

There was a suspicion that the England midfielder was offside but television replays showed him to be level as the ball was played and his squared pass from the byline found Veron, whose run had taken him into the six-yard box.

And from close range the midfielder poked the ball past Arsenal keeper Rami Shaaban, continuing to deputise for injured England number one David Seaman.

Before Veron's strike, Arsenal were twice denied by United keeper Fabien Barthez.

In the 12th minute defender Oleg Luzhny's long ball found striker Thierry Henry.

He controlled the ball on his knee and then immediately went for a sidefoot shot just inside the penalty area.
But Barthez parried his France team-mate's effort and England defender Gary Neville cleared the ball.

And two minutes later a slick passing move between Henry, and yet another of the France internationals on show, Robert Pires, ended with the forward's attempted chip over Barthez finger-tipped away by the keeper.

Tempers were always likely to be running high and recalled Arsenal and England defender Martin Keown, replacing the suspended Sol Campbell, was lucky to escape punishemnt in the 34th minute.

Keown, returning to domestic action after two months out with a hamstring injury, shoved and punched Van Nistelrooy in an off-the-ball incident but fortunately for the visitors his actions went unseen by the officials.

But six minutes later Arsenal did have problems when their already thin goalkeeping resources were stretched even further when Swedish-born Shaaban was forced to go off after pulling up following a goal kick.

He was replaced by Stuart Taylor and 14 minutes after the break the England Under-21 international did well to block a Ryan Giggs volley with his legs after Veron's quick free-kick had caught out the Arsenal defence.

Up front, Gunners boss Wenger tried to inject fresh life into his attack by bringing on Dutch ace Dennis Bergkamp for France's Sylvain Wiltord in the 67th minute. But it was Arsenal's, not United's defence, that cracked next.

Van Nistelrooy played in Scholes, who had typically burst forward from midfield, and his 73rd minute shot gave Taylor no chance.

Source: worldsoccernews.com

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