Manchester United face Arsenal at Old Trafford tomorrow lunchtime as Premier League Football returns following the international break. In a tightly contested title race, the game is hugely important for both teams.
It sees managers Arsène Wenger and Jose Mourinho renew their long-standing rivalry. Mourinho, during his two spells at Chelsea, has never lost to Wenger in the Premier League. What’s more, Arsenal’s last league win at Old Trafford came all the way back in 2006.
The form guide suggests Arsenal stand a good chance of breaking that sequence, however.
They have been far more consistent than United this season, particularly away from home (four wins and a draw from five games). Although the Red Devils are coming off a good win at Swansea in which key players such as Paul Pogba found some form.
Matches between United and Arsenal are always hotly anticipated. They are two of the Premier League’s most successful teams, and their clashes have often brought talking points. Let’s remind ourselves of some of the most memorable league meetings at Old Trafford.
United 0-1 Arsenal, May 2002
Arsenal went into the game knowing that a win would be enough to secure a league and FA Cup double. Despite missing a number of key players including Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Tony Adams, they scored the only goal of the game early in the second half through Frenchman Sylvain Wiltord.
The narrow victory was extra sweet for the Gunners given that United had beaten them to the title in each of the previous three seasons.
United 0-0 Arsenal, September 2003
It may seem strange to include a goalless draw in a list of memorable matches, but this encounter saw the rivalry between the clubs at its most fierce. At the end of a bad-tempered affair, United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy crashed an injury-time penalty against the crossbar.
That sparked an infamous reaction from Arsenal players including Martin Keown who felt the Dutchman had earlier conspired to get captain Patrick Vieira sent off. It also set the scene for games to come.
United 2-0 Arsenal, October 2004
The game at Old Trafford the following year was just as ugly. Arsenal’s invincibles were aiming to go 50 league games unbeaten, while a fired-up United side were desperate to end that run.
They did so under predictably controversial circumstances. Van Nistelrooy made amends for his miss in the previous year by converting a dubious spot-kick, and a teenage Wayne Rooney sealed the victory late on. But that wasn’t the end of the drama as this game will forever be remembered for ‘pizzagate’, when United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was struck by a slice of pizza allegedly thrown by Arsenal player Cesc Fabregas.
United 8-2 Arsenal, August 2011
This was arguably Wenger’s lowest point as Arsenal manager as United put his injury-hit side to the sword in the most devastating fashion. Rooney led the way with a hat-trick which included two free-kicks, while Ashley Young netted a brace of wonderful curling strikes.
Ferguson admitted he was sympathetic towards Arsenal, showing how United had gained superiority in their previously bitter rivalry.
United 3-2 Arsenal, February 2016
Their most recent league encounter was another classic. Arsenal had dismissed Louis van Gaal’s United 3-0 earlier in the season at the Emirates, and they needed a similar performance at Old Trafford to keep pace with surprise leaders Leicester. But the Gunners were disappointing against a youthful United side, going down to a brace from Marcus Rashford who was playing just his second match for the club.
