Scanning the 'papers in the last few days I was led to believe that Arsenal are doomed, and Arsene Wenger is losing the plot, that they can play pretty football but can't fight and win scrappy games. The mood reflected this before kick-off with a number of Gooners fearing for the worst against the current European Champions.
The teams took to the pitch, and after a minute silence for remembrance day, the players took their positions for kick-off. Soon the crowd were silenced once again as Mikael Silvestre laid a back-pass horribly short to Manuel Almunia who could only smother the ball on the ground and in the process, conceding a free-kick inside the box. Luckily for Arsenal fans Man United couldn't make the most of the opportunity.
Manchester United's front line of Berbatov, Rooney and Ronaldo were causing havoc with Arsenals defence being severely exposed at times. Wayne Rooney could have put Man United two up but had his first effort saved and he skied the second one.
But all of a sudden the air of vulnerability seemed to disappear through the drizzle and escape the Emirates. Niklas Bendtner should have put Arsenal into the lead after he rose unmarked to meet a pinpoint cross by Gael Clichy but the Dane could only head over the bar.
With the rain now getting heavier, it was left to a Frenchman to make sure the Arsenal faithful were signing in the rain. In the 22nd minute, Cesc Fabregas floated a free-kick into the area and it was cleared by Nemanja Vidic but only as far as Samir Nasri who picked up the loose ball on the edge of the box and shot through a crowd of players. The shot took a wicked deflection off of Gary Neville's leg and wrong-footted Edwin Van Der Sar.
The game had come alive and the attacks kept coming from both sides in what was fast becoming the best game of the season to date. After Park had his shot saved by Almunia, Diaby went through and was brought down outside the area, only for Howard Webb to judge the challenge a fair one.
At the break the fans were gathering their breath after a thrilling first-half, however there was plenty more to come.
Three minutes after the restart, 'Le Petit Prince' scored his second. After a 15 pass move, Fabregas picked the ball up in a central position and fed Nasri with a typically exquisite pass, the Frenchman shifted the ball to his right foot and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the corner. The fans went wild and suddenly they started to believe once again.
If they needed to be brought back down to earth however, the sight of Cristiano Ronaldo in a goal-scoring position is surely a shot of reality, but the world player of the year somehow missed the target.
Despite the best efforts of the crowd and Arsene Wenger on the touchline, the players gradually dropped deeper through the sheer attacking might of Manchester United. Wave after wave of attack was thwarted by Arsenal's defence. On a better day the visitors could have scored a hat-full but last-ditch defending and unusually poor finishing from the Champions meant that they were staring into the barrel of their second league defeat of the season.
Carlos Tevez was brought on along with Rafael and Ryan Giggs with around quarter of an hour left, and Theo Walcott was replaced by Alex Song and the injured Almunia replaced by Lukasz Fabianski in goal.
With just over a minute left, Rafael the 19 year-old Brazilian right back picked the ball up on the edge of the area and volleyed a left-footed shot past Fabianski into the bottom corner; game on.
Memories of the Tottenham game were haunting Arsenal fans, and every time an Arsenal player got the ball they were urged to run to the corner, however in true Arsenal style they tried to net a third. After six minutes of deafening whistles, Howard Webb finally blew the whistle to end this exhilarating game.
Arsenal fans were ecstatic and they seem to have a new hero in Samir Nasri. who seems well on his way to becoming as popular amongst Arsenal fans as the last French winger to arrive from Marseille, a certain Robert Pires.
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