30th August vs Arsenal. 2-1.

Bottom line: we were better and scored more goals, therefore we won. I can already picture tomorrow morning's back pages, with sentences comprising words such as 'lucky', 'unlucky' and 'wonder-strike', backed with images of Arshavin ( a) scoring his goal, and b) falling over in the box) and the stroppy, yet surprisingly hilarious, Wenger.

As much as this constant bullshit slating of everything United (because their good) shouldn't annoy me after all this time, it always does. I know it doesn't mean a thing when the headlines, news stories (i.e. lies) and grade-A United-bashing opinion columns (Brian Reade in the Mirror surely being the biggest twat of all) are lined up alongside all my years of glory and eternal Mancunian bragging rights (regardless of how well they do in their attempt at buying the domestic treble this season).

But, unfortunately, a sniff of controversy in a United win always turns out to be a traversty and horrible injustice. The poor, victimised away team have been, yet again, cheated out of a win/point at Old Trafford because the officials are financed by the Glazer's and the evil glance of Don Fergie influences their every decision.

The media will make out that, yet again, United couldn't possibly beat one of the top sides without doing so unfairly, and this, regardless of the result, pisses me off immensely. For anyone that was there, they will be aware that United were completely dominant in the first half - not outstanding, but dominant and by far the better side.

We were goal-shy, as usual to the way we have been so far this season, but had greater amounts of posession, and even when Arsenal regained it, we were able to win it back comfortably. Then, to his credit, Arshavin decided against rolling about on the floor like a girl OR harassing the ref and making his team lose their dicipline (ahem, Liverpool Monday night) after he was denied a penalty. Instead, he got up and scored a blinder.

Foster could have done better, yet to be fair if he tried he probably would have got his hands torn off. But I think the point which noone tomorrow will pick up on (or obviously tonight on MOTD with, wait for it, Lee fucking Dixon!!!) was the fact that they were outplayed for the entire half up until the goal and it was therefore completely against the run of play.

A normal, shit team who can't hold on to a lead or equally battle to regain one - just for the sake of the argument, let's call them Liverpool - would go in at half-time deflated and struggling to maintain the first half momentum; as conceding a goal just before half-time will instead inevitably swing it towards the away team. But, we are not that team. We are United. We turn a half-time deficit into a 2-1 win; leaving the match content with the positive individual displays as well as the psychological (and purely awesome) effect this will have.

At times it had an almost 'classic' Ferguson/Wenger vibe about it; something almost entirely absent from these games since the faces have either left or become shit. I'm talking Vieira, Butt, Keown, Keane, Lauren, Neville. As much as I hated, and still do hate, the Arsenal names in their, all those players were soldiers who lived for games like Man United v Arsenal.

But those days have gone, with the incredible 4-2 at Highbury in 2005 (Keane and Vieira in the tunnel...) being the last truly amazing, gritty league fixture between the two, and since those 'men' eventually left Arsenal (to be replaced with the boys they have now), they have unsurprisingly failed to be the force they once were. Obviously we too lost our legendary, battling leader in the heart of the midfield, but then came Ronaldo and so we were able to play, and win by playing, pretty football. However, now he's gone, and so too has Henry, we saw slight evokations of the famous battles; with Fletcher, as well as Vidic and O'Shea, immense at winning the ball and moving out of defence to create an attack.

The problem with the Gooners, back on the issue of 'lack of leader', is that they have struggled and failed to fill that void in their midfield. Fabregas can't do it, and little dancing Denilson definitely can't. Their huge hope is Arshavin, with the natural talent to dominate the midfield and out-class teams without the presence, or need, of a gritty holding-midfielder. That's where they rarely got the better of us today, and they were definitely impressive after they found themselves 2-1 down.We however played in pretty much the opposite cycle; as we were an attacking threat in the early stages, yet defended throughout.

Our defensive display prevailed; including an incredibly instinctive stop by Foster from a Van Persie shot (about 2 yards out) when it was still 1-0. Yet our strength at keeping Arsenal out and holding onto the win was equally balanced by our overall weaknesses in attack - with our goals representing this (a penalty and an own goal).

The chances were there for Rooney, as not only did the midfielders/wingers work hard and well to get the ball to him, he also created the space and attacking options. The problem however was that the ball never actually got to him! Why would you EVER play a long-ball/wing system when your 5ft10 lone striker is up against Vermaelen and Gallas (both 6ft +). It didn't work, although he got on the score sheet (4 in 4 now) and worked relentlessly as usual, which is always a stunning feature of his game.

Penalty/not-penalty? Offside/not-offside? Whatever. We won and we won it fair. It wasn't a fancy or attractive victory, and with this new style/formation post-Ron I'm not sure if we ever will win like that, but against one of the most form teams this season, it'll suffice and surely act as a hearty little confidence booster. The grittiness and battling displays of old replaced the attractiveness of our former-football, yet it was done proffesionally, cleanly (as I will state once and for all below) and without kicking the shit out of each other. And as for that fool towering above the Old Trafford pitch, it will surely be a site that those South-standers will remember for a long time.

KEY POINTS:

• Controversy:


• a) Rooney's WAS a penalty. He wasn't falling before Almunia came across, he was well and truly clattered by him and that sent him flying. It's a very easy, convenient distraction from the fact that Almunia made the wrong decision coming across to get the ball when Rooney was never in a threatening scoring position. Idiot.


• b) Fletcher might have been a tad cheeky with his tackle on Arshavin in the box, but surely they don't actually give a shit when they went on and scored about 30 seconds later?


• c) Gallas WAS offside for Van Persie's goal. A top spot by the linesman.


• d) Eboue's dive was worse than Eduardo's. Why does Wenger still put so much faith in such a fucking retard? And it's not just me who thinks it. I know alot of Arsenal fans hate him more than I do. Then again, after that disgusting circus act, I doubt it.


• Darren Fletcher is potentially our most important player this season. A playmaker, holding midfielder and tallisman. His role now is more important and more central to our set-up than ever before. With his confidence and strength constantly improving, he truly can become the next Keano.


• Diaby = the worst defender at set-pieces in the world. Truly shocking.


• Rooney = prolific. Finally. We are seeing the real Wayne Rooney; one with more freedom and no longer held back creatively.


• However, Rooney = a really poor lone-striker. Seriously, never again.


• Wenger is ACTUALLY a bit of a legend/weirdo. That image of him above the dugout; amongst United fans who were applauding him as he stood tall, with his arms crossed and legs apart, must surely become an iconic image.