Manchester United leave Arsenal’s title bid in tatters

Arsenal 1 Manchester United 3. Arsenal's Premier League challenge has been left in tatters by an irresistible performance from Manchester United. The Reds humiliated the Gunners in front of a stunned Emirates crowd in a result that made a mockery of Arsenal's title aspirations.

For United the stunning victory might well prove the launchpad for yet another league title - they now lie one point behind leaders Chelsea with a game in hand - while Arsene Wenger must somehow lift his players after this demoralising defeat.

"We made massive individual errors and this is a massive disappointment for us, but we have to stick together," said Wenger afterwards. "We were poor and know we can do much better than that. We are conscious that we didn't deliver the game that was expected from us. When you're completely off the mark it's impossible to win the game. We must prepare to come back stronger. It's our job not to feel sorry for ourselves."

Make no mistake, this was a crushing defeat for Arsenal, engineered by scintillating displays from Wayne Rooney and Nani, the latter playing arguably his finest game in a United shirt. It was his brilliance on 33 minutes that started the rout, and he then combined beautifully with Rooney for the Englishman to score his 100th premier League goal and his 20th of this season's campaign. Ji-Sung Park scored the third early in the second half, while Thomas Vermaelen's strike ten minutes from time didn't even deserve to be called a consolation goal. Nothing could console the Arsenal faithful as they exited the Emirates, and their team, perhaps, the title race

Yet the Gunners had actually started the sharper of the two, with Cesc Fabregas quickly on his game, chipping Wes Brown in the third minute to send Andrey Arshavin clear, but the Russian's effort went wide of the far post.

Ten minutes later Arshavin turned Brown inside out down the left flank but again the right-foot finish let him down. Shortly afterwards Arshavin had another good chance, but kicked the air instead of the ball, and Fabregas could do little better as the ball bobbled loose in the United box.

And then United found their rhythm. First Darren Fletcher picked out Paul Scholes on 26 minutes with a peach of a pass, but William Gallas just managed to get his body in the way as the ginger midfielder prepared to pull the trigger. Two minutes later Nani directed a shot just wide of Arsenal's left-hand post.

Nani soon made amends for his miss with a few seconds of sorcery that would have made Ronaldo proud. Ghosting between two Arsenal defenders on the right-hand side of the Arsenal penalty area, the Portuguese winger just kept the ball from going over the deadball line and then lifted it over Manuel Almunia and towards the waiting Ji-Sung Park. The despairing Almunia reached for the ball with an outstretched hand but could do nothing more than flap it into his own goal.

The goal that followed five minutes later was even better. Arsenal had come straight back at United but the visitors' defence held firm and the ball fell to Rooney just outside his own area. He tore upfield, laying the ball right to Nani as he did so, and the pair continued to surge towards the Arsenal area. Nani's return pass was swept majestically by Rooney into the net for a strong contender for goal of the season.

Rooney and Nani – and Scholes – combined superbly a few minutes later to almost make it 3-0, but the Portuguese star drilled his shot inches wide of Almunia's right-hand post.

When the third did come, on 53 minutes, it was grim proof for the home fans of their side's capitulation. Michael Carrick fed Ji-Sung Park a few yards inside the Arsenal half and the South Korean was allowed a free run at goal, which he finished with a cool shot that ended up in the back of the Arsenal net.

Rooney and Nani continued to torment their hosts, and only a diving block from Gael Clichy prevented Nani from making it four. Arsenal pulled one back on 80 minutes when Vermaelen's 18-yard volley deflected off Jonny Evans and past Edwin Van der Sar. But not even that could wipe the smile from Alex Ferguson's face as he paid tribute to Nani. "The boy has come back after injury and has freshened up," the United boss said.  "His last three games have been absolutely first class but today was his best. Maturity is why we're seeing the best of him now.  He's a very shy boy and maybe his personality is getting stronger."

Nani helped inflict Arsenal's first league defeat since their 3-0 home hammering on November 29 by Chelsea, whom the Gunners meet on Sunday at Stamford Bridge. "Chelsea is a good opportunity to show we are united and strong," said Wenger of a match that will either make or break his young side.

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