Arsenal and Manchester United have produced some of the most famous moments in world football when squaring off against each other and many famous moments have been left off of this list due to the high amount of famous derbies. With 10 goal-thrillers, extra-time winners, red cards, famous goals and more, no one can argue with the fact that this fixture is always highly anticipated. But which fixture is the most famous between the two?
5) Arsenal 1-0 Manchester United - May 2011
On May 1st 2011, a Manchester United side lead by Sir Alex Ferguson travelled to the Emirates for the 4th final fixture of the Premier League Season. A win for travellers would see Arsenal ruled out of the title race and the trophy be handed to Sir Alex Ferguson with one more victory. Unfortunately for the Red Devils, Arsenal were never going to give up their title dreams and roll over for United to claim the victory. Rewind 2 months and Arsenal were top of the league, had beaten Barcelona at home and were set to end their trophy drought with a win against Birmigham City in the Carling Cup Final. A loss in that fixture however lead to Arsenal’s demise as they crashed out in all other competitions and went from first to third in the league.
The victory and title seemed United’s surely? Despite dominating the game with triple the amount of shots on target and attempts, Arsenal’s defence stayed strong. A returning Aaron Ramsey won the game for Arsenal with a goal from just inside the box in the 56th minute. A fast counter attack lead by now Manchester United forward Van Persie caught the United defence off guard. The Dutchman cut-back to Ramsey in the centre of the box to score his first goal for the club since breaking his leg at Stoke 11 months before. The victory meant the title race wasn’t over for Arsenal however their first win since 2008 against Manchester United at the Emirates wasn’t enough to stop the Red Devils claiming their 19th league trophy.
4) Manchester United 8-2 Arsenal - August 2011
Arsenal’s start to the season was abysmal in 2011. Not only had the Gunners lost captain Francesc Fabregas to Barcelona and midfielder Samir Nasri to Manchester City, but Arsene Wenger had failed to replace them adequately leading to this astonishingly awful result. With young Jenkinson at right-back, Djourou and Traore also in defence along with an inexperienced Coquellin replacing Fabregas in midfield, it’s no wonder Arsenal conceded 8 to the Red Devils. Funnily enough, current Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck opened the scoring with a header before Young and Rooney scored stunning goals from outside the box to cancel out Walcott’s goal late in the first half.
At half-time no one would’ve expected Manchester United to grab another 5 goals but United showed no remorse as Rooney bagged another two- one being a penalty after Jenkinson got sent off , Young scored another great finesse goal from outside the box and Park and Giggs got on the score-sheet also. Overall, it was an exciting 10 goal game which no Manchester United fan will ever forget; and one Gooners will only think about in their nightmares as they wish to remove their team’s biggest ever Premier League loss from their memories.
3) Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United - November 2000
Henry is remembered for his truly spectacular moments, and his second goal in this match is one of them. With 10 minutes left and the score at 1-1 in this League match at Highbury. Arsenal were looking to complete their comeback after Ljumberg cancelled out Scholes’ first half goal. Arsenal’s midfield knew that all they had to do was to supply Henry with the ball, and he’d do the rest. And that’s exactly what happened. Henry – with his back towards the goal – received the ball on the ground and with his right foot flicked over his head – whilst being tugged by United defenders- turned, and hit it on the volley with his right-foot into the top-right corner. But Henry wasn’t finished there, a mere 5 minutes later United’s defence fell asleep as ‘King Thierry’ was played through on goal and rounded his national team-mate Fabian Barthez to seal victory for his side. A great victory, sealed with a fantastic and now classic, goal from one of Arsenal’s greatest.
2) Manchester united 6-1 Arsenal -February 2001
Arsenal were fighting for the title during this grudge match at Old Trafford however this game put their hopes to sleep as the Red Devils managed to go 16 points clear of the Gunners. In a time before Russian and Arab money brought Chelsea and Manchester City to success, Arsenal and United were the top dogs and so no one expected Ferguson’s side to hit 6 past Arsenal! Looking back at the defence now however, one can easily see how the likes of Dwight Yorke and Solskjaer scored past Giles Grimandi and Stepanovs – 2 of Arsenal’s worst ever signings! A Dwight Yorke hat-trick silenced the critics after his average season and showed the difference in class between Arsenal and Manchester United that year. The deserved winners of the league showed on the 25th of February 2001, why they were the best in England.
1) Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal (A.E.T) -April 1999, FA Cup semi-final replay
This match may have lacked goals but it sure didn’t lack passion and excitement. At Villa Park this FA Cup semi-final will be remembered for years. The first 90 minutes of the match consisted of back-and-forth action as United took the lead early through David Beckham before conceding a sloppy goal to Dennis Bergkamp. Arsenal began to dominate play however as United captain Roy Keane was sent off and it looked like the game was Arsenal’s for the taking with Ferguson’s side losing their anchor-man in midfield.
Arsenal indeed had the opportunity to seize the victory when late into stoppage time of the second half, Arsenal won a deserved penalty through Phil Neville’s tackle on goal-scorer Dennis Bergkamp. Schmeichel saved the woeful spot-kick to force extra-time. 20 minutes in, and unlike himself, Patrick Vieira lost the ball sheepishly to a young Ryan Giggs who dribbled past all of Arsenal’s defence and shot into the roof of the net when one-on-one with England’s number one David Seaman. His celebration matched the craziness of what had happened as the premature Giggs revealed a chest full of thick, black hair. Never-the-less, without his goal, United would not have been able to complete the famous Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble which will be remembered for eternity.
With Saturday's match fast-approaching, both team's missing first-choice defenders through injury, a high-scoring match could be on the cards with the likes of Alexis, Welbeck, Di Maria, Rooney and Robin Van Persie. Tensions will be high as former players collide with their old teams and these bitter rivals will meet again, question is; who will gain the upper-hand in the latest episode of one of England's most anticipated fixtures?