Manchester United against Arsenal

Phil Neville, outstanding in the middle of the park all game, winning huge cheers for his every tackle. United press forward again and Cygan is cautioned for kicking out

Gilberto flicks on at the edge of the United box for Cole arriving at the far post, but the England fullback is overstretching as he hits a rather hopeful shot - again high and wide

Luzhny comes in late on Giggs - studs up and through the back of the player and it's a yellow card for the Ukrainian this time

Bergkamp wins it strongly from Phil Neville, feeding Gilberto to his right. The Brazilian looks for Henry but Silvestre gets in front of the striker and Barthez can collect

Henry takes - but no glory this time as the right-footer curls high and wide

Henry forced wide by Toure's pass. Cole arrives in support and Phil Neville chops in late. Freekick and a yellow card

Arsenal staring down the barrel now. Another limp cross from Luzhny is easily cleared

Pires leaves the field - on comes Kolo Toure

Old Trafford in rapture... Solskjaer finds acres of space down the right, weighs up his options before hammering a shot into the side-netting

Solskjaer seizes on a loose Arsenal throw amd immediately finds van Nistelrooy. A short ball for Scholes who rifles right-footed past Taylor for United's second. 2-0!

Bergkamp makes himself space with his first contribution. It's worked to Luzhny, who crosses poorly, but United panic a little under it and Gary Neville has to concede a corner. Taken short to Vieira, who cuts inside to blast well wide

Henry forces another corner for the visitors... Pires takes but the ball floats out of play before Barthez rises to palm away

Bergkamp replaces Wiltord as Wenger's search for the equaliser becomes increasingly urgent

Gilberto gambles with a run from deep, almost latching onto a ball over the back of United's rearguard, but the ball's momentum is just too strong.

The Gunners play it behind and Taylor rises to punch Giggs' corner clear

O'Shea breezes past Ljungberg to reach the byeline. He cuts it back but Scholes' left-footed shot is disappointing

Then a second cross and this time Henry gets a yard on the centre-half but can't control and the ball rolls off his toes for a goalkick

Brown, keeping close tabs on Henry, does well to keep the Frenchman from reaching a dangerous-looking Ljungberg cross

More ping-pong in the United box but the home side eventually clear

Relief for the champions, who work it through midfield for Pires to strike. Off Silvestre for a corner which finds its way to Cygan at the far post. United blosk to concede another...

Vieira heads the resultant corner clear but United continue - Giggs crossing from the left. O'Shea rises among a group of players and Taylor palms over acrobatically. The whistle's gone though and Arsenal win a freekick

Cygan barges into the back of van Nistelrooy. A quick freekick from Veron and Taylor is forced into an excellent block to deny Giggs, ten yards out

Giggs plays van Nistelrooy through after Veron had cut in from the right. The Dutchman has to look wide for Solskjaer, who miscues the cross and it's out of play beyind Taylor's far post

Arsenal attempt a counter. Silvestre goes in hard on Wiltord and comes off the worse for wear. A concerned Ferguson looks on from the touchline but his French defender seems okay after a little treatment

Tremendous ball-winning from Phil Neville for United, typifying their display. He finds Solskjaer on the right but Scholes can't quite reach the cross from deep

Luzhny finds Ljungberg on the right. It goes inside for Wiltord, who flays a left boot at the ball and slices his shot horribly wide

Henry takes - too short and Veron heads clear

Veron and Vieira tussling ferociously in midfield - this time the Argentinian loses out and commits a foul. Arsenal move forward to win another freekick wide on their left

Giggs takes on the right but an Arsenal head clears from the near post

Calm header back from O'Shea under pressure from Henry. No 'Dudkes' from Barthez and United break forward, van Nistelrooy forcing a corner from Cygan

Barthez hits one long for Scholes to chase but Taylor comes out to gather

Cole forward for the Gunners, strking from distance but comfortably wide

Henry raches the byeline but can't control the cross for Wiltord. United counter down the right and van Nistelrooy is narrowly offside as Scholes looks to release him behind Keown

Substitute keeper Taylor immediately pressed into a hurried clearance by van Nistelrooy. United build down the right but Cole is in fiercely to win the ball from Solskjaer. Arsenal attack down the left but Barthez is out to collect at the corner of his area

Arsenal, all in blue today, restart

They've been the more aggressive and purposeful and, although Arsenal have had two excellent chances themsleves, it's been the greater snap in the home side's general play that has given them a deserved advantage

And that's the last action for the first half. United lead 1-0 at the break

Into injury time and Phil Neville is back to block Henry's charge towards the box. Frustration from the striker and he brings the United man down

Vieira arrives late on Veron. Freekick and the Frenchman is furious. Barthez, deep in his own half, goes for an audacious strike straight at goal. It's wide but worth a try with Taylor newly arrived

Loose play from Gilberto and Veron is onto it in a flash. An exchange of passes with Scholes but the Argentinian is wasteful with his final ball from the left - too far for van Nistelrooy to reach

With Seaman still out, it's Taylor who comes on to replace the Swede, who is struggling with a thigh problem it seems

Veron's corner is poorly struck though - over the back. But Shaaban twists awkwardly as he takes the goalkick and has to go down for treatment

United clear from the near post, van Nistelrooy immediately seeking out Giggs with a long ball. Now Arsenal have to put it behind

United break through Giggs but van Nistelrooy is evetually closed down. Arsenal counter through Pires and Wiltord but when the ball reaches Cole there's no-one in the box. United clear behind

As if to illustrate the point, Scholes chops into Ljungberg wide out. Freekick is easily cleared though

Keown getting the bird from the home crowd as Arsenal push it around at the back. Very little room for their midfield quartet to operate so far

Nothing given though... Vieira seizes on a loose pass from O'Shea to release Henry, who quickly finds himself outnumbered. United block a hit-and-hope shot and then clear

United push forward from the throw. Keown wrestles with van Nistelrooy and the Arsenal man seems to throw at punch at his adversary, who goes down in a heap

Scholes, playing with tremendous energy, closes down Vieira, whose clearance is hurried and wayward

Veron looks for Solskjaer with an ambitious cross from the left - just beyond the Norwegian's outstretched leg

O'Shea looks to slide the ball through for van Nistelrooy in the box, but Keown is back to shepherd the ball out of play

Wiltord combines with Pires on the left before crossing right-footed. Deflected off Scholes and the ball loops safely into Barthez's hands

More excellent hold-up play from van Nistelrooy. Solskjaer is available on the right with the Dutchman arriving for the cross at the far post, but Luzhny is back to clear

Ljungberg now harangues referee Gallacher after being penalised for a felling Veron in midfield

Absolute delirium at Old Trafford but the Gunners may be aggrieved, firstly that van Nistelrooy could have handled the ball before finding Scholes, who may have been offside. Whatever, its's Fergie's boys who lead

Poor clearance from Cygan. Solskjaer nods for van Nistelrooy, who finds Scholes overlapping on the right. A perfect low cross and Veron arrives in the six-yard box to finish. 1-0 United!

Two great chances for the champions but Barthez has been equal to them

Pires bursts through midfield. A sharp one-two with Henry and the player of the year hits an immediate lofted shot which Barthez does brilliantly to get a touch on. Ref Gallacher misses that though and United get a goalkick

Cygan finds Cole on the left. A chipped cross from the England fullback but Wiltord is offside, with Silvestre doing a better job of marshalling the backline than Neville G.

Giggs launches a long cross from deep. Cole's header only finds Solskjaer but van Nistelrooy is offside as the Norwegian nods it forard for his Dutch colleague

Neville more solid with a backpass this time as United look to gather themselves after that big scare

Then a howler from Gary Neville, stepping up in a clumsy attempt at springing the offside trap. Henry is clean through, one-on-one with Barthez, but shoots limply at goal. Barthez saves and the red-faced Neville gets back to clear up

Arsenal break and Henry twists, looking for space in the box. But it's at a premium at the moment.

Gary Neville thumps it forward looking for van Nistelrooy, but Shaaban is out sharply to collect

Now Phil Neville in quickly on Henry. United break upfield and van Nistelrooy seizes on a ricochet from Vieira to unleash a venomous drive. Excellent diving save from Shaaban, who then punches Veron's corner clear

Gilberto arrives late on Veron, but no card from referee Gallacher

First threat from Henry after good work by Wiltord on the right. Brown is in strongly though allowing the Frenchman no time

Cygan forced to clear under pressure from Scholes - it's the home side forcing the early pressure here

Strong running from O'Shea. He slides the ball through for Giggs at the byeline but Scholes hesitates with his run to the near post, giving Cole time to clear

Van Nistelrooy holds off Cygan in midfield and almost releases Solskjaer on the right - but Cole intercepts

Scholes in strongly on Gilberto as Arsenal look to build

Now Gilberto penalised - Veron steps up for a strike from 35 yards but Cole rises from the wall to block

Frenetic stuff in midfield before Keown steps in with a trademark hoof (of the ball) to halt van Nistelrooy's progress

Phil Neville takes on Vieira but strikes the ball too strongly and it's out of play for a goalkick

A tumultuous roiar from the home support as United kick off, immediately winning a throw on their left

Fit-again Keown returns in place of the suspended Campbell for the champions, while Cole starts at left back. Wiltord gets the nod ahead of Bergkamp up front

For United, Veron replaces Quinton Fortune, who has been ruled out for three months with a fractured leg sustained against Liverpool. Phil Neville also starts with Forlan dropping to the bench

Another seismic Old Trafford victory for the Gunners - or will Fergie's boys close the gap? All the action here from 12.15 GMT

The Gunners play it behind and Taylor rises to punch Giggs' corner clear

O'Shea breezes past Ljungberg to reach the byeline. He cuts it back but Scholes' left-footed shot is disappointing

Then a second cross and this time Henry gets a yard on the centre-half but can't control and the ball rolls off his toes for a goalkick

Brown, keeping close tabs on Henry, does well to keep the Frenchman from reaching a dangerous-looking Ljungberg cross

More ping-pong in the United box but the home side eventually clear

Relief for the champions, who work it through midfield for Pires to strike. Off Silvestre for a corner which finds its way to Cygan at the far post. United blosk to concede another...

Vieira heads the resultant corner clear but United continue - Giggs crossing from the left. O'Shea rises among a group of players and Taylor palms over acrobatically. The whistle's gone though and Arsenal win a freekick

Cygan barges into the back of van Nistelrooy. A quick freekick from Veron and Taylor is forced into an excellent block to deny Giggs, ten yards out

Giggs plays van Nistelrooy through after Veron had cut in from the right. The Dutchman has to look wide for Solskjaer, who miscues the cross and it's out of play beyind Taylor's far post

Arsenal attempt a counter. Silvestre goes in hard on Wiltord and comes off the worse for wear. A concerned Ferguson looks on from the touchline but his French defender seems okay after a little treatment

Tremendous ball-winning from Phil Neville for United, typifying their display. He finds Solskjaer on the right but Scholes can't quite reach the cross from deep

Luzhny finds Ljungberg on the right. It goes inside for Wiltord, who flays a left boot at the ball and slices his shot horribly wide

Henry takes - too short and Veron heads clear

Veron and Vieira tussling ferociously in midfield - this time the Argentinian loses out and commits a foul. Arsenal move forward to win another freekick wide on their left

Giggs takes on the right but an Arsenal head clears from the near post

Calm header back from O'Shea under pressure from Henry. No 'Dudkes' from Barthez and United break forward, van Nistelrooy forcing a corner from Cygan

Barthez hits one long for Scholes to chase but Taylor comes out to gather

Cole forward for the Gunners, strking from distance but comfortably wide

Henry raches the byeline but can't control the cross for Wiltord. United counter down the right and van Nistelrooy is narrowly offside as Scholes looks to release him behind Keown

Substitute keeper Taylor immediately pressed into a hurried clearance by van Nistelrooy. United build down the right but Cole is in fiercely to win the ball from Solskjaer. Arsenal attack down the left but Barthez is out to collect at the corner of his area

Arsenal, all in blue today, restart

They've been the more aggressive and purposeful and, although Arsenal have had two excellent chances themsleves, it's been the greater snap in the home side's general play that has given them a deserved advantage

And that's the last action for the first half. United lead 1-0 at the break

Into injury time and Phil Neville is back to block Henry's charge towards the box. Frustration from the striker and he brings the United man down

Vieira arrives late on Veron. Freekick and the Frenchman is furious. Barthez, deep in his own half, goes for an audacious strike straight at goal. It's wide but worth a try with Taylor newly arrived

Loose play from Gilberto and Veron is onto it in a flash. An exchange of passes with Scholes but the Argentinian is wasteful with his final ball from the left - too far for van Nistelrooy to reach

With Seaman still out, it's Taylor who comes on to replace the Swede, who is struggling with a thigh problem it seems

Veron's corner is poorly struck though - over the back. But Shaaban twists awkwardly as he takes the goalkick and has to go down for treatment

United clear from the near post, van Nistelrooy immediately seeking out Giggs with a long ball. Now Arsenal have to put it behind

United break through Giggs but van Nistelrooy is evetually closed down. Arsenal counter through Pires and Wiltord but when the ball reaches Cole there's no-one in the box. United clear behind

As if to illustrate the point, Scholes chops into Ljungberg wide out. Freekick is easily cleared though

Keown getting the bird from the home crowd as Arsenal push it around at the back. Very little room for their midfield quartet to operate so far

Nothing given though... Vieira seizes on a loose pass from O'Shea to release Henry, who quickly finds himself outnumbered. United block a hit-and-hope shot and then clear

United push forward from the throw. Keown wrestles with van Nistelrooy and the Arsenal man seems to throw at punch at his adversary, who goes down in a heap

Scholes, playing with tremendous energy, closes down Vieira, whose clearance is hurried and wayward

Veron looks for Solskjaer with an ambitious cross from the left - just beyond the Norwegian's outstretched leg

O'Shea looks to slide the ball through for van Nistelrooy in the box, but Keown is back to shepherd the ball out of play

Wiltord combines with Pires on the left before crossing right-footed. Deflected off Scholes and the ball loops safely into Barthez's hands

More excellent hold-up play from van Nistelrooy. Solskjaer is available on the right with the Dutchman arriving for the cross at the far post, but Luzhny is back to clear

Ljungberg now harangues referee Gallacher after being penalised for a felling Veron in midfield

Absolute delirium at Old Trafford but the Gunners may be aggrieved, firstly that van Nistelrooy could have handled the ball before finding Scholes, who may have been offside. Whatever, its's Fergie's boys who lead

Poor clearance from Cygan. Solskjaer nods for van Nistelrooy, who finds Scholes overlapping on the right. A perfect low cross and Veron arrives in the six-yard box to finish. 1-0 United!

Two great chances for the champions but Barthez has been equal to them

Pires bursts through midfield. A sharp one-two with Henry and the player of the year hits an immediate lofted shot which Barthez does brilliantly to get a touch on. Ref Gallacher misses that though and United get a goalkick

Cygan finds Cole on the left. A chipped cross from the England fullback but Wiltord is offside, with Silvestre doing a better job of marshalling the backline than Neville G.

Giggs launches a long cross from deep. Cole's header only finds Solskjaer but van Nistelrooy is offside as the Norwegian nods it forard for his Dutch colleague

Neville more solid with a backpass this time as United look to gather themselves after that big scare

Then a howler from Gary Neville, stepping up in a clumsy attempt at springing the offside trap. Henry is clean through, one-on-one with Barthez, but shoots limply at goal. Barthez saves and the red-faced Neville gets back to clear up

Arsenal break and Henry twists, looking for space in the box. But it's at a premium at the moment.

Gary Neville thumps it forward looking for van Nistelrooy, but Shaaban is out sharply to collect

Now Phil Neville in quickly on Henry. United break upfield and van Nistelrooy seizes on a ricochet from Vieira to unleash a venomous drive. Excellent diving save from Shaaban, who then punches Veron's corner clear

Gilberto arrives late on Veron, but no card from referee Gallacher

First threat from Henry after good work by Wiltord on the right. Brown is in strongly though allowing the Frenchman no time

Cygan forced to clear under pressure from Scholes - it's the home side forcing the early pressure here

Strong running from O'Shea. He slides the ball through for Giggs at the byeline but Scholes hesitates with his run to the near post, giving Cole time to clear

Van Nistelrooy holds off Cygan in midfield and almost releases Solskjaer on the right - but Cole intercepts

Scholes in strongly on Gilberto as Arsenal look to build

Now Gilberto penalised - Veron steps up for a strike from 35 yards but Cole rises from the wall to block

Frenetic stuff in midfield before Keown steps in with a trademark hoof (of the ball) to halt van Nistelrooy's progress

Phil Neville takes on Vieira but strikes the ball too strongly and it's out of play for a goalkick

A tumultuous roiar from the home support as United kick off, immediately winning a throw on their left

Fit-again Keown returns in place of the suspended Campbell for the champions, while Cole starts at left back. Wiltord gets the nod ahead of Bergkamp up front

For United, Veron replaces Quinton Fortune, who has been ruled out for three months with a fractured leg sustained against Liverpool. Phil Neville also starts with Forlan dropping to the bench

Another seismic Old Trafford victory for the Gunners - or will Fergie's boys close the gap? All the action here from 12.15 GMT