Robin van Persie struck
inside three minutes against his former club as Manchester United eased to a
comfortable victory over 10-man Arsenal at Old Trafford.
The prolific Dutchman
was taunted throughout by visiting fans but reminded them of his talents in the
opening moments in a Barclays Premier League contest United dominated from the
outset.
Wayne Rooney missed
United's fourth penalty of the season but Patrice Evra added a second and
Arsenal's misery was compounded by the sending off Jack Wilshere before Santi
Cazorla hit an injury-time consolation.
High times: Robin van
Persie was the catalyst to yet another Manchester United over
Arsenal
MATCH FACTS
MAN
UTD: De Gea, Da Silva, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Valencia
(Nani 82),
Carrick, Cleverley
(Anderson 61),
Young, Rooney, van Persie. Subs
not used: Lindegaard, Hernandez, Scholes, Powell,
Wootton.
Booked:
Young, Cleverley, Anderson, Rooney, Van Persie
Goals:
Van Persie 3, Evra 67
ARSENAL:
Mannone, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Andre Santos, Arteta, Ramsey
(Walcott 52),
Wilshere, Cazorla,Podolski
(Arshavin 81),
Giroud. Subs
not used: Martinez, Koscielny, Coquelin, Jenkinson,
Chamakh.
Booked:
Arteta, Arshavin Sent
off: Wilshere
Goals:
Cazorla 90
Referee:
Mike Dean (Wirral)
England midfielder
Wilshere had been making only his second appearance for the Gunners after
missing more than a year with injury.
United were superior in
almost every department against a side they fought out a bitter rivalry with in
the last decade.
The sight of Van Persie
in their ranks will have hurt, and the Arsenal fans made clear from the moment
his name was first read out what they now thought of their former
hero.
Van Persie's eight-year
stint in north London culminated in last season's magnificent 37-goal campaign
but he was cheered when he slipped in the opening
minute.
But the 29-year-old
needed little time to remind the Gunners of what they lost when he left the
Emirates Stadium in a £24million move over the summer.
Arsenal's defensive
frailties were again in evidence as United swept forward and Antonio Valencia
bypassed Andre Santos by releasing Rafael down the right with a deft
backheel.
Pounced: The Dutchman
punished a Thomas Vermaelen error inside three minutes... but didn't
celebrate
The Brazilian whipped in
an awkward low cross which caught Thomas Vermaelen off balance and his attempted
clearance rolled straight to Van Persie, who fired past Vito Mannone from inside
the box.
It was his 10th goal for
United in 13 games but he avoided antagonising Arsenal supporters further by
deciding not to celebrate.
Conceding so early may
have led to some anxiety in the Arsenal camp after their 8-2 capitulation in the
corresponding fixture last season.
United may not have
threatened a repeat of that scoreline but they continued to control the game and
the best response the visitors could initially muster was a wayward long-range
drive from Santos.
Case for the defence:
Arsenal were angry at the award of a penalty late in the
first-half
... but luckily for the
Gunners, Wayne Rooney sent his spot kick wide of the post
That was a rare moment
of opportunity for Santos, who found himself under considerable pressure at
left-back.
United may have seemed
content to build a patient game but attacking Santos' flank seemed a fruitful
avenue for the hosts, with Valencia troubling the Portuguese at every
opportunity.
Van Persie went close
again as he raced onto a defence-slitting pass by Rooney but Mannone saved
well.
Arsenal did show some
positive intent with Aaron Ramsey, the only starting member of their side who
played in last year's thrashing, reaching the byline but David de Gea pushed
away his cross.
Valencia predictably
beat Santos to cross and Michael Carrick clipped the ball to Rooney after Bacary
Sagna had half-cleared.
Doubled up: United got
the second their performance deserved when Patrice Evra headed
home
Rooney steadied himself
to shoot but Mannone produced another good save and Van Persie headed straight
at the goalkeeper after the ball was worked back in.
United could have
doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time after Cazorla handled an Ashley
Young cross at point-blank range just inside the box.
The Spaniard felt the
award was harsh and he could argue he was protecting his face but it did not
matter as Rooney dragged the resulting spot-kick wide.
Another goal might have
been the least United deserved for their first half superiority but it was a
reminder of their early season deficiencies from 12
yards.
Questions will certainly
be asked as to why the in-form Van Persie did not take the
responsibility.
Cheerio: Jack Wilshere
was sent off for two yellow cards in only his second game in 17
months
United were close to
doubling their lead again after another Vermaelen error early in the second half
allowed Van Persie to break but Valencia could not turn in his low
ball.
Carrick then shot wide
from distance after a shot by Rafael was half-cleared as far as the England
midfielder.
Arsenal continued to
lack a spark but Olivier Giroud almost provided one after a neat touch beat Rio
Ferdinand and gave him a shooting chance but he could only hit the side-netting
from a tight angle.
Van Persie was booked
after a late challenge on Sagna but was back in more familiar position just
after the hour as he was picked out by a fine cross by Ashley Young, but Mannone
got a vital hand to his low shot.
Stunner: Santi Cazorla
gave an undeserved respectability to the scoreline with a stoppage-time
strike
Arsenal could not hold out much longer and from a short corner routine Rooney crossed for Evra and the Frenchman planted a firm header inside the post.
The Gunners' agonies
grew as Wilshere, booked in the first half and fortunate to escape a second
yellow card for a bad tackle on Van Persie, was penalised for one bad tackle too
many, this time on Evra, and saw red.
Van Persie and
substitute Anderson both thought they had added a third for United but were both
correctly denied by an offside flag.
United played out the
closing moments with little alarm until Cazorla netted a fine consolation from
the edge of the box with what proved the last kick of the
game.
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