Arsenal against Manchester United

GOAL! Scholes finds O'Shea in yards of space on the edge of the box, and the Irishman turns and cooly chips over the advancing Almunia.

Carroll elects to punch a deep cross, but the ball falls straight to Vieira. His header flies back in to the box but is cleared.

Henry brilliantly holds off Ferdinand before launching into an overhead-kick. Unfortunately for the home side, it's straight at Carroll.

Arsenal are looking a little desperate, and their fans are getting very edgy. Ljungberg slings in a dangerous cross but Heinze cuts out the danger.

Henry's little headed flick almost finds Reyes in the box, but Ferdinand reads the danger and clears. Henry then almost finds Ljungberg, but Keane clears.

United are content to launch balls upfield just to waste time. They really are experts at closing out games like this.

SUB: Lauren off, Fabregas on. Wenger has to take a chance, and has left three at the back in an effort to snatch an equaliser.

Arsenal are struggling to create anything, even with the extra man. United are getting everyone behind the ball.

Reyes throws Neville to the ground as he attempts to win the ball on the touchline. Free-kick, but it comes to nothing. The home fans look on in dismay.

Ljungberg goes down in the box as he attempts to burst through two United defenders on to Henry's through-ball. No penalty.

United win a corner, but it comes to nothing. The away side get back behind the ball quickly to prevent a trademark Arsenal counter-attack.

SUB: Hoyte on for the hobbling Campbell. The young substitute goes in to the centre of defence.

The giant Arsenal centre-back looks in real trouble. He's holding his ankle after going down heavily when diving in to deny Saha.

SUB: Giggs off, Saha on. The substitute almost creates a chance immediately, but the danger is snuffed out by Campbell.

United are coping fairly well at the moment. Arsenal are throwing plenty of men forward, but when the away team get possession, they are frustrating the Gunners.

United, obviously, aren't in any hurry to get on with the action once the ball has gone out of play.

The ball breaks to Ljungberg after a good move down the left, but the winger doesn't connect properly and Carroll saves easily.

SUB: Reyes is on for Flamini, meaning Pires moves in to the middle. Can Arsenal take advantage of their extra man? This could be a testing time for United.

SUB: Ronaldo is sacrificed as Ferguson looks for some defensive discipline with the introduction of Brown. Ljungberg is still down following the head-but.

Television replays suggest that Silvestre wasn't sent off for the Bergkamp challenge, but for a headbut on Ljungberg just seconds later, right in front of the referee. He can have no complaints.

OFF! Silvestre and Bergkamp clash in the box off the ball. The incident is spotted by the linesman, and Poll reaches for the red.

Arsenal earn a free-kick when Scholes fouls Bergkamp in the centre-circle. Reyes begins to strip off on the Arsenal bench.

United are looking in control now; they're keeping the ball a lot better, and Ronaldo is finding a lot of space down the United left.

Ronaldo works some space in the box, but scuffs his shot.

Rooney almost finds Scholes, who had made a good run in to the channel. United are still attacking with numbers, pace and belief.

What can Arsenal do to get themselves back in to the match - and the title race? Well, they've plenty of attacking options on the bench, with Reyes and Van Persie.

SUB: O'Shea on for Fletcher. O'Shea will play in the centre of midfield with Scholes and Keane. Arsenal look shell-shocked at the moment.

Almunia certainly made a mistake in United's third goal. There was no reason for him to be drawn so far out of his goal.

Ronaldo was booked for his celebration, but United won't mind. They have turned this game on it's head with two goals out of nothing.

GOAL! Giggs bursts down the right, Almunia is drawn out of his goal but can't reach the ball. Giggs beats him, clips the ball over and Ronaldo taps in from one yard out.

United are awarded a free-kick, 25 yards out. Rooney steps up and cracks wonderful effort against the bar.

Unbelieveable stuff; this match has been breathtaking. It's not often a match lives up to its hype - especially when the hype has been of the magnitude of this - but this game certainly has.

GOAL! Superb move from United. Rooney finds Giggs, who holds off a defender before slipping Ronaldo in to space down the left channel. The Portuguese winger takes a touch before beating Almunia with a neat finish.

Campbell rises high to meet the corner, but is adjudged to have climbed on his marker.

Superb play from Bergkamp, running forty yards with the ball before finding Lauren, who earns a corner when his cross is deflected wide.

Great challenge inside the box from Silvestre as Henry breaks on to a lofted Ljungberg ball.

United win a corner when Campbell puts out a Heinze cross with Rooney lurking. Giggs takes, but it's a disappointing delivery from the United winger.

United seem to have left their passing boots in the dressing room at half-time, with a couple of balls going astray.

Henry brilliantly spins away from Heinze, but his ball in to Bergkamp is a little sloppy.

Scholes is tackled on the edge of the box. Henry finds some space at the other end, but his tame shot is straight at Carroll.

United kick off the second half, with no changes made by either manager.

HALF-TIME: An absolutely superb half of football. Arsenal deserve to have their noses in front - just.

Henry and Ronaldo clash on the touch-line, but there's nothing much in it.

Vieira crumples as Rooney flings a leg at a loose ball, but replays show the United man didn't touch the Arsenal skipper, who remains down for 30 seconds.

Lauren lofts the free-kick towards Henry, who flicks a header goalwards but no Arsenal player can get on the end.

Scholes is lucky to escape a booking after sliding through the back of Flamini. Ferguson has to calm his players down at half-time.

Wonderful work from Bergkamp, testing Carroll after sublime close control. Rooney is booked for kicking the ball away; a very harsh call from Poll; Rooney shot only a second after the whistle blew. He is then given a final warning after ranting at Poll following his yellow card.

From the corner, the Gunners break; Henry finds Bergkamp bursting through the middle but the linesman flags for off-side. Replays show it was very, very tight.

Giggs releases Rooney down the right channel, but Almunia saves the youngster's low shot with his legs. Corner.

It's become very congested in the centre of midfield, and no-one is able to get any time on the ball.

A swift Arsenal counter-attack is broken up by Neville, who tackles a flying Cole on the left wing.

A cushioned ball from Rooney almost releases a rampaging Fletcher, but Campbell clears up. Can United respond a second time?

Lovely move from Arsenal, but Carroll might be a little annoyed to have let the ball through his legs from such a tight angle.

GOAL! Vieira finds Henry in the box, the Frenchman slips a ball to Bergkamp, and the veteran Dutchman slams a low drive through Carroll's legs. Brilliant finish.

Henry, six games without a goal, is frustrated after a free-kick decision goes against him. He's lucky not to escape a booking for bouncing the ball in anger.

Giggs and Heinze stand over the ball. It's the Argentinian who hits it, but the ball curls a yard wide of Almunia's post.

Vieira is dispossessed by Ronaldo, and the Arsenal midfielder is forced to bring him down, 25 yards from goal. Free-kick.

Cygan tackles well as Rooney breaks in to the box, but United win a corner.

Rooney flicks on a long ball from Ferdinand, and Almunia has to be on his toes to stop Giggs latching on to it.

With a lot of touch challenges flying in and a few yellow cards knocking about already, it wouldn't be a shock to see someone sent off tonight.

Pires collapses under a Fletcher challenge, earning an earful of abuse from Rooney. Pires earns a yellow card for a late kick at Fletcher as he fell. Rooney is then almost booked for continuing his verbal rant at Pires.

Ashley Cole is enjoying a good start to the match, getting forward at every opportunity. He's showing plenty of committment to Arsenal tonight.

From the free-kick, Scholes heads behind for a corner. Vieira finds some space in the box once more, but can't get a solid head on Ljungberg's corner.

Carroll handles the ball outside the area following a long ball towards Henry. No card, surprisingly.

Bergkamp tests Carroll from 20 yards after a slip in the United defence.

Silvestre brings down Pires in the area, but Poll gives nothing. A stonewall penalty, it really was. The protests from the Arsenal players were quite subdued, considering.

The match has swung in United's favour in the last few minutes. They are winning all the battles in midfield.

It really has been an incredible start to the match from both teams. Rooney almost charges down an Almunia clearance following a Flamini pass-back.

Sensational touch, turn and sprint from Rooney leaves Cygan for dead. The young Englishman's cross is met by Ronaldo, but a deflection means an easy save for the Arsenal 'keeper.

GOAL! Giggs scores out of nowhere, latching on to a lovely touch on the edge of the area from Rooney. A deflection off a defender took the ball past Almunia.

This time it's Rooney who catches an Arsenal man when he scrapes his studs down Lauren's leg. No booking, though; just a quiet word from Poll.

I don't think Wayne Rooney has touched the ball yet. Meanwhile, Giggs flies in to Cole on the touchline and is booked. It was quite a late challenge.

Ronaldo and Giggs switch flanks in an effort to get a grip on the game, but the young Portuguese winger tries one flick too many and loses possession.

Arsenal have started very well. Bergkamp is managing to find plenty of space behind the United midfield, and Ljungberg and Pires are already making dangerous runs in behind.

Heinze brings down Ljungberg again and earns himself a booking.

United corner is taken short to Fletcher, but his cross is easily cleared by Cygan, and Arsenal are looking to break at pace whenever they have the chance.

United must be concerned now; they're up against a very-fired up Arsenal and are already a goal down.

GOAL! From the restulting corner, captain Vieira out-muscles Heinze and nods past Carroll. Cue wild celebrations from home fans and players. Amazing start.

Ferdinand blocks a goal-bound Henry effort as Arsenal manage to work a three-v-two situation in the United box.

Poll gives another cheap free-kick as Cole burst in to the United box. I think Poll has decided to try and defuse the match by clamping down on contact early on.

The corner is well cleared by the home side. Lauren complains of an elbow to the chin by Heinze. Replays show there was minimal contact by the United man as he went in for a challenge.

United win a corner after Ronaldo cuts inside and shoots, his effort being deflected wide by Cygan.

Ljungberg is denied by Carroll, who dives at the winger's feet after he was put through by Henry. Great start to the match; nothing like the cagey beginning we were told to expect.

Giggs has the first shot of the match, a low drive from the corner of the box following a quick free-kick.

Henry slips in Cole, who falls under a challenge from Keane in the United area. Poll gives a goal-kick - and righty so; it was a terrible dive by the England left-back.

The free-kick is defended well by United. Referee has got a tough job on his hands here.

Arsenal kick off to a wall of sound. Phil Spector would be proud. The home side win an early and dangerous free-kick as Heinze brings down Ljungberg.

Incredible stuff. Something unsavoury clearly went on outside the changing rooms before the players came out on to the pitch. Hold on to your hats, readers; it's white hot already...

Already, the television cameras are showing a heated argument between Vieira and Keane in the tunnel before the match. Vieira was being led away by Bergkamp, with Keane following and pointing his finger angrily at the Arsenal captain.

Superb atmosphere at Highbury; unsurprisingly, there isn't a spare seat about. There's a lot of tension and nerves, too.

Team news: Roy Keane is back for United, who start with Rooney up front on his own. Arsenal recall Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Ashley Cole, Lauren and Manuel Almunia.

United are coping fairly well at the moment. Arsenal are throwing plenty of men forward, but when the away team get possession, they are frustrating the Gunners.

United, obviously, aren't in any hurry to get on with the action once the ball has gone out of play.

The ball breaks to Ljungberg after a good move down the left, but the winger doesn't connect properly and Carroll saves easily.

SUB: Reyes is on for Flamini, meaning Pires moves in to the middle. Can Arsenal take advantage of their extra man? This could be a testing time for United.

SUB: Ronaldo is sacrificed as Ferguson looks for some defensive discipline with the introduction of Brown. Ljungberg is still down following the head-but.

Television replays suggest that Silvestre wasn't sent off for the Bergkamp challenge, but for a headbut on Ljungberg just seconds later, right in front of the referee. He can have no complaints.

OFF! Silvestre and Bergkamp clash in the box off the ball. The incident is spotted by the linesman, and Poll reaches for the red.

Arsenal earn a free-kick when Scholes fouls Bergkamp in the centre-circle. Reyes begins to strip off on the Arsenal bench.

United are looking in control now; they're keeping the ball a lot better, and Ronaldo is finding a lot of space down the United left.

Ronaldo works some space in the box, but scuffs his shot.

Rooney almost finds Scholes, who had made a good run in to the channel. United are still attacking with numbers, pace and belief.

What can Arsenal do to get themselves back in to the match - and the title race? Well, they've plenty of attacking options on the bench, with Reyes and Van Persie.

SUB: O'Shea on for Fletcher. O'Shea will play in the centre of midfield with Scholes and Keane. Arsenal look shell-shocked at the moment.

Almunia certainly made a mistake in United's third goal. There was no reason for him to be drawn so far out of his goal.

Ronaldo was booked for his celebration, but United won't mind. They have turned this game on it's head with two goals out of nothing.

GOAL! Giggs bursts down the right, Almunia is drawn out of his goal but can't reach the ball. Giggs beats him, clips the ball over and Ronaldo taps in from one yard out.

United are awarded a free-kick, 25 yards out. Rooney steps up and cracks wonderful effort against the bar.

Unbelieveable stuff; this match has been breathtaking. It's not often a match lives up to its hype - especially when the hype has been of the magnitude of this - but this game certainly has.

GOAL! Superb move from United. Rooney finds Giggs, who holds off a defender before slipping Ronaldo in to space down the left channel. The Portuguese winger takes a touch before beating Almunia with a neat finish.

Campbell rises high to meet the corner, but is adjudged to have climbed on his marker.

Superb play from Bergkamp, running forty yards with the ball before finding Lauren, who earns a corner when his cross is deflected wide.

Great challenge inside the box from Silvestre as Henry breaks on to a lofted Ljungberg ball.

United win a corner when Campbell puts out a Heinze cross with Rooney lurking. Giggs takes, but it's a disappointing delivery from the United winger.

United seem to have left their passing boots in the dressing room at half-time, with a couple of balls going astray.

Henry brilliantly spins away from Heinze, but his ball in to Bergkamp is a little sloppy.

Scholes is tackled on the edge of the box. Henry finds some space at the other end, but his tame shot is straight at Carroll.

United kick off the second half, with no changes made by either manager.

HALF-TIME: An absolutely superb half of football. Arsenal deserve to have their noses in front - just.

Henry and Ronaldo clash on the touch-line, but there's nothing much in it.

Vieira crumples as Rooney flings a leg at a loose ball, but replays show the United man didn't touch the Arsenal skipper, who remains down for 30 seconds.

Lauren lofts the free-kick towards Henry, who flicks a header goalwards but no Arsenal player can get on the end.

Scholes is lucky to escape a booking after sliding through the back of Flamini. Ferguson has to calm his players down at half-time.

Wonderful work from Bergkamp, testing Carroll after sublime close control. Rooney is booked for kicking the ball away; a very harsh call from Poll; Rooney shot only a second after the whistle blew. He is then given a final warning after ranting at Poll following his yellow card.

From the corner, the Gunners break; Henry finds Bergkamp bursting through the middle but the linesman flags for off-side. Replays show it was very, very tight.

Giggs releases Rooney down the right channel, but Almunia saves the youngster's low shot with his legs. Corner.

It's become very congested in the centre of midfield, and no-one is able to get any time on the ball.

A swift Arsenal counter-attack is broken up by Neville, who tackles a flying Cole on the left wing.

A cushioned ball from Rooney almost releases a rampaging Fletcher, but Campbell clears up. Can United respond a second time?

Lovely move from Arsenal, but Carroll might be a little annoyed to have let the ball through his legs from such a tight angle.

GOAL! Vieira finds Henry in the box, the Frenchman slips a ball to Bergkamp, and the veteran Dutchman slams a low drive through Carroll's legs. Brilliant finish.

Henry, six games without a goal, is frustrated after a free-kick decision goes against him. He's lucky not to escape a booking for bouncing the ball in anger.

Giggs and Heinze stand over the ball. It's the Argentinian who hits it, but the ball curls a yard wide of Almunia's post.

Vieira is dispossessed by Ronaldo, and the Arsenal midfielder is forced to bring him down, 25 yards from goal. Free-kick.

Cygan tackles well as Rooney breaks in to the box, but United win a corner.

Rooney flicks on a long ball from Ferdinand, and Almunia has to be on his toes to stop Giggs latching on to it.

With a lot of touch challenges flying in and a few yellow cards knocking about already, it wouldn't be a shock to see someone sent off tonight.

Pires collapses under a Fletcher challenge, earning an earful of abuse from Rooney. Pires earns a yellow card for a late kick at Fletcher as he fell. Rooney is then almost booked for continuing his verbal rant at Pires.

Ashley Cole is enjoying a good start to the match, getting forward at every opportunity. He's showing plenty of committment to Arsenal tonight.

From the free-kick, Scholes heads behind for a corner. Vieira finds some space in the box once more, but can't get a solid head on Ljungberg's corner.

Carroll handles the ball outside the area following a long ball towards Henry. No card, surprisingly.

Bergkamp tests Carroll from 20 yards after a slip in the United defence.

Silvestre brings down Pires in the area, but Poll gives nothing. A stonewall penalty, it really was. The protests from the Arsenal players were quite subdued, considering.

The match has swung in United's favour in the last few minutes. They are winning all the battles in midfield.

It really has been an incredible start to the match from both teams. Rooney almost charges down an Almunia clearance following a Flamini pass-back.

Sensational touch, turn and sprint from Rooney leaves Cygan for dead. The young Englishman's cross is met by Ronaldo, but a deflection means an easy save for the Arsenal 'keeper.

GOAL! Giggs scores out of nowhere, latching on to a lovely touch on the edge of the area from Rooney. A deflection off a defender took the ball past Almunia.

This time it's Rooney who catches an Arsenal man when he scrapes his studs down Lauren's leg. No booking, though; just a quiet word from Poll.

I don't think Wayne Rooney has touched the ball yet. Meanwhile, Giggs flies in to Cole on the touchline and is booked. It was quite a late challenge.

Ronaldo and Giggs switch flanks in an effort to get a grip on the game, but the young Portuguese winger tries one flick too many and loses possession.

Arsenal have started very well. Bergkamp is managing to find plenty of space behind the United midfield, and Ljungberg and Pires are already making dangerous runs in behind.

Heinze brings down Ljungberg again and earns himself a booking.

United corner is taken short to Fletcher, but his cross is easily cleared by Cygan, and Arsenal are looking to break at pace whenever they have the chance.

United must be concerned now; they're up against a very-fired up Arsenal and are already a goal down.

GOAL! From the restulting corner, captain Vieira out-muscles Heinze and nods past Carroll. Cue wild celebrations from home fans and players. Amazing start.

Ferdinand blocks a goal-bound Henry effort as Arsenal manage to work a three-v-two situation in the United box.

Poll gives another cheap free-kick as Cole burst in to the United box. I think Poll has decided to try and defuse the match by clamping down on contact early on.

The corner is well cleared by the home side. Lauren complains of an elbow to the chin by Heinze. Replays show there was minimal contact by the United man as he went in for a challenge.

United win a corner after Ronaldo cuts inside and shoots, his effort being deflected wide by Cygan.

Ljungberg is denied by Carroll, who dives at the winger's feet after he was put through by Henry. Great start to the match; nothing like the cagey beginning we were told to expect.

Giggs has the first shot of the match, a low drive from the corner of the box following a quick free-kick.

Henry slips in Cole, who falls under a challenge from Keane in the United area. Poll gives a goal-kick - and righty so; it was a terrible dive by the England left-back.

The free-kick is defended well by United. Referee has got a tough job on his hands here.

Arsenal kick off to a wall of sound. Phil Spector would be proud. The home side win an early and dangerous free-kick as Heinze brings down Ljungberg.

Incredible stuff. Something unsavoury clearly went on outside the changing rooms before the players came out on to the pitch. Hold on to your hats, readers; it's white hot already...

Already, the television cameras are showing a heated argument between Vieira and Keane in the tunnel before the match. Vieira was being led away by Bergkamp, with Keane following and pointing his finger angrily at the Arsenal captain.

Superb atmosphere at Highbury; unsurprisingly, there isn't a spare seat about. There's a lot of tension and nerves, too.

Team news: Roy Keane is back for United, who start with Rooney up front on his own. Arsenal recall Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Ashley Cole, Lauren and Manuel Almunia.