Arsenal hosts Manchester United in the Premier League on Wednesday. While the former looks to close the gap with leader Liverpool, the latter hopes to inch closer to the top four.
While United might have fallen off in recent years, Arsenal has emerged as a credible title challenger to Manchester City in the last two years.
However, the rivalry between the Red Devils and the Gunners in the late 90s and early 00s is one for the history books.
Helmed by Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson for most of the Premier League era, Arsenal and Manchester United respectively have given football fans numerous memorable moments.
Here’s a look at some of the memorable moments from Arsenal vs Manchester United clashes in the Premier League era over the years:
A humbling defeat at Old Trafford
The defeat to date remains Arsenal’s joint-heaviest defeat in the Premier League, up there with its 0-6 thrashing by Chelsea in 2014. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Ashley Young, the 39-year-old full-back, who’s currently plying his trade with Everton, has scored only twice in a Premier League game against Arsenal. Those two goals came during the Gunners’ 2-8 drubbing by Manchester United on August 28, 2011.
In front of a 75448-strong crowd at Old Trafford, Ferguson’s Red Devils ran riot as Wenger’s men were left helpless. A young Theo Walcott did open the scoring for Arsenal late in the first half, but Danny Welbeck, Young, and Wayne Rooney had already scored for the host by then.
The United players took turns in the second half to worsen Arsenal’s visit. While Rooney bagged a hat-trick that night, Young notched up a hat-trick of assists.
The defeat to date remains Arsenal’s joint-heaviest defeat in the Premier League, up there with its 0-6 thrashing by Chelsea in 2014.
‘Pizzagate’ and Vieira vs Keane
Well documented on video, skippers Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane are seen at loggerheads inside the Highbury tunnel ahead of kick-off. | Photo Credit: Screengrab: Youtube/SkySports Retro
While the 2003-04 season was certainly special for Arsenal, for it ended the campaign as the ‘Invincibles’, the following season saw a couple of incidents between the London side and Manchester United which lives on in Premier League infamy.
A 17-year-old Cesc Fabregas was a spectator from the bench when United ended Arsenal’s 49-game unbeaten streak in the league. That October 24, 2004 match between the two sides was filled with contentious moments. From Rooney’s alleged dive inside the box to reckless refereeing, the game had it all.
In the heat of the side’s 0-2 loss, Fabregas was said to have thrown a pizza towards United’s dressing room and the flying piece of dough found Alex Ferguson’s face to land on, which kicked off another storm.
Years later, the Spaniard owned up to this act and apologised for the incident.
It was in the reverse fixture that the simmer came to a boil. Well documented on video, skippers Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane are seen at loggerheads inside the Highbury tunnel ahead of kick-off. The back story to this goes that it Vieira, annoyed with the way Gary Neville had fouled the Gunners earlier in the season, who had gone after the Englishman during warmup. After hearing this, Keane decided to stand up for his teammate. “See you out there,” was the warning the Irishman fired at Vieira as they had to be separated by teammates and referees. United went on to win the game 4-2.
That Ruud Van Nistelrooy miss and Martin Keown’s joy
Martin Keown of Arsenal reacts after Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s penalty miss. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Ruud van Nistelrooy, now Leicester City’s manager, had a chance to spoil’s Arsenal’s Invincibles season.
In the September 23, 2003 match, United was awarded a late penalty in the second half after Martin Keown seemingly brought down Diego Forlan inside the box. But Van Nistelrooy, who stepped up to take the penalty, thumped the ball straight at the crossbar.
Shortly after the miss, the referee blew the full-time whistle after which Keown and other Arsenal players were seen pushing and shoving the United forward. An 18-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo squared up to the towering Arsenal players in his teammate’s defense, but the ‘Battle of Old Trafford’ ended in a 0-0 draw.
Wenger sent to the stands
Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal Manager, is sent to the stands during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal. | Photo Credit: getty Images
The picture of Arsene Wenger standing in front of the United fans at the Old Trafford stands after being sent off continues to be iconic imagery connected to the rivalry.
In 2009, after a Robin van Persie goal was flagged offside, a frustrated Wenger kicked a bottle in anger at the dugout. Seeing this, the fourth official let the on-field referee know of the incident, which resulted in the Frenchman being sent to the stands.
Annoyed at the whole ordeal, Wenger, instead, climbed over to the stands, right in front of the home fans, not caring about what the United fans were telling him.
A bitter guard of honour at the Emirates
April 28, 2013: Manchester United’s Robin van Persie walks through Arsenal’s Guard Of Honour. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Robin van Persie had a sour ending to his eight-year stint with Arsenal. He joined rival Manchester United ahead of the 2012-13 season and was instrumental in helping the Red Devils win the title.
This didn’t go down well with the Arsenal fans, and things worsened when the London outfit had to give United a guard of honour after it confirmed the championship.
The reception for the Dutchman at the Emirates wasn’t pleasant. The player admitted later that he found the guard of honour “awkward” since some of the Arsenal players were his friends.
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