On the spot ... van Persie kept his goal celebrations muted against his old club.Source: AAP
Robin van Persie returned to frustrate Arsenal as the Manchester United striker rescued a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Van Persie was making his first appearance back at Arsenal since last year's £24 million ($A36.24 million) transfer to United and he was given a hostile reception from home supporters.
P
W
D
L
GD
Pts
1
Man United
35
27
4
4
43
85
2
Man City
34
21
8
5
30
71
3
Chelsea
34
19
8
7
33
65
4
Arsenal
35
18
10
7
30
64
5
Tottenham
34
18
8
8
17
62
6
Everton
35
15
14
6
14
59
7
Liverpool
35
14
12
9
25
54
8
West Brom
34
14
6
14
2
48
9
Swansea
34
10
12
12
-1
42
10
West Ham
35
11
9
15
-8
42
11
Fulham
35
10
10
15
-9
40
12
Stoke
35
9
13
13
-10
40
13
Southampton
35
9
12
14
-10
39
14
Norwich
35
8
14
13
-21
38
15
Sunderland
34
9
10
15
-7
37
16
Newcastle
35
10
7
18
-23
37
17
Aston Villa
34
8
10
16
-27
34
18
Wigan
34
8
8
18
-23
32
19
QPR
35
4
13
18
-27
25
20
Reading
35
5
10
20
-28
25
But, after Theo Walcott gave Arsenal a second-minute lead, the Dutch forward silenced the boo-boys when he fired home from the penalty spot after being fouled by Bacary Sagna in the 44th minute.
United manager Alex Ferguson saluted van Persie for keeping his composure and took a dig at the Arsenal fans in the process.
"It takes bottle to take a penalty when the crowd are booing,'' Ferguson said. "We have a great spirit of applauding players when they come back to our club. I expected the booing to be honest with you.
"Walcott apparently was offside for his goal. The referee apologised to (United centre-back) Rio Ferdinand saying he got it wrong.
"It wasn't his fault, it was the linesman's. It was an uphill fight for us after losing the first goal."
With the title already wrapped up, champions United were happy to settle for a draw, but the result was a setback for Arsenal, who dropped down to fourth place following Chelsea's 2-0 win over Swansea.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said: "We gave everything and at the end of the day the regret you have is the way we conceded the goal. Just before half-time that was a serious blow to us."
Difference ... Former Gunner Robin van Persie helped tilt the title in Man United's favour.Source: Jon Super / News Limited
They had stood motionless in the middle of the Stadium of Light awaiting the news. As each second ticked by the hope grew that an unlikely title was beckoning.
Then it was snatched away. There would be no 20th Barclays Premier League title. That would have to wait.
The noisy neighbours had stolen their crown and many sensed it would be a near impossible task to reclaim it. Sir Alex Ferguson was not amongst them. The recovery would begin on the bus journey back to Manchester. The message from Ferguson to his players on the trip home was simple - relish this moment and use the pain for the next campaign.
He followed his own advice and signalled Manchester United’s intent on re-claiming the title when he went head-to-head with City in the battle for Robin van Persie. When the Dutchman chose United a blow had been struck in the battle for the league title before a ball had been kicked.
The signing of Van Persie would turn out to be the decisive factor in United winning back the title. "In terms of impact he has had as big an impact as anyone I can imagine,” Ferguson said of the former Arsenal Captain after Monday’s victory over Aston Villa sealed their 20th League title. "I remember Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger saying to me 'he's better than you think' when we concluded the deal. He was right."
Whilst the signing of Van Persie as a response to losing the title seems noteworthy, it is hardly the first time Ferguson has reacted this way, rather it is his default setting.
When Arsenal won the title in 1998 Dwight Yorke was recruited and United went on to win the Treble. When Arsenal won it again in 2002, Rio Ferdinand was signed for a world-record fee for a defender and the league title was regained. The pattern has become clear and nothing seems to ignite Ferguson’s competitive instinct like losing.
On Monday Morning (EST) when United travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal, Gunners fans will be left to rue their inability to respond to disappointments in the same way. As Arsenal players honour the champions with a guard of honour, the hurt will not be from United winning the title but rather the confirmation of how far they are themselves for once again challenging.
Having been United’s biggest rival for trophies throughout much of the Premier League era, the 21 points that currently separates the two sides illustrates the fall of Arsenal. The thawing of relations between the two managers even more so. “When we were rivals, we were no longer friends.
"When we were 20 points behind Manchester United, he liked me," Rafa Bentiez said of his relationship with Ferguson. The current Chelsea coach’s remarks have also proved to be true in the case of Ferguson’s relationship with Arsene Wenger.
"They say he's an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages! I've got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast who speaks five languages," Ferguson said of Wenger in 1996 when Arsenal were ready to challenge United for trophies.
With Arsenal not a threat to United in recent seasons the tone has changed. "If you look at Brian Clough, myself and Arsene, it proves longevity brings rewards. His team play the right way and he has a stadium that is full every week. He has been an incredible manager for that football club. There is no question about that.”
P
W
D
L
GD
Pts
1
Man United
34
27
3
4
43
84
2
Man City
33
20
8
5
29
68
3
Arsenal
34
18
9
7
30
63
4
Chelsea
33
18
8
7
31
62
5
Tottenham
33
18
7
8
17
61
6
Everton
34
14
14
6
13
56
7
Liverpool
34
13
12
9
19
51
8
West Brom
33
13
6
14
-1
45
9
Swansea
33
10
12
11
1
42
10
West Ham
34
11
9
14
-7
42
11
Fulham
34
10
10
14
-8
40
12
Southampton
34
9
12
13
-7
39
13
Norwich
34
8
14
12
-20
38
14
Sunderland
34
9
10
15
-7
37
15
Stoke
34
8
13
13
-11
37
16
Newcastle
34
10
7
17
-17
37
17
Aston Villa
34
8
10
16
-27
34
18
Wigan
33
8
7
18
-23
31
19
QPR
34
4
12
18
-27
24
20
Reading
34
5
9
20
-28
24
The problem for Arsenal has been that acceptance rather than resolve has become the usual response to disappointments. The result has been that blips like the trophy-less campaign United endured last season have become the norm and they have now gone eight years without a trophy.
Big name players are now far more likely to be exiting the club then they are to be coming in, despite the impressive financial performance of the club. The perception of the club has been allowed to change and that was perhaps the masterstroke of Ferguson’s decision to sign van Persie. It confirmed that United would be true to Ferguson’s word – "we’re not going away."
When asked whether United could have ever gone eight seasons without a trophy, the response from Ferguson was emphatic. "I wouldn't have allowed that to happen. You know, I don't contemplate these things."
On Monday morning as the Arsenal players provide the champions with a guard of honour, the proof of Ferguson’s ruthless will to win will once again be evident. Arsenal fans on the other hand will be left to contemplate how the acceptance of disappointments has now come to characterise the club.
Confident ... Gareth Bale tells Arsenal what he thinks of them.Source: Philippe Merle / AAP
Tottenham star Gareth Bale has claimed Spurs are now a better side than Arsenal after overtaking their fierce rivals in the quality stakes.
The north Londoners are on course to secure a UEFA Champions League spot after impressing this season under Andre Villas-Boas.
Bale, who has been integral to their form, scoring 17 goals in all competitions, believes they have pulled ahead of neighbours Arsenal, who have struggled for consistency this term.
The Welsh winger told The Sun: "I think five or 10 years ago Arsenal were always miles ahead of Tottenham. But that has changed in recent years.
"Over the past few seasons we have closed that gap and I think now we have overtaken them on the pitch. I think we have the stronger squad.
West Ham United host Tottenham, which you can watch from 6.53am (EDT) on Fox Sports 1 HD on Tuesday.
"Hopefully we can continue to do that as a club off the pitch as well, with the new stadium that is being built.
"But on the pitch and as a team now we are a lot more consistent and as a club we're moving in the right direction.
"Over the past few seasons we have closed that gap and I think now we have overtaken them on the pitch. I think we have the stronger squad."
"But whatever people's opinions, I don't think anyone can deny we are up there fighting with them on merit now."
Bale, who established himself as a left winger at Spurs in recent seasons after moving from left-back, is enjoying the increased freedom being given to him by Villas-Boas this term.
He added: "Since I moved position over the last couple of years I've been getting double-marked on the left so it's been frustrating.
"Now I've been able to come inside with this free role and it's enabled me to enjoy my football, have more space and be able to do more things.
"All great players have had to evolve their games. When people become aware of you they try to stop the ball getting to you and double up on you.
"You always want to improve your game anyway and this has forced me to do so. It's been a challenge, I really enjoy doing it and I think I'm seeing the rewards now.
"I think the manager has to take a bit of credit. By giving me that free role he's given me the confidence to do what I'm doing now.
"I just want to keep doing it and keep learning. Hopefully there's still more to come."
Too good ... Bayern Munich were far too strong for Arsenal in the UCL.Source: Glyn Kirk / AFP
Arsenal face an immense challenge if they are to qualify from the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League after a 3-1 first leg defeat by Bayern Munich at Emirates Stadium.
Away goals from Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Mario Mandzukic added to the pressure on the already under-fire Arsene Wenger as his side were largely outplayed.
A second-half header from former Bayern player Lukas Podolski had given Arsenal, who were embarrassed by Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup at the weekend, some hope at 2-1 as they threatened a comeback.
But runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern are now very strong favourites to reach the quarter-finals ahead of the second leg in Germany on 13th March.
Wenger must now lift his beleaguered players for the Premier League run-in, where they face crucial games against Tottenham Hotspur and Everton in their bid to salvage something from the campaign with a top-four finish to again play among Europe's elite clubs next season.
The high-octane opening atmosphere from the home support fell flat as Bayern - some 15 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga - grabbed a crucial away goal on seven minutes, when Muller's cross from the right was not dealt with and Kroos crashed the ball off the turf and past Wojciech Szczesny from 18 yards.
It was 2-0 after just 21 minutes when Daniel van Buyten's header at a corner the near post was parried by Szczesny, and Muller stabbed the ball straight back in back into the net from close range.
Arsenal were in danger of being overrun, with few cool heads as first Bacary Sagna and then Mikel Arteta were shown yellow cards for clumsy challenges.
Having left the field to a cacophony of boos from their own beleaguered fans, Arsenal needed to regroup at half-time.
The Gunners suddenly sparked into life on 55 minutes when Podolski, who had a disappointing three-season spell at Bayern, headed in Jack Wilshere's incorrectly-awarded corner at the far post after goalkeeper Manuel Neuer - who had conceded just once in eight matches - had wandered into no-man's land.
Bayern then scrambled what could be a tie-clinching third goal on 77 minutes, with substitute Arjen Robben sidestepping Thomas Vermaelen before releasing Philipp Lahm on the overlap down the right.
His cross flew through the six-yard box, where Mandzukic got ahead of Sagna, the ball looping up off the Bayern striker's shin, over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Some Arsenal fans had seen enough, and headed for the exit, unsure of when they might see Champions League football at the Emirates again.
