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Platt rises to the occasion as Arsenal overcome United
By Henry Winter at Highbury | |
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Arsenal (2) 3 Man Utd (2) 2 JUST when it appeared time to refer Manchester United to the Monopolies Commission, along came Arsenal to undermine the champions' air of supremacy. Highbury's habituees danced their delight last night, revelling in this against-the-odds victory in a match that gripped and shook the imagination throughout. Their glee will have been shared across the land; the rest of the Premiership season may not be a simple procession for United after all. United remain in pole position, a point clear of Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers, and will rightly stay favourites for a fifth title in six years. But Arsenal's performance will have given heart to all those who felt Alex Ferguson's thoroughbreds to be the untouchables. By ceaseless graft and clever defending, these traits made formidable flesh by Tony Adams and Ray Parlour, Arsenal matched and then overcame United. Victory was assured by David Platt, whose record for late, match-turning goals seemed to have been consigned to fond memory of spectacular interventions against the likes of Belgium seven years ago. Yet when Nigel Winterburn curled over an 82nd-minute corner, Platt rose magnificently, twisting his body to reach the ball, which raged inexorably into the top corner. This was a special moment for Platt, a thoughtful footballing figure whose national prominence has slipped in recent years and who was released by Old Trafford as a teenager. He will have relished every second, every word of last night's raucous acclaim. Platt was accorded the victor's laurels, along with Adams and Parlour, who blocked and tackled, pouring every last drop of energy and enterprise into securing this success. Such endeavour, echoed elsewhere, helped Arsenal resist United's pressure. The visitors looked so composed, so confident on the ball but were unable to turn possession into penetration. Arsenal, without a goal in three matches, made more of less ball. After nine minutes, Marc Overmars sprinted forward, a stirring run culminating in a shot blocked by Henning Berg. The ball dropped kindly to Nicolas Anelka, who turned Gary Neville before catching Peter Schmeichel out with a firm drive at the near-post. The home part of the Clock End loved it. Schmeichel remains deeply unpopular at Highbury, following last season's spat with Ian Wright. Booing followed Schmeichel's every touch until late on, although thankfully there was no sign of any festering resentment between two such high-profile professionals. Arsenal fans were in good voice, singing songs of praise for their team, even managing a cheeky vote of confidence for Gerry Francis, Tottenham Hotspur's beleaguered manager. The decibel level rose higher after 26 minutes when Arsenal recorded a sensational second. Parlour, covering every inch of the pristine pitch, jogged over to the left to whip in a corner which rebounded out to Patrick Vieira. The response was instantaneous, Vieira unleashing a 20-yarder which faded round Gary Pallister before speeding past Schmeichel. First Anelka, then Vieira: the French really were lifting blockades. United, though, are the most obdurate of opponents, incapable of accepting defeat until the race is run. With Paul Scholes outstanding in possession, and Teddy Sheringham similarly exceptional, United went in search of parity. Before the half was out, they were level. The goals owed much to the inventive thinking and quick ball-moving inherent in United's sophisticated play. David Beckham and Andy Cole worked the ball out to Gary Neville on the right. Back it came with interest, arrowing towards Sheringham, who headed powerfully past David Seaman. Sheringham, castigated for his Spurs associations, could be forgiven the extensive celebration of an excellent goal but to kiss his shirt crest in front of the North Bank was provocative indeed. It was surprising that only one supporter complained. United then lost Pallister, who twisted his back, but never their belief or commitment. Ferguson's champions are a remarkable side, a joy to watch except when they are berating officials. The thrillingly positive traits suffusing United were witnessed again five minutes from time. Nicky Butt's well-directed header brought the best out of an otherwise disappointing Ryan Giggs, who flicked the ball delicately through to Sheringham, whose reaction was of the highest order, a left-footed drive crashing past Seaman. United were on fire, exuding menace with every surge. They could, perhaps should, have finished the half with a penalty when Winterburn caught Scholes but Martin Bodenham, who otherwise handled an important fixture with intelligence and sensitivity, waved play on. A sour undercurrent often plagues this fixture and, as the half closed, Winterburn and Schmeichel were hit by missiles thrown from the Clock End. A United fan was arrested for the offence against Winterburn. Fortunately, the mood remained only briefly malevolent, although the interval hiatus was well timed. The Football Association said they would await reports, although it seems a police matter now. Sorry sideshow over, it was on with the main attraction. For all the efforts of Parlour and Adams, a feeling had taken hold that the force was undeniably with United. Arsene Wenger, Arsenal's manager, held other ideas, changing his team and the face of the game. When a knee injury restricted Vieira's movements, Wenger made a confident decision, introducing Steve Bould to guard Sheringham and pushing Winterburn and Lee Dixon on as wing-backs, a move that emasculated the burgeoning power of David Beckham and Giggs. After the first-half's relentless excitement, the game slowed, partly because Arsenal were so much more of a consistent force. Anelka looked lively, showing some good dribbling skills but the decisive moment did not arrive until seven minutes from time. When Schmeichel managed to claw away a deflection off Gary Neville, the danger appeared to have been contained. But from Winterburn's corner, Platt opened up the championship race. __________________________________________________________ Arsenal (2) 3 Man Utd (2) 2 Anelka 7, Platt 83, Vieira 27; Sheringham 33, 41. Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Winterburn, Vieira (Bould 45), Adams, Platt, Wright, Anelka (Wreh 79), Overmars, Parlour, Grimandi. Subs Not Used: Manninger, Boa Morte, Hughes. Booked: Platt, Wright. Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Pallister (Johnsen 38), Beckham, Butt, Cole, Sheringham, Giggs (Solskjaer 71), P. Neville, Scholes, Berg. Subs Not Used: McClair, Poborsky, Van Der Gouw. Booked: P. Neville, Scholes. Att: 38,205 Ref: M J Bodenham (East Looe). __________________________________________________________ Soccer showcase-Arsenal victory keeps it tight at the top (adds details,quotes) By Mike Collett LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - David Platt delivered the knockout blow eight minutes from time as Arsenal beat Manchester United 3-2 in an outstanding battle of the heavyweight title contenders in the English premier league on Sunday. Arsenal, who established a 2-0 lead after only 27 minutes with goals from Frenchmen Nicolas Anelka and Patrick Vieira, allowed United back into the game with two from Teddy Sheringham before halftime. But after 82 minutes and with a draw looking inevitable, Platt rose unmarked to loop a header from Nigel Winterburn's corner over Peter Schmiechel's outstretched hand and elevate Arsenal into second place in the standings -- just one point behind United. Just a minute earlier Schmeichel had made an outstanding reflex save after a shot by Christopher Wreh took a wicked deflection off Gary Neville's leg. "It was a very big match today and very important that we won it," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. "It was also very important for the title race. If United had won today they would have gone seven points ahead of us, but the race is now still very open. I think a lot of neutral fans and other managers cheered our victory today." United manager Alex Ferguson said: "I was pleased with the way we came back in the first half, but I wasn't pleased with our second half performance. We can do better than that. "But in fairness I thought Arsenal were the better team in the second half and they deserved the victory." The match was full of scoring chances, superb football from both sides -- and two incidents of crowd trouble. The trouble came late in the first half when a missile thrown from United fans hit Arsenal defender Nigel Winterburn as he was preparing to take a corner. The second incident was when another missile hit Schmeichel as he retrieved the ball for a goal-kick. One fan was arrested for the Winterburn incident and the English F.A. immediately launched an inquiry. Those blemishes cannot, however, detract from what was a thrilling match played at a blistering pace between the two title favourites. With Ray Parlour and Dutchman Marc Overmars running at the United defence from the start, Arsenal, without the suspended Dennis Bergkamp and Emmanuel Petit, were the first to establish their pattern. They unsettled a United team full of confidence after a run of four successive league and cup wins and Arsenal's endeavour was rewarded when French under-21 international Nicolas Anelka put them ahead after nine minutes with his first goal for the club. A shot by Overmars was blocked and the ball ran loose to Anelka who gave Schmeichel no chance with a powerful right-foot drive that flew inside the near post from 20 metres. Arsenal went 2-0 up when Vieira scored a well-taken goal, half-turning on a half-cleared corner and sending a dipping unstoppable shot past Schmeichel after 27 minutes. Stunned they may have been, but United responded like the champions they are, with Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Teddy Sheringham gradually gaining the initiative from Arsenal in terms of both possession and movement. Sheringham, the former Tottenham player booed by the Arsenal fans every time he touched the ball, gave them the perfect reply with two goals inside seven minutes. His first was courtesy of a pin-point cross from Gary Neville. Sheringham, peeling off defender Gilles Grimandi, powered his header past his England team mate David Seaman to make it 2-1. His second was a goal of sheer class. A short pass from Butt was flicked on by Ryan Giggs and Sheringham, collecting the ball with his back to the goal, turned to score with a left-footed drive into Seaman's bottom left-hand corner from 20 metres. Both teams went close in the second half, Arsenal's record scorer Ian Wright having a great chance to score after 78 minutes only for his effort to fly inches over the bar. At the other end Andy Cole, with eight goals in his last three games, could find no way past Seaman. After Schmeichel's superb save from Neville's deflection it seemed unlikely that either team would score again. But even before the United fans had stopped applauding that save, Platt scored the winner to complete a miserable day for the champions. As well as losing, they had England defender Gary Pallister stretchered off with a recurrence of his back injury, and Paul Scholes earned himself a three-match suspension beginning in a fortnight after being booked for the fifth time this season. © Reuters Limited 1997 __________________________________________________________ Arsenal v Man United 09/11/97 4.00 Arsenal (2) 3 Man United (2) 2 FT Anelka 7 Sheringham 33,41 Vieira 27 Platt 83 Forgotten hero David Platt ripped the title race wide open with a stunning late header at hot-headed Highbury. The one-time England skipper has lost his place for club and country in the past 12 months, falling completely out of the international frame and forced to be content with a bench role for Arsene Wenger's side. Indeed Platt, whose absence from Glenn Hoddle's squad to face Cameroon next week was not even a matter of conversation, was only in the Arsenal side because of the suspensions that ruled out Emmanuel Petit and Dennis Bergkamp. Yet with seven minutes to go in a tension-filled afternoon, marred by missile throwing from the Clock End, Platt came back from the past to bury Alex Ferguson's men and give the Gunners only their second Premiership win over United. Teddy Sheringham's first-half double had clawed the champions back into it after a French one-two from Nicolas Anelka and Patrick Vieira put Arsenal in charge inside 26 minutes. When Peter Schmeichel - who along with Nigel Winterburn had been hit by objects thrown in first-half stoppage time - produced an unbelievable stop to foil substitute Christopher Wreh's deflected shot it looked as if United would hang on. But when Ray Parlour swung in the resulting corner Platt rose highest of all to steer a floated header that gave even Schmeichel absolutely no chance as it went in just under the angle of post and bar. Platt set off on a victory dance that mirrored the ones he produced against Belgium and Cameroon in Italy in 1990 with the roof lifted off Highbury when Martin Bodenham blew for full-time to mean Arsenal are just a point behind the leaders. Yet there will be concern at FA headquarters at the crowd disorder that saw one alleged miscreant arrested and a full-scale inquiry started by Arsenal. After the incidents of last season there were always going to be undercurrents on and off the pitch, with Schmeichel perhaps wisely electing not to warm up in front of the Arsenal fans, who pelted him with a bag of chips when he put his towel in the net. The story was supposed to be all about United. No Bergkamp, no Petit, surprisingly no Bould, dropped to accommodate Gilles Grimandi, yet Arsenal had evidently not read the script. United, with Andy Cole fit despite the pre-match injury scares, were off the pace, criminally so when Arsenal took the lead in the eighth minute. Wright's header set the fit-again Marc Overmars in possession, but the move seemed to be going nowhere when the Dutchman's shot was blocked. Anelka, though, was alive to the situation, taking up the ball, and United, despite plenty of bodies, unaccountably stood off the French teenager. It was a fatal hesitation, Anelka placing a low right footer from 20 yards between Schmeichel and his right-hand post for a first Arsenal goal that sent Highbury into ecstasy. Hoddle was here to watch 11 members of his England squad in action, but it was the young French ace who caught the eye early on, forcing a save from Schmeichel after Wright's great ball. Then Ray Parlour ran though Phil Neville's challenge to set up Wright. Schmeichel dived to his right to parry, David Platt fed back, and Anelka spooned his effort over the bar. And in the 26th minute, Arsenal appeared to take a real grip on proceedings. Parlour's corner was aimed for Tony Adams, although Henning Berg got the touch to half-clear. Vieira had to divert his run outside the box but he turned as he reached it to flash in a right footer that flew through a crowd and in off the bar past Schmeichel before the Dane could move. United were rattled and finally stung into action, Sheringham and Cole forcing David Seaman into action. But French players had been at the heart of everything, and so they were again as United dragged themselves back into it. This time, however, it was an act of omission rather than commission, Grimandi going absent without leave when Gary Neville swung the ball in from the right for Sheringham to plant a header into the back of the net. All changed, although things seemed to have swung back in Arsenal's favour when Gary Pallister was stretchered off - and possibly out of England duty - after a clash with Anelka. Ronny Johnsen came on, but almost before the Norwegian had touched the ball United were back on terms as Arsenal lost concentration. Nicky Butt headed forward from midfield and Ryan Giggs knocked on. There was still plenty to do, but Sheringham hit the ball as he turned onto his left foot, a low drive for his eighth of the season that gave Seaman no chance. Although Phil Neville was booked, United were now in the ascendancy, Ferguson demanded a penalty when Paul Scholes went over Winterburn's leg in the box. Then in injury time came the incidents which will cause enormous concern. Winterburn was struck as he prepared to take a corner and then Schmeichel held his face in his hands after what appeared to be a coin came from the home supporters. Referee Martin Bodenham raced across to the police chief on duty by the tunnel, and it was perhaps fortunate that the whistle then blew. Notwithstanding those events, it had been terrific stuff, and the odds shifted further towards the champions when Bould came on for Vieira at the break, Wenger reverting to three at the back and tightening things up considerably. Scholes was booked for a foul on Parlour - he will now miss three matches including next month's visit to Liverpool - and although Parlour did force a sprawling save from Schmeichel, United's speed on the break was more threatening. It was far tighter than earlier, as if the two heavyweights had punched themselves to a standstill, although Platt fell foul of Mr Bodenham with a booking for persistent misconduct. Ferguson gambled for glory with 19 minutes left, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replacing Giggs and Sheringham dropping deeper. Instead, it was Arsenal who took the initiative, after Wreh had replaced Anelka. With eight minutes left, Wright broke away down the right, and pulled back for the substitute. Schmeichel was going one way, on his backside as the ball struck Gary Neville to divert the other. Somehow the great Dane thrust up a huge right hand to paw the ball to safety and was hugged by Neville for the stop. Yet within seconds it was all changed again, as Platt claimed the glory with a goal that came out of his golden days in an England shirt, including that Italia 90 game with Cameroon. Wreh then missed a sitter from Wright with three minutes left but it did not really matter. All very much still to play for. Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Winterburn, Vieira (Bould, 45), Adams, Platt, Wright, Anelka (Wreh, 79), Overmars, Parlour, Grimandi. Subs not used: Manninger, Boa Morte, Hughes. Booked: Platt, Wright. Man United: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Pallister (Johnsen, 38), Beckham, Butt, Cole, Sheringham, Giggs (Solskjaer, 71), P. Neville, Scholes, Berg. Subs not used: McClair, Poborsky, Van Der Gouw. Booked: P. Neville, Scholes. Attendance: 38,205. Referee: M J Bodenham (East Looe). |
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