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MOTD- Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal

By on November 10, 2013

Robin van Persie responded to comments made by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger that he was an “Arsenal man” deep down by scoring the crucial goal against his old side as Manchester United beat an in-for Arsenal at Old Trafford.  The Dutchman scored the opening and only goal of the encounter in the middle of the first half, sending David Moyes’ within touching distance of the top of the table.

Although early fears appeared after the former Everton manager took over as United’s first new manager in over 26 years following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, the Red Devils now side in fifth place just five points behind league-leaders Arsenal.  The Gunners had been five points atop the Premier League but had that lead more than halved as United put in a solid defensive performance to keep Wenger’s side from making a comeback after the opener.

Although Arsenal was the side who put in a better second half showing, United began the match in control, utterly dominating the early possession statistics. The home side nearly turned their possession into a goal just ten minutes into the match as Wayne Rooney’s deflected long-range effort forced Wojciech Szczesny awkwardly dive to his left to gather the shot.  Yet all in all it was a rather slow start until United surprisingly (not saying that Arsenal looked like taking the lead, that would come later) scored the opener in the twenty-sixth minute when Rooney whipped a corner in towards the near post.  Van Persie, completely unmarked, rose up behind Phil Jones to nod a glancing header just above the head of a jumping Kieran Gibbs into the top-left corner of the net.
Arsenal responded well to going behind, quickly taking control of the match with Oliver Giroud heading well over in the thirty-sixth minute.  The visitors continued to press and finally managed to test United goalkeeper David De Gea as the match rolled on to the second half.  Aaron Ramsey’s weak effort from fifteen yards out well blocked by the Spaniard just two minutes into the second period,  before Mesut Ozil smacked Bacary Sagna’s cross from the right into the side netting with a fierce left-footer in miles of space at the far post.  Moments later Ramsey spanked a low thirty-yard shot straight into the waiting arms of De Gea but the shorty flurry of chances ended with United nearly taking the lead in the sixty-first minute.  Van Persie knocked it to Rooney on the edge of the box, and the forward flicked it behind Sagna before slashing a low effort inches wide of the post.  The match mellowed out, and despite Giroud smacking a deflected volley following a scramble in the penalty-area wide, Arsenal couldn’t find an equalizer and the match ended 1-0.
Man of the Match; Wayne Rooney

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.