Sir Alex Ferguson conceded last week that United's away form in the Premier League is the one area he would accept criticism - and once again it has come back to haunt them.
Arsenal's title hopes might still be slim, but they've certainly turned the screw on the Reds.
United – as they have so often done in Europe this season - were able to ditch their poor away league form last Tuesday with their emphatic destruction of Schalke, but mysteriously were once more troubled by the travel demons at the Emirates.
Fergie was pretty dismissive last Friday when a journalist pointed out United's poor record away from Old Trafford against the top sides.
Only two league points from a possible 12 this season against City, Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool is not great reading, and he thanked the media man sarcastically and with a wry smile.
Seven away points gleaned from the last 18 available since the Invincible bid was shattered at Wolves wasn't impressive either.
But shielding his side from potential confidence-sapping figures is pointless.
No matter the history, United are well capable of playing 'for the moment' - as they did in Gelsenkirchen to set up an almost certain Wembley visit for the Champions League final.
But at the Emirates the Reds saved one of their more quieter days for an occasion when they needed to be at their very best.
It wasn't wise for the Arsenal stadium's announcer to play The Clash's 'London Calling' before the game. They'd done the same in Germany at the Veltins Arena and that certainly inspired United's Champions League bid.
While the climax to the campaign has seen the Reds' resilience turn into panache over recent weeks, Arsenal fans have despaired that once again their side have choked when it really matters.
The Gooners live a roller-coaster life during a game – they admire the brushwork but tear their hair out at the final piece on the canvas.
And this was the Gunners all over yesterday. United could be reasonably content at allowing them possession, knowing they'd self-destruct or the Reds' defence would snuff out that final pass.
The Reds may have been cursing on Saturday watching Chelsea snatch a controversial win against Spurs.
The Reds' nearest league rivals remain in the contest thanks to the goal by Frank Lampard that shouldn't have been.
But you couldn't complain that Carlo Ancelotti has bagged crucial rights on good fortune going into the final weeks of the season after Nemanja Vidic got away with a blatant penalty offence at the Emirates.
Attempting to get a vital touch on Theo Walcott's dangerous cross, the Serb's flailing hand took the ball off Robin van Persie's head.
The Dutchman was livid that both referee Chris Foy and his assistant failed to spot the United captain's touch.
Although it was typical Arsenal – good build-up but no end finish - it was pretty untypical United, who lacked invention and spark. The Reds looked more like early-season stutterers than the slick machine of late.
With nine of the starters from the win over Schalke in Fergie's Emirates line-up - the only alterations being Nani for Valencia and Anderson for flu victim Giggs - perhaps the venture in Gelsenkirchen had taken more out of them than the stroll looked likely to.
United, though, don't get unduly panicked and they probably knew the longer they could keep Arsenal at bay the more likely Arsene Wenger's side would be to lose it.
And there was always a smash and grab potential for the Reds to burst away and clinch the win they desired.
One of their closest chances came just after the interval when Rooney's well flighted free-kick was pawed away desperately by the flying Pole Wojciech Szczesny in the Arsenal goal.
But in the end it was the Gunners who pulled off the smash-and-grab raid.
United's most dangerous spell, consisting of two free-kicks, coincided with the home side carving open the chance their supporters were beginning to believe was impossible.
Van Persie raced away down the right in the 56th minute and had time to stop, look around and pick out Aaron Ramsey.
The Welsh midfielder had the bonus of not being closed down and he seized on the luxury to simply sidefoot home.
United got away with the Vidic penalty incident but it was evened up when substitute Michael Owen was forced into a stumble by the clumsy Clichy as he ran onto an inviting Rooney clip over the top.
You'd have thought the Premier League trophy was about to be presented the way Arsenal fans celebrated at the conclusion.
United might be a touch more concerned now that they won't be the ones enjoying the ticker tape cascade on May 22, unless they can somehow pretend that Ewood Park is Old Trafford in a fortnight.
Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
Awful, lazy performance by most. Did they even want to want the 19th title???
What a terrible performance, yet again in an away EPL game. Not even a mere shadow of what we saw in Germany. Pathetic. Played like they couldn't be arsed yet again. Comes down to this, whoever wins at OT next Sunday wins the league, that simpel, and TBH if we fail to show up again, the title's staying with Chelsea. Brutually bad, this shlould give Schalke confidence after seeing the dross on the field today. As good as we were in Germany we were that poor today, all of them.
We played very average today.I praised Carrick on Toesday,but today I thought Carrick and Park were very poor.Lets hope we win the next two games Wed/Sat.The pressures on!!
Whatever the final outcomes this month, the team has had a brilliant season given the weaknesses in the squad.
SAF has already talked about 2 or 3 additions this summer to improve things and that is probably all that's necessary to get our shaky away record right and keep us ahead of the pack yet again.
Sir Alex indirectly predicted the loss when he said he would be happy to win the title on the last day of the season. Did we all miss something? Hmmm, I just wonder....
Why did Fergie not go with 1 up top and 3 in mid-field? A system that has worked so well against Arsenal in the past. Judging by to-days flat performance from so many we also need to rest quite a few players against Schalke if we are to compete with Chelsea next Sunday. For me the Premiership title should always be the first priority.
Arsenal were due a result and today was the day,not a great performance from United,but they have played worse and come away with the points,
it is not the time to let heads drop, a good result on Wednesday and the momentum will return
From the banks of the Irwell
to Sicily
And we will fight, fight, fight
for Man United FC
"The Reds' nearest league rivals remain in the contest thanks to the goal by Frank Lampard that shouldn't have been."
Amazing how Chelsea always wins by controversy. I wonder to what god do they pray to (Chelsea) to win these games? Maybe United is praying the wrong god...
Sick of all this, United always do it the hard way crap, we were rubbish today, didn't really deserve anything. Lose next week and forget about it, but in saying that, get a draw and we should be home and dry. Still in a great position, inspite of this and poxy Gomez!
On another note, if arsenal do this to our favoured Euro formation I shudder to think what barca would do if we get to the final!
Once again Carrick is as fault for the goal,Nani is back to normal never in a million years will he be half as good as Ronaldo Rooney was poor Even Chico hardly got one decent ball.
The Star of United was Fabio by a long mile The way we played at 1.0 down was pathetic slow lethargic no excuses Arsenal were up for it we were not Fergies tactics were wrong again sorry to say.
Chelsea got very lucky some might say I douby that The Fa are on for them to win the title unless we beat Chelsea the Party is over.
Match Officials are trying to decide who wins the league. There is something very rotten in the stae of football. Chelsea won yesterday without scoring a legitimate goal and Utd were denied a certain penalty today. I know Vidic was lucky but two wrongs do not make a right. Come on and win next week Utd and let football be the winner.
didnt deserve anything and we got nothing...we lose vs chelsea and they go above us...lets put schalke to bed early....then a big performance at old trafford and finally seal it at blackburn...BELIEVE
1.) We need a better Freekick Taker (What Rooney trying recently is just something like a cross rather than a shot really. Nani maybe better as his strike has more pace and power. However, the Portugese still need to practice more in terms of accuracy).
2.) We need a real Midfield Commander to control and drive the game. Player with leadership, fighting spirit, and better quality like Keano should be brought in. Scott Parker (Westham) should be considered.
3.) SAF should use Nani more on the right. Valencia's pace is absalutely useless and nothing when he play against a quality left back from the top sides (Chelsea, and Arsenal for example; their left back are very quick and Valencia is hopeless really). Nani in comparison is much more skillful and do have more tricks to beat these quality left backs. Valencia should be used (if SAF want to use him) against a weaker side only.
All 4 teams in the CL semi finals lost this weekend. A defining week ahead but SAF has all the experience having been here many times before.
Pity, it'll be even harder to catch Arsenal now.
This season doesn’t get any easier on the nerves, and in a way, based on our form this year, should it be a big surprise that the cherished 19th will be secured by the shirts stumbling over the line? We never know which Utd will show up from one game to the next this season, because that performance today was so far removed from that of last Tuesday (notwithstanding the more capable opposition) but it is so frustrating the number of times this year that we have hit form in a couple of games but haven’t been able to then sustain it and go on a run.
So it’s all down to next Sunday, and then Blackburn. Ewood Park has seen it’s “up and downs” for us over the years, but hopefully we will end up shifting Stoke’s FA Cup victory later that day to the middle pages as “dem scousers” at long last get ousted from “their f****** perch“.
No Complaints from me. Their keeper had just one save to make. Rooney was shackled by Song. Hernandez had little or nothing to go for. Our defence played pretty well yet again but this time there was no happy ending. We simply couldn’t find the pass or cross to open them up.
We lacked a little invention but the wide players did see plenty of the ball so perhaps our crossing was the problem? Evra had a very good game and Vidic was once again outstanding. Rio wasn’t far behind. Carrick was OK but there was little else. I thought Anderson was a little unlucky to be hooked so early and Fergie waited far too long to introduce Berbatov. It really is SBT now?
We need a really good performance against Schalke so that we go into the Chelsea game full of beans. I think Berb, Scholes and one or two others will come in so that the likes of Rooney, maybe Rio and the like are definitely there against Chelsea.
I disagree with some on this board - Schalke are an ordinary side- look at their league position?
I’m very confident that we’ll beat them again.
We were out-fought & out thought today by a poor Arsenal side missing their key creative spark players in Fabregas & Nasri.
Combined with Frank Lampard's rediculous 'goal' yesterday, it is unfortunately, one of those momentum shifting weekends & leaves Chelski full of belief coming to Old Trafford next Sunday.
It makes the next 2 games at Old Trafford epic encounters and if we want a successful end to the season the fans have to make Old Trafford a CAULDRON OF NOISE & GET RIGHT BEHIND THE BOYS these next 2 games!!!
We'll Never Die, We'll Never Die....
I think MEN went missing today like United!
Well, we are denied a clear penalty, while Chelsky wins with two irregular goals. Need I say more...?
Even though to me it looked like we were not trying enough. Saving ourselves for the Schalke and Chelsky games?
Either way this was a bad weekend for me, I even had to work today [1st of May and on a Sunday]. Huh, what a waste...
Poor poor performance from a team that has (had) the league won,i know there's alot of people on this forum that don't seem to accept that this is an average Utd side and only for the failures of our opponents we would never be anywhere near the top of the league.5 away wins all season ,thats not league winning material but some guys seem to think "we must be good ,we're top of the league,semi finals(probably the final) and the semi-final of the F.A. cup but seriously guys clear the sleep from yours eyes we need 5 or 6 big signings in the summer .I know its not what you's want to hear but sometimes you have to face the truth.
Poor football,they play a corking game then totally dissolve....what is up with this team they should be all guns blazing.....
Chica is the best striker I have ever seen.
What a control of the ball,what a technique, just amazing skills.Yes,he deserve start all games.
Siriously,with that performance,with that poor midfield we are finished.
United didnt step up to the plate and deliver !
Disappointing stuff , we gotta get better really quickly
all the players looked like they were carrying a dead weight
Terrible and so disappointing , for the top of the PL , they played so poorly its not the UNITED i know.