Vieira fit for Gunners

Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira was passed fit to lead the Gunners’ bid to reach an unprecedented 50 league matches without defeat at Old Trafford this afternoon.

Earlier in the week, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger thought he would have to do without the influential French midfielder but Vieira’s ankle problem had eased sufficiently for him to take his place in a visitors’ line-up which included Jose Reyes but not Robert Pires, who was consigned to the bench.