Manchester United vs Arsenal
Match pulse
MANAttacking pressure by 5 minutes
Who won: Man United 2-1
Manchester United beat Arsenal 2-1 on Sunday, April 13, 2008 at Old Trafford. Goals for Man United: Cristiano Ronaldo (54' pen) and Owen Hargreaves (72'). Goals for Arsenal: Emmanuel Adebayor (48').
Play by play
- 95'
Full time! And the final whistle also calls time on Arsenal's season. This is only their third league defeat of the campaign but it signals the end of a year which promised so much but has eventually produced very little. Manchester United march on, and can now even afford to lose at Chelsea but still win the title. What a game! Thanks for your comapny, until next time...
- 94'
Ronaldo embarks on an unneccesary spot of trickery near the corner flag which earns him a whack from Hoyte. A yellow card is produced.
- 93'
Arsenal continue to press but they know it is a lost cause now, and United have space all over the park when they break. So, it looks like a penalty and a free kick are going to hand them a MASSIVE win. The only surprise is that both goals didn't come from Ronaldo eh?
- 92'
Don't forget, an Arsenal goal would still keep Chelsea's title hopes in their own hands. Should United draw, and Chelsea win all their remaining games - including the one against United at Stamford Bridge - then they would win the Premier League.
- 91'
Rooney fluffs a counter attack for United and races a full 50 yards to try and win the ball back. Then Adebayor cleans him up with a thumping tackle, then dinks a useless ball straight trhough to VDS.
- 90'
Bendtner has forced Van der Sar into an excellent save! Fabregas' free kick was similar to his cross of five minutes ago but the Dutch keeper was equal to it. Four added minutes...
- 89'
Ryan Giggs is coming on for Owen Hargreaves, who gets a standing ovation, and quite rightly too.
- 88'
Arsenal have had five minutes of constant pressure now but it just won't break for someone inside the box. Hoyte stabs in a cross there and Bendtner flicks out a leg which only serves to take the pace off the ball for Van der Sar.
- 87'
Adebayor does well to retain possession inside the box and lay off for Hleb but his left footed cross is weak and easily cleared by Ferdinand.
- 86'
More pressing from Arsenal as Clichy's cross has VDS back-peddling, then Gilberto once again tries a massively ambitious volley. He's had a solid game but should really knock shooting from outside the box on the head.
- 85'
Chance for Bendtner! A wonderful, curling cross from Fabregas finds him free at the far post but he can't get the power to trouble VDS, even though the direction was pretty good. That would have made it interesting....
- 84'
Justin Hoyte is on for Toure as Wenger makes his last substitution.
- 83'
Manchester United are content just to knock the ball around now and Arsenal are chasing shadows. Only five minutes remain for them to save their season. Don't bet on it.
- 82'
Fabregas swings in a superb ball from a corner and as the ball breaks first Gilberto can't get his shot off, then Ferdinand steps in as a Fabregas flick fell into the path of Adebayor.
- 81'
There are gaps everywhere at the back for Arsenal as they go gung-ho. They are fading fast though and it would not surprise me if United pot another one before the end.
- 80'
Hleb shows far too much of the ball to Wes Brown, who executes a very well-timed tackle then sets United away. The move ends with Ronaldo bristling into the box and firing a shot well wide of Lehmann's goal.
- 79'
VDS claims the corner commandingly and his throw finds Rooney in space but Gilberto closes him down before he can spread the play to Ronaldo, who was in acres of space.
- 78'
It is Bendtner's turn to do his Walcott impression, charging 40 yards downfield and winning a corner off Ferdinand, amid a distant lack of support.
- 77'
United are showboating a little here, far too prematurely.
- 76'
Hleb wastes a ball when well placed and Arsenal now have a resigned look to their play. A season which promised great things is petering out into the epitome of an anti-climax. And at Old Trafford too. Could it get any worse?
- 75'
Bendtner is coming on for Robin Van Persie, who has had a good game, but is still struggling for match fitness.
- 74'
You can't help but feel for Arsenal. Again today they have played some wonderfully slick football, but within seconds of creating their deserved breakthrough they have (quite literally) handed the initiative back to their opponents within seconds of their goal. And now they need two goals in the last 15 minutes. Possible, but highly unlikely.
- 73'
Arsenal head straight up the other end but Van Persie's tame effort is clutched gleefully by Van der Sar. Wenger looks completely broken for the second time in a week.
- 72'
It was a very debatable free kick decision but while everyone was waiting for Ronaldo to blast it, Hargreaves has curled one right into the bottom corner. Unstoppable.
- 72'
Hargreaves scores!
Leaders
MANARS 
