JUST WROTE THIS. ENJOY!!! IT WAS ONCE A TITLE CLINCHER, BUT IT IS NOW A MATCH FOR MID-TABLE PLACES: THE STORY OF ARSENAL AND MAN.UTD Arsenal and Manchester United clashes in times past were the title deciders. They were indeed the matches that brought the whole world to a standstill. It was titanic, grueling and feisty to say the least. For nine consecutive seasons from 1995-96 to 2003-04, United and Arsenal shared the English premiership crown between them, many times finishing one and two in the table. A few memorable examples include: Marc Overmars racing clear of the United defence to slot the ball past Peter Schmeichel in 1998, Dwight Yorke smashing in a first-half hat-trick as United won 6-1 in 2001, Sylvain Wiltord’s late winner to clinch the Double for Arsenal in 2002 and Ruud van Nistelrooy’s run-in with Martin Keown in 2003. It is Arsenal versus Manchester United this weekend, a match that has in every season since the Premier League began in 1992 featured at least one team with genuine title credentials. Not so this time. Where once, Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson knew the result would likely shape the destination of that coveted BPL trophy, now the clubs are in a modest battle for the final Champions League spot. Neither side is in the top four currently and you have to trawl back to September 1998 for the last occasion that was the case heading into this fixture. This game usually has lots at stake and importance. In April 2003 United clinched a 2-2 draw at Highbury from behind that invigorated their charge. Had Ruud van Nistelrooy converted a last-minute penalty at Old Trafford in September 2003, The Invicibles would never have happened. Fast-forward 13 months later and that 2-0 defeat in Manchester stopped Arsenals unbeaten run at 49 games. Roy Keanes fury at Patrick Vieira in the Highbury tunnel in February 2005 was fuelled because he was aware of the overall significance of the game.To many it was a Clasico for the Premier League, pitching a side from the nations capital, London, against another from far outside, with all the cultural differences that it brings; and two clubs steeped in success. Roy Keane who had the most grueling encounters in these games with Patrick Viera asked at a point in his latest autobiography, “Which of us was the better team? You couldnt call it. We were like two heavyweights battering each other.” Heavyweights! That was then and this is now. I bet these two teams won’t even push for Cruzerweight or even an undercard contest.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 13:59:36 +0000
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