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Arsenal in goalless stalemate with Man United
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-04 09:08
BALLOONED CHANCE
Ruud van Nistelrooy unleashed a searing shot that Jens Lehmann could only
parry and Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored twice when United won 4-2 here last
season, ballooned his follow-up over the bar.
Buoyed by their flourish, United looked the better side after the break,
intent on revenge after last season's penalty shootout defeat by Arsenal in the
FA Cup final.
Ronaldo sent in several telling crosses, van Nistelrooy found more time and
space and Rooney showed neat flicks.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger threw on Dutch forward Dennis Bergkamp in
search of a late winner but it was United who nearly had the final say when Wes
Brown's effort was cleared off the line.
Though the rivalry stretches back to a mass brawl at Old Trafford in 1990,
there has been no shortage of fireworks in recent years.
A United home win in October 2004 which ended Arsenal's record-breaking
league run at 49 matches was followed by the so-called "Battle of the Buffet"
when bits of pizza were allegedly thrown at United manager Alex Ferguson in the
players' tunnel.
Four Arsenal players were banned and the club fined following ugly scenes at
the end of another Old Trafford encounter which finished 0-0 early in that run
in September 2003.
No matching Chelsea in title race says Ferguson
LONDON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Alex Ferguson paid a glowing tribute to English
champions Chelsea after Manchester United's title hopes were hit by a 0-0 draw
at Arsenal on Tuesday.
Chelsea, the runaway Premier League leaders, beat Arsenal 2-0 at Highbury
last month and are now 13 points ahead of second-placed United after they were
held in north London.
Ferguson, who stopped short of conceding the title to Jose Mourinho's team,
told Sky Sports News: "Chelsea have been fantastically consistent and there is
no-one anywhere that can match them at this point.
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