Tuning into Sky Sports 1 on Sunday 28 August 2011 to watch the Mighty Manchester United play Arsenal at Old Trafford I couldn’t have anticipated the absolute destruction of one of England’s best Footballing teams.
A lot was made in the build up about Arsenal fielding a weakened side due to injury and certain high profile departures; obviously they were not as strong as past Arsenal side. However looking at United’s starting XI, to see that in a Premier League game last season would have been unthinkable, young players like Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Tom Cleverley all starting for United.
United started brightly and just 22 minutes in they were ahead, Anderson delightfully chipping a ball over the Arsenal defence for Welbeck to head past Szczesny.
Just 4 minutes later Arsenal are awarded a penalty after Johnny Evans ‘held’ Theo Walcott in the United area, a very soft penalty but justice seemed to done as De Gea dived low to his right and saved Van Persie’s penalty.
Ashley young scored the second for the red devils curling a beautiful shot into the top corner from 20 yards out.
It wasn’t until just before half time till united extended their lead Wayne Rooney scoring a fabulous free kick bringing up his 150th goal for Manchester United.
The party atmosphere was dampened after Walcott drove a low shot through De Gea just before half time. 3-1 at the break.
64 mins into the game and United were back in goal scoring mood,
Rooney with another beautiful free kick, Szczesny could only look on in awe at the United mans brilliance.
3 minutes later it was five after Wayne Rooney played a ball through to Nani, the United star calmly chipping the keeper.
Just after Rooney hit the post, Park made it 6-1, Young cutting the ball back to Park, on the edge of the box, smashing it low in the far corner for his 17th goal against Arsenal for the Reds.
74th minute and Arsenal had one back Van Persie smashing a shot past De Gea from close range, No cheers from the Arsenal fans, No celebrations from Van Persie. 6-2
81 minutes gone and Rooney scores from the spot and completes his hat trick after Walcott brought down Evra in the box. One more for united and they would overtake city at the top of the league, and in typical united fashion upstaging the bitter blues with pure brilliance Ashley Young fired a shot into the top corner with one minute of stoppage time to play making it 8-2. United on top form and top of the league. Next stop the Reebok.
