Gunners are up for a scrap

BOTH the result and the manner of the victory spoke volumes: the good-looking dilettantes at Arsenal have rolled up their sleeves to fight Man Utd every inch of the way for the title.

There may still have been artistic flourishes to applaud in Thierry Henry's fabulous free-kick and Sylvain Wiltord's sweet finish, but this win was based on the artisan qualities of Ray Parlour.

And though both players and manager Arsène Wenger denied it, the word from others in the Gunners' retinue is that Sol Campbell's dismissal on Wednesday night continues to rankle.

Specifically, they believe Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had promised to speak out in Campbell's defence but is now keeping or being kept - silent.

Perhaps that was why Arsenal set out their stall from the first whistle with Parlour, captain for the day in place of the injured Patrick Vieira, dominating central midfield to such an extent that the Frenchman was not missed.

Parlour said afterwards: "It was a great honour for me to be captain but I just played my normal game really. I was in central midfield so we had to win our tackles and try to win the battle there and I think we managed that.

"It was a tough game and a good result in the end, probably the hardest game of those we had left.

"We are not worried about Man United and what they do. If we win every game I think we will win the league, and if they do slip up then great.

"This was a good team performance and we showed great resolve a lot of people thought we might slip up but we didn't."

Parlour denied that Wednesday's controversy had increased the Gunners' determination, but he did confirm that the players still feel Campbell's red card for an elbow on Solskjaer was undeserved.

He added: "Sol is not that sort of player. I have played with him for Arsenal and England, and against him when he was at Spurs, and he's a 100% player. "He will go in for every 50-50 ball and try to win it but to say he was deliberately trying to hurt someone is wrong."

Manager Arsène Wenger rejected suggestions that he was trying to construct the sort of siege mentality which has worked so often for Alex Ferguson at United, saying: "I don't like that at all I have no gift for paranoia."

The significance of this victory may not sink in for three weeks but it is notable that no other side in the top six has managed a win at the Riverside and that Middlesbrough went into the game on the back of an eight-game unbeaten run.

It was Henry's 22nd league goal of the season he and Southampton's James Beattie remain neck and neck and his 110th in all for Arsenal in 200 games.

He said: "I don't keep a tally of my goals and games so if you would have told me when I signed for Arsenal that after 200 games I would have scored 110 goals I would have laughed in fact I'm still laughing.

"A lot of people were expecting us to fail so therefore it's a big win. We all knew it wasn't going to be an easy game."

Henry's goal and general display should ensure he is named both Footballer of the Year and Players' Player, and Middlesbrough midfielder Jonathan Greening has no doubts he deserves the awards.

Greening said: "His goal was unbelievable. We were talking about him in the dressing room afterwards, he just glides over the pitch, he's so fast it's frightening and knows just when to make the pass or have a shot.

"He's an unbelievable player I have voted for him as player of the year because he has been awesome this season."