Park plunders golden goal

MANCHESTER UNITED returned to the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal but although Alex Ferguson believes his team have now set the foundations for another title triumph, in truth neither side were able to put up a totally convincing case to show they are champions-elect.

On the face of it Ji-Sung Park’s 41st minute header, which leaves United top by two points and still unbeaten, is a huge result in a campaign that no one single team has been able to dominate, and United fans can rightly say they have the advantage.

But with Wayne Rooney missing a penalty and both teams struggling to put passes together, there were also enough question marks over the performance of both teams to suggest there is a long, long way to go before the destination of the title is decision.

Even so, Ferguson had a right to be pleased with the way his team responded and sent Arsenal back to London with their own dreams knocked.

“I think we’re starting to get there, our form is improving,” he said. “If the back four continue to play like that, it will give us consistency and we’ve got a good chance. Our back four were fantastic tonight and with that foundation, it always gives you a big chance.

“We’ve got a difficult game against Chelsea next Sunday. That’s a very important game now.”

Arsenal were smarting at jibes from United defender Patrice Evra who claimed Arsenal were like a training-ground club, producing wonderful football but with little chance of turning into trophies. And in a way at Old Trafford he was proved right, even if Wenger refuses to give up.

“I don’t know,” he said when asked how the result will affect the title race. “It is a big frustration, a big disappointment. Overall, there is no reason not to believe. We can play better defensively but we looked quite solid.

“The game was very intense. We were up on the intensity and the organisational level. But United defended very well. The technical quality of the game was average because the pitch is very poor. The game suffered a lot from it. I think United played a simple game but they were efficient at it and we didn’t create enough chances.”

Wenger, then, blames the pitch; but perhaps it was the history between the teams, together with the enormity of the match in the title race, that produced such a stuttering and nervous first half in which both teams gave the ball away with alarming regularity.

Arsenal went into the evening with third-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny in the team because of an injury to Lucasz Fabianski, making the Pole — at 20 years and 239 days old — the youngest goalkeeper to play in the Premier League this season and the youngest ever to play for Arsenal in the competition, beating Alex Manninger’s record by two days.

It was a huge vote of confidence in Szczesny, who spent last season on loan at League One side Brentford, considering previous first choice Manuel Almunia could have been selected. Szczesny didn’t let his manager down, making several important saves on a nervy night for the visitors.

The breakthrough came with a slice of luck, however, Nani’s cross looping up into the air off an Arsenal boot in the 40th minute; but the finish from Ji-Sung Park, arching his back to send a looping header into the net, was excellent and finally gave the evening a cutting edge neutrals were seeking.

Arsenal stepped up their game in the second half and really should have equalised when Edwin van der Sar spilled Samir Nasri’s shot straight to Chamakh, only for Nemanja Vidic to produce a remarkable block to deny him from six yards out.

United, always dangerous on the break, twice came close to extending their lead, first when Anderson was denied by a fine Szczesny save and then when Nani fired over the bar after getting the better of Gael Clichy

But they missed the best chance of all when referee Howard Webb awarded a dubious penalty after Gael Clichy, under pressure from Nani, accidentally handled on the floor in the box.

Rooney hasn’t scored a league goal for United since August and ballooned his penalty over the bar.

By this time Arsenal had substitutes Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott all on the pitch but it was Szczesny who had the last say of the night, superbly keeping out a Rooney chip.

That, at least, was a positive for Arsenal, but they know this was a big opportunity lost in the title race, and one which hands Manchester United an advantage, even if Ferguson looked aghast when asked if his team could remain unbeaten.

“No, no,” he said. “Come on!”.

MAN UTD: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Nani, Carrick, Anderson (Giggs 85), Fletcher, Park, Rooney.

ARSENAL: Szczesny, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, Song, Rosicky (Fabregas 64), Wilshere (van Persie 64), Nasri, Chamakh, Arshavin (Walcott 77).

Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).