The Rivalry — Manchester United & Arsenal
The Best part of being a Manchester United Fan from the 90s is that we have lived through two decades of rivalries with different clubs, all over the country. Rivalry with Liverpool was obvious for the count of league crowns but otherwise, they were never a team who were challenging us for the championship. We had few years with our Noisy Neighbors towards the end of the last decade and couple of years with Chelsea when Jose took over the blues. But the one that has stood out the most was with Arsenal. I used to dread that French brigade led by Patrick Viera, and the team full of stars like Thiery Henry, Sylvian Wiltord, Robert Pires, Dennis Bergkamp, Freddie Ljungberg, Sol Campbell, the list was endless. It’s one of the top rated rival team I must have seen in my lifetime, playing against us and I would still rate them higher than any, currently playing.
Looking back, I think all Manutd and Arsenal matches were exciting and most importantly, everyone of them, always had goals. I don’t think I can remember any dead beat Nil-Nil draw match between them and that’s why it’s so difficult to choose the best of the matches between them. But if I have to choose, with great difficulty, I will pick three of them which were absolute cracker of matches. The 1999 FA Cup Semi Final, The 8–2 demolition of Arsenal and finally the match that has gone round and round about the two great captains, both these teams were led, by example.
It was in 1998 when we in India got satellite TV connection. We used to call it the cable TV then. Even though we were not the first one to apply, my dad always appreciated my knack of sports so this was pretty high up on his To-Do list for me. During the FIFA world cup, I was cheering for Argentina, as a Gabriel Batistuta fan. When they played against England, I was awestruck by Michael Owen’s speed & finesse. But the player that caught most of the eyes for the Red card was David Beckham. I started reading up about him and was amazed how the English media tore him apart for that one moment. I could relate to the sentiments, emotions and the hysteria it created around the footballing stars of England with my city Kolkata.
As I started following the season, I realized that I was little biased about Manchester United as David Beckham was my idol. I had posters of him all around my room. I was practicing his free-kick stance, run up, even copying his mean look before taking them. When I look back, I think I was blessed as all the stars align the right way on the treble winning season for me to fall in love with this great club. Coming into the FA cup semis, I knew the stakes were high but as a novice follower, I was still not able to feel the pulse of the game. As the match begun, my idol scored the first from long range and set the ball rolling but Dennis Bergkamp soon brought in parity to the scoreline. As Roy Keane was sent off, I was left depleting but I still glued in front of the TV as I saw Arsenal continue dominating the match. I was then praying for one moment of magic where things would turn around. As Dennis Bergkamp walked over, to take the penalty, my heart was pounding faster and louder than Eminem’s rap. I prayed to God, if you can hear this, feel this, help! I saw Peter Schmeichel leaped on his weaker side and make a fantastic save. I knew we were back into the game and oh boy, so did we. I still remember, Ryan Giggs intercepting that pass off the midfield maestro, Patrick Viera, sailing and dodging, bending his body from left to right again right to left, gliding through five defenders and scoring a beauty. I could not believe what I just saw, as the Welsh magician opened his shirt, flying it above his head and running back through the touchline in joy, flocked by his team mates. I thought I was out there, right in the middle of the crowd, soaking all the joy and craze of last few minutes.
My all time favorite Arsenal vs Manutd encounter was on 2005. Right after couple of years when we broke Arsenal’s impossible unbeaten run which earned them of the title, the Invincibles. It was a late match and anticipating the tie, I had requested my boss to grant me leave. A day before the match, my boss came to me and said you can’t take leave, some one else has an emergency. But my heart was already set and I could never miss that match so I created an urgency for myself and called in sick. I knew I could feel that day was special and I would not be left disappointed. If I lose my job for lying to be sick, it would still be worth, if Manchester United manages to win. The tie was nothing short of sensational as there were early match reports of words exchanged between Patrick Viera and Roy Keane in the tunnel only to be separated by the game officials. The spat continued in challenges between them on the ground.
Patrick Viera drew the first blood as he headed from a brilliant delivery off Henry from the corner. But Ryan Giggs soon drew level with a deflected shot. If there was a classic, you can’t keep the flying Dutchman out of the match and there he was, running down the flank, picking up a pass of Henry and finishing off a tight angle to put the Gunners ahead. But it had to be United’s day as young Cristiano Ronaldo finished, what could be called one of the fantastic two touch attacking build up from Manutd I have seen over a long time. Ryan Giggs and Roy Keane continued to press and be the menace as they pushed even further, when the former drew Manuel Alumnia close to the edge of the box and lobbed the ball right in front of goal for Ronaldo to tap in. United were ahead, I was almost catching up with breathing, as John O’shea put an icing on the cake with one of the most of cheeky goals he might have scored in his whole career. I was over the moon and the excitement truly shot my adrenaline so high that I was down with fever the very next hour. I was happy to own the small price I had to pay for watching United play.
The 8–2 demolition of Arsenal at Old Trafford is one of my favorites as it brought in a lot of bragging rights for us. The match is a prime example of how Sir Alex was able to rebuild his team after the departure of Ronaldo where in Arsene Wenger was still living in the shadows of the Invincibles. Arsenal arrived to Theatre of Dreams as an early fixture of the season, only to get humiliated by a very nominal Manchester United team. Remember that day, it was Tom Cleverly and Anderson who was marshaling United’s midfield. Feels funny, isn’t it? How did we beat Arsenal 8–2 with that central midfield? Well, Arsenal didn’t play that day. But Manutd players, in Rooney who scored a hattrick and Ashley Young who scored a brace took their chances in and around the box and made the difference. I think the current United squad should take a lot of inspiration from the finishing that we saw on that day and rise up to the challenge we have today.
There are more such encounters, like the one which ended Arsenal’s 49 match, unbeaten run or the one where we swept aside Arsenal with a 4–0 victory to reach the champions league final. Like I said, Manutd vs Arsenal is always a classic and I hope tonight’s no different. Let us know, what’s your favorite Manutd vs Arsenal classic.
