Howard the 'shield' for United

Arsenal 1 Manchester United 1 (Man Utd win 4-3 on penalties)

The American, who was preferred to Fabien Barthez in the starting line-up, flung himself to deny both Giovanni van Bronckhorst and, most crucially, Robert Pires in a penalty shoot-out.

Arsenal, who had seen Francis Jeffers become the 50th player to be sent off since Wenger took charge of the club in 1996, were therefore undone by a former basketball player.