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

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  1. man u alwayz lucky but not yesterday..hahaha....always win by penalty shoot out only. just acting like champion but a loser. Let all the London Fc beat them. don't let them grab any cup until fergie get lost. hahaha!

    From Mi3j@, on Sun 9 Nov 5:12AM

  2. Everybody watch man utd , hahahaha!!!!.Alex Ferguson go back home and cry,Samir Nasri is the best player Arsene Wenger bought to Arsenal The Gunners.Arsenal youngsters always the best like nasri,walcott,bendtner,vela,ramsey and wilkshere

    From SaMiR NaSRi, on Sun 9 Nov 5:11AM

  3. floloveyou,
    What, more than your family?

    From sappercommando25, on Sun 9 Nov 3:59AM

  4. as a man u fan i was disapointed wiv all the chances we had created and didn make the most of them a bit like at celtic lst wk,crackin goal for rafeal 1st one and what a cracker hopefully we pick up form sharp !!

    From leegriffiths134@..., on Sun 9 Nov 3:31AM

  5. I LOVE MAN U TILL DEATH WE ARE GONNA BOUNCE BACK WITH THE DOUBLE THIS SEASON FLORIZEL

    From floloveyou, on Sun 9 Nov 3:13AM

  6. I love the way all the Arsenal season ticket holders have these comments to make.This is sarcasm by the way as I doubt anyone making these comments have even been to a football ground in their life.This was a great advert for the premier league,arguably the 2 best in the Premiership playing one of the best games of the season.Arsenal deserved their win as thety took their chances where as United did not,on another day it could of easily been 2-1 to United.Steven Gerrard is also a diving @#$% and as long as Liverpool don't win the league I will be happy.Life long United fan.

    From Ellis, on Sun 9 Nov 2:46AM

  7. arsenal should have won 2-0 againts man u

    From dosti_online12, on Sun 9 Nov 2:24AM

  8. i was very dissapointed with the lost... united played well but the finishing wasn't there... rooney should be at the bench until 60th min... then he will good enough to attack... nani should be bring on despite of giggs... nani is created to play with arsenal... never mind.. united will be top of the league just before season end as the other big four will play united at old trafford

    From Redzwan A, on Sun 9 Nov 2:10AM

  9. i was very dissapointed with the lost... united played well but the finishing wasn't there... rooney should be at the bench until 60th min... then he will good enough to attack... nani should be bring on despite of giggs... nani is created to play with arsenal... never mind.. united will be top of the league just before season end as the other big four will play united at old trafford

    From Redzwan A, on Sun 9 Nov 2:03AM

  10. Well done to Arsenal! (Fair play to them). United, seem to be getting too relaxed after achieving the double last year. Hull nearly overcome being 4-1 down at old trafford last week and played some great attacking football too! [Its not often United are put on the back foot for the last few minutes after that sort of lead within a game]. Oddly enough Liverpool seem to have swapped form with United, as its United who are now stuggling against the top 4 with just 1 point from all three games!! Add to this they let a goal lead slip against Chelsea when they should have done much better and fair play to Chelsea for exploting United's weakness in concentration. Liverpool should be paid better respect and with their hunger for sucess in the premiership must only be written off when its impossible for them not to win it! United's attitude as team seems to be inconsistent this season and the Premiership title or even second place is getting much harder than what it should be. Unless united improve their best chance of sucess would be to play their 1st team squad in the carling cup. Hopefully they will start being more consitent and focused again towards the opposition.

    From stephen d, on Sun 9 Nov 1:24AM

  11. Well done to Arsenal! (Fair play to them). United, seem to be getting too relaxed after achieving the double last year. Hull nearly overcome being 4-1 down at old trafford last week and played some great attacking football too! [Its not often United are put on the back foot for the last few minutes after that sort of lead within a game]. Oddly enough Liverpool seem to have swapped form with United, as its United who are now stuggling against the top 4 with just 1 point from all three games!! Add to this they let a goal lead slip against Chelsea when they should have done much better and fair play to Chelsea for exploting United's weakness in concentration. Liverpool should be paid better respect and with their hunger for sucess in the premiership must only be written off when its impossible for them not to win it! United's attitude as team seems to be inconsistent this season and the Premiership title or even second place is getting much harder than what it should be. Unless united improve their best chance of sucess would be to play their 1st team squad in the carling cup. Hopefully they will start being more consitent and focused again towards the opposition.

    From stephen d, on Sun 9 Nov 1:23AM

  12. yeah your right ever since gary neville came back from injury he has never got hes crosses right always long or bent like a @#$% lol

    From yellowkdot, on Sun 9 Nov 1:22AM

  13. MU loser

    From Azmir, on Sun 9 Nov 1:14AM

  14. Matrix1493 shut up! u are not a manu fan. u are a disgrace! were u blind?(u bat!) you needed a pair of spectacles to watch the match?I'll send u a pair of glasess from the optician so that u can have a clear vision to be able to make better judgement in the matches to come.with 21 or more attempts on goal, as a visiting team, can u say they outplayed manu?i think ur choice of words might be the problem.manu was just unlucky while they got the goals that matter.How many minutes were they looking for the ball? u ar an arsenal fan;u were shaking in ur pants when rafael got a goal.I blamed fergie for keeping Gary for a long time in the pitch otherwise ur tail would have been between ur buttocks by now

    From Sirafajan, on Sun 9 Nov 1:04AM

  15. arsenal rule man utd are gay so are liverpool and chelsea are right boring come on you gunners

    From Ben S, on Sun 9 Nov 12:41AM

  16. HAHAHAHAH MAN U THOUGHT THEY GUNNER BEAT ARSENAL HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

    GO THE GUNNERS

    IN ARSEN WE TRUST!

    From Araw, on Sun 9 Nov 12:18AM

  17. MU=ALL TIME
    LOSER. i wonder how they can win the champions league. lucky. very2 lucky

    From andrei hanafi?, on Sat 8 Nov 11:55PM

  18. To paulhomy (com. 87): That's a great plan you got (Arsenal beating Chelsea and Liverpool), but pls keep in mind that this was Arsenal's first encounter with a team from "Big 4" this season... And need I remind you some of their results gainst the so-called "easy" teams?
    Man Utd has played all its games against "Big 4" (lost 2, drew 1), Chelsea, only two (drew 1, lost 1), while Liverpool, also two, but has won them both. We'll have the bigger picture after the Chelsea-Arsenal game.
    Until then, stay tunned!

    From Malaguena S, on Sat 8 Nov 11:40PM

  19. Man U we love u!!!!!

    lucky arsenal!!!

    remember man u 4-0 arsenal haaaaaaaaaaaaaa

    From samdolman9, on Sat 8 Nov 11:30PM

  20. comin from an arsenal fan some of these comments are a disgrace arsenal arent out of the race yet but callin um fogs look at utd how many english do dey av??????? plus most of dem are @#$% hope we can hang in dare until the end :) come on da gunners :)

    From daniel, on Sat 8 Nov 11:28PM
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