Premier League - Nasri nails United

Eurosport - Sun, 09 Nov 07:21:00 2008

Samir Nasri scored twice as Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-1 in a pulsating Premier League encounter at the Emirates Stadium.

Samir Nasri v Manchester United, FOOTBALL - 0

The France international netted either side of half-time as the Gunners bounced back from their recent bad run to move above Sir Alex Ferguson's side and into third in the table.

Nasri's 22nd minute opener took a wicked deflection off Gary Neville but his second, three minutes into the second-half, was a crisp strike after a patient Gunners move.

Rafael Da Silva gave United hope with his first goal for the club in the last minute but the hosts held on in the six minutes of injury time that were played after an earlier injury that forced keeper Manuel Almunia from the field.

United had 17 efforts at goal, the first of which came after just three minutes when Anderson's strike was blocked only for the ball to fall to Michael Carrick who dragged his shot narrowly past the post.

Wayne Rooney's curling shot from the edge of the box was then palmed away by the diving Almunia. Dimitar Berbatov turned the ball in but he was offside.

Arsenal really should have taken the lead after ten minutes when Gael Clichy produced a superb cross from the left only for an unmarked Nicklas Bendtner to head over from eight yards.

Three minutes later the Dane, playing up front on his own in the absence of Emmanuel Adebayor, failed to get any contact on Nasri's cross after again finding himself unmarked in the area.

The hosts continued to press and Edwin Van der Sar's poor punch fell to Abou Diaby on the penalty spot whose shot was blocked by Carrick.

But Rooney missed a glorious chance to open the scoring when he spooned over Cristiano Ronaldo's cut back from close range.

The opener did come when Cesc Fabregas's free-kick was headed out only as far as Nasri whose fierce drive from the left corner of the penalty area took a big deflection off United skipper Neville, leaving Van der Sar with no chance.

Ronaldo's whipped free-kick was then headed just centimetres past his own post by Clichy before Fabregas had an effort deflected narrowly past the post as the game continued in an end-to-end nature.

There was still time before the break for Almunia to dive full length to his right to palm away Park's drive before Bendtner's cross to the back post was volleyed wide by Theo Walcott.

Walcott was pivotal in Arsenal's second just after the break as his run took Nemanja Vidic out of the penalty area and Fabregas's pass found Nasri in the gap vacated by the Serb. The young Frenchman unleashed a fierce strike for his and Arsenal's second.

United could have pulled a goal back almost immediately but Ronaldo sidefooted his volley from five yards just past the post.

Diaby then headed wide after Van der Sar was hesitant at a corner and Arsenal had strong claims for a penalty after Vidic tugged on Nasri's shirt after a surging run from the summer recruit.

Almunia took an accidental kick in the head from Carrick, after failing to hold a corner and diving on the ball just ahead of the United midfielder, and with 12 minutes remaining he was replaced by Lukasz Fabianski.

The young Pole had no chance when another sub Rafael chested the ball down on the edge of the penalty area and unleashed a stunning volley into the bottom corner.

But unlike the recent game against Tottenham, Arsenal held on for the victory to bring the curtain down on an eventful week for Arsene Wenger and his team.

Lee Walker / Eurosport

Comment 327 - 346 of 346

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. lousy team lose

    From elime, on Wed 12 Nov 4:19PM

  2. if all u ARSEnal scum hadnt noticed Utd will go ahead­ of ARSEnal if they win their game in hand. AND there­ are another THREE trophies to be won besides the Prem­ league. and WTF Gallas as captain did u see him last­ year at Birmingham?-shocking. Anyway we've already­ won more trophies this season than you've won in 5­ years. Don't getting all optimistic youve still got­ liv and Chelsea at home and away and then u have to­ play US at home.

    From theo94, on Tue 11 Nov 8:50PM

  3. to happy ho manu champions remember that arsenal won­ fak all u cockneee @#$% got sum­ titles to win o and europe to sort out gud luck this­ year you mite win a mars bar you @#$%

    From kerryutley22, on Mon 10 Nov 9:14PM

  4. Hopefully Arsene Whinger wont moan like a @#$% now...

    From Justin, on Mon 10 Nov 4:25PM

  5. Sarah, Brasil, Italy, France, ... don't speak­ english yet they play wonderful games. I personally­ think you lack maturity and Gunners are well loved­ amongest non-english speakers like me. Guess what, it­ shows how ignorant some people and lack of knowledge of­ the world. Any ways sport is about passion not­ languages girl.

    From writefish, on Mon 10 Nov 3:37PM

  6. I beleive the critics do have enough time to munch on­ their big slice of humble pie at least for now.­ Gunner4life

    From c, on Mon 10 Nov 2:18PM

  7. Once in a while, a pauper should be given a chance to­ dine with a king! That does not mean the pauper has­ become the king nor the king has become a pauper! At­ the end of the meal, the king will remain a king and­ pauper will remain a pauper.

    Well, sorry for those­ who have so quickly forgotten the unbreakable spirit of­ ManU. Whenever ManU slips and falls they do not remain­ down; they dust themselves, pick thenselves up and walk­ again rather strongly. I can only but sympathise with­ the next team; oh is it Stoke city? Sorry Stoke­ city!

    Ofcourse Congs to Arsenal. They played a great­ game last weekend. Every Arsenal player was amazingly­ outstanding that day.

    From bdroti2000, on Mon 10 Nov 12:05PM

  8. Congs to the gunners,one thing to learn is that,­ playing traditional players without form and­ predictable could not winn this match,the likes of­ Adebayor,v.Parsie,Eboue..
    Please Wenger give chance to­ the other players.Secondly consistency in winning is a­ problem,Arsenal lost points to teams­ like,hull,stoke,Totenham,fullham,..Just imagine how far­ they would be.Gunners to win the title calls for­ collecting all points.Gerro Uganda

    From ghekinu, on Mon 10 Nov 10:57AM

  9. Probably Arsenal has best wingers in EPL. Theo Walcot­ and Nasri make troubles for each team they play.

    From ghiedrukas, on Mon 10 Nov 8:53AM

  10. That was just so wanderful from Arsenal. Keep up the­ same spirit

    From BRIAN, on Mon 10 Nov 7:55AM

  11. What do MANURE and LiverSTOOL have in common?

    From tom h, on Mon 10 Nov 1:22AM

  12. yeah!!!!!!!!! EPL CHAMPS,CHAMPION LEAQUE CHAMPS,WITH­ THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD, and yet they get­ nailed??? the great man u get beaton by one man, and­ that's NASRI.

    From Uzer, on Mon 10 Nov 12:36AM

  13. in wenger we trust :)

    From Ross M, on Sun 9 Nov 9:58PM

  14. im a man utd fan, and i thought both teams put on a­ pretty good match, but arsenal deservedly edged it, as­ for utd 48 shots on goal in the last two matches with­ only 2 scored is not a great return, and its about time­ they defended crosses from the wing properly or thier­ seasons gonna get a lot worse very quickly

    From penut1974, on Sun 9 Nov 7:21PM

  15. Thats what i like about mancs! Theyre not sore losers!­ NOT!

    From D, on Sun 9 Nov 6:46PM

  16. LADS DA GAME LAST NITE WAZ FOOKIN DEDLY!darsenal played­ wit a shitload a injuriess nd we still at the end of da­ day OUT FOUGHT AND OUT DUN mangey rooney nd CHEW YA­ FACE OFF SIR WINCE-A-LOT PUKET FERGIE!!another dinger­ of AN LEGENDRY WENGER SINGIN!nasri da legend,gave us­ another night of experiencing how sore sad LOSERS MAN U­ FANS ARE.......F.A.C.T

    From rcgooner, on Sun 9 Nov 6:08PM

  17. I think most of the comments left on here are from the­ special needs group.Basic english is a f ucker to­ master isn't it

    From SARAH G, on Sun 9 Nov 5:33PM

  18. In response to Imad A. comment 307, no disrespect to­ Villa. They're a very good team and Martin­ O'Neill has done a marvellous job with them but as­ much as I'd like to see them break into the top­ four, I don't think they have the consistency to do­ it this season. I predict they'll finish 5th and­ win one of the domestic cups.

    From Dino, on Sun 9 Nov 3:19PM

  19. Man Who!they are stupid on their blue uniform.They­ looked tied as if they were from the field of­ beans.OOOPS MA GUNNERS RE DULA RE TLHAMILE.THANK U­ ASERNE.WE PRAISE YOU FOR GROOMING THOSE YOUNG­ STARS.

    CHELSEA U ARE NEXT.EMIRATES.3-0

    From Obusitswe, on Sun 9 Nov 2:07PM

  20. Welldone Arsenal. You have responded again! And this is­ why we all love you!! Gunners 4 Life!!!

    For C.­ Ronaldo. Wake up boy. You work so much on assumption:­ thinking you are so good and something special. You are­ nothing!!!

    From happy, on Sun 9 Nov 2:01PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account