Apologies for the late post. I'd say I've been busy, but really I haven't. Regardless, here it is.
Arsenal 1-2 United. After starting as a match that didn't look too promising, United pulled a quality win on the road to keep the gap close at the top. Seeing as I watched this match in the pub and took no notes, coupled with posting almost a week late, the details may be a little hazy.
Play was pretty open and back-and-forth throughout the first half. Both teams created some good chances, but no one was able to find the back of the net until just before the interval. Ryan Giggs fired a great cross to pick out Antonio Valencia, who headed across goal to put the Reds in front before heading into the lockerroom. Obviously, conceding a goal at that point is a huge blow to any team, and today would prove no different, as we would later see.
The second half started, and both teams seemed to raise their level of play. Arsenal orchestrated several good runs, including one by Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain, who found Robin Van Persie with a wonderful sliderule pass. RvP then slid a low shot past an outstretched Anders Lindegaard, banking it off the far post and into the net to draw the Gunners level.
With 20 minutes let to play, there was plenty of time for United to pull a winner. They did just that a few minutes from the final whistle. Valencia stormed into the box from the right wing, juked past several defenders, and calmly found a waiting Danny Welbeck. The young striker fired home to make it 2-1 and seal the eventual victory.
The win sealed the season double over Arsenal, and was a great confidence boost after dropping 2 league games not long ago. Beating elite league competition, as well as the cup win over City, have served well to give us some momentum going into a tough run of games. In the next two weeks we see away and home games against Liverpool (FA Cup and league, respectively) with a trip to Stamford Bridge and Chelsea sandwiched in between. Not to write off the home game against Stoke either, as there are no easy matches in this league. All this comes before United start their quest for some European glory against Ajax Amsterdam in the Europa League.
This is a critical period for us, and the league could well be one or lost in the next few weeks. City remain 3 points adrift at the top. The gap was nearly closed to one as Spurs looked to pull a draw last week, but a stoppage time penalty handed City a 3-2 victory. I'm not sure what City's fixture list looks like, but obviously I'm hoping their opposition can do us some favors. The main thing though is that we focus, bear down, and win games. It's still a long, hard road ahead lads. Keep the red flag flying high.
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