Bennett in charge of Old Trafford clash

Steve Bennett will take charge of Manchester United’s powderkeg Barclaycard Premiership clash with Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday barely a month after his handling of the Community Shield confrontation between the sides drew stringing criticism from Arsene Wenger.

Bennett was slated by the Gunners boss for failing to fully punish the lunge by United midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba which led to the retaliation from Sol Campbell that landed the defender with a violent conduct charge.

The incident led to a summit meeting between Campbell and senior FA executives as the player became convinced he was being unfairly treated and, with that investigation still outstanding, Bennett’s appointment is sure to raise an eyebrow from the Arsenal camp.

The Orpington official sent off Gunners’ striker Francis Jeffers – who has since joined Everton on loan – during the game, which United won after a penalty shoot-out, although he was also widely condemned for failing to dismiss Ashley Cole when the full-back lashed out at Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The ferocious nature of the contest followed the pattern of recent United-Arsenal encounters.

Campbell was dismissed by Mark Halsey in the last Premiership encounter between the pair last April when he caught Solskjaer in the face with his elbow.

That incident earned the central defender a four-match ban which saw him ruled out of the title run-in and also forced him to miss the FA Cup Final win over Southampton.

Two months earlier, Arsenal came out on top in a spiteful FA Cup fifth round encounter at Old Trafford, which saw two face-to-face confrontations inside the opening 10 minutes.

After the match, Wenger complained the home side had tried to intimidate his team.

The biggest story of that particular day though came after the game when a furious Alex Ferguson hit David Beckham in the head with a boot he had kicked in anger at the 2-0 defeat.