Bergkamp strike puts Gunners in control - report

Arsenal 2 Manchester Utd 1

Striker Dennis Bergkamp fired Arsenal back into a half-time lead at Highbury in a titanic tussle against Manchester United as tempers threatened to spill over.

Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane had to be pulled apart in the tunnel before kick-off and tensions remained frayed, with a series of confrontations as Wayne Rooney only just avoided a red card.

However, after Ryan Giggs had equalised Vieira’s headed early opener, Bergkamp struck eight minutes before the break to restore Arsenal’s advantage.

As if tensions were not high enough already, Keane and Vieira had to be pulled apart after they had become embroiled in an angry tunnel row just before walking out on to the pitch.

While Cygan restrained Vieira, referee Graham Poll stepped between the two captains, who did not even shake hands in the centre circle.

After just a minute Gabriel Heinze was penalised for bringing down Freddie Ljungberg and Keane was among those who charged over to remonstrate with referee Poll, who pushed the United captain away.

Cole then dived in search of a penalty when Keane came near him in the area - and that was with still just three minutes gone.

There was even some football played, with Roy Carroll racing off his line to deny Ljungberg, while Ronaldo and Thierry Henry both had shots deflected wide.

Then after eight minutes, Vieira put aside his tussle with Keane to put Arsenal into the lead, rising above Heinze to meet Henry’s corner and flick his header past Carroll.

Heinze was the first to be booked on 12 minutes for his second foul on Ljungberg, quickly followed by Giggs for a late tackle on Cole, while Rooney just escaped punishment for a tackle on Lauren.

United, however, equalised after 18 minutes following a superb one-touch move.

Scholes’ driven low cross was laid back by Rooney into the path of Giggs, whose first-time half-volley was deflected past Almunia by Cole.

Arsenal were rocked and their mood did not improve when Pires was brought down by Mikael Silvestre inside the penalty area, only for Poll to wave away his appeals.

Pires was booked for kicking out at Fletcher in retaliation after the Scot had led with his forearm in a raw tackle.

Rooney, meanwhile, could not resist getting involved in a frank exchange of views with Pires, but Poll contented himself with a stern caution for the striker.

Then again, if the Tring official had booked every player who stepped out of line, he would have been left with a five-a-side match by half-time.

Amid all the distractions United were creating the more effective pressure as Heinze rolled a free-kick wide.

However, Arsenal were not to be outdone and they seized back the lead nine minutes before the break after a quickly-taken free-kick.

Vieira, who had been fouled by Scholes, played a quick pass to Lauren, who returned the ball and the Arsenal captain twisted round his marker before firing a pass forwards to edge of the penalty area.

Flamini ducked, leaving the ball to Henry, who controlled it, turned and rolled his pass into the path of Bergkamp, who fired the ball through Carroll’s legs.

Almunia was quickly out to close down the angle and produced a vital save with his legs after Rooney shook off Cole while Carroll matched that save after Bergkamp had produced a sublime piece of control.

Rooney was booked for handball and came within a whisker of being sent off for dissent moments later as he repeatedly swore at Poll, who wisely opted for a final warning.

His patience was further tested in injury-time as Rooney looked to catch Vieira with a late tackle, but Rooney somehow remained on the pitch.