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00:00Arsenal and Manchester United met for what was effectively a Premiership title decider at Highbury in mid-April 2003.
00:06The Gunners knew a win would send them back to the top of the table,
00:09whilst a victory for United would see them go six points clear of their great rivals
00:13and possibly put an end to Arsenal's hopes of retaining their Premiership crown.
00:20The home side had reserve keeper Stuart Taylor in goal for the clash,
00:24after David Seaman went down with a heavy cold.
00:28Arsene Wenger otherwise had no injury worries,
00:30as he fielded his strongest side to take on one of their great adversaries.
00:36There were recalls for Gilberto Silva, Robert Perez, Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp,
00:41who were all rested in the Gunners 1-0 FA Cup semi-final win over Sheffield United.
00:46Arsenal hadn't lost at home in the league since a defeat by Blackburn back in October.
00:52Alex Ferguson kept faith with the same United team that thrashed Newcastle 6-2 in their last game.
00:58That meant David Beckham was surprisingly left on the bench.
01:03United lined up with Ruud van Nistelrooy in attack,
01:05supported from deep by Paul Scholes, who'd netted a hat-trick in that win over Newcastle.
01:10The Red Devils were unbeaten in the league in their last 13 games.
01:15Highbury full to the rafters, Mark Halsey the man in charge,
01:18Alan Parry the commentator.
01:23It's going to be Manchester United to get us underway then in the match they are calling the title decider.
01:31Of course, with five games to go for one of these clubs and four for the others after tonight,
01:36it's not going to be quite as crucial as that.
01:40But everyone agrees that this will set the scene for what follows.
01:45As Ryan Giggs gets back to do his defensive duties there,
01:49up against Ashley Cole, restored only recently of course,
01:53into the Arsenal line-up after a hernia operation.
01:57He came back for the FA Cup semi-final at the weekend.
02:00Perez also back in the starting line-up.
02:03He's been out with an ankle problem and didn't play in that semi-final.
02:09The opening exchange is so important here when the teams clashed in the FA Cup at Old Trafford in February.
02:16It was a stormy opening and referee Jeff Winter laid down the law with three yellow cards early on.
02:24Here's Thierry Henry.
02:27The ball forward to Cole.
02:30Lovely skill, but the cross not good enough.
02:33However, a second opportunity for Perez.
02:36Manchester United deal with the first real threat.
02:54Terrific pace and movement from both sets of players early on here.
02:59As Scholes made life difficult for Lauren.
03:02Keone to his rescue.
03:04And now the Cameroon International is checked by Keane.
03:09It'll be interesting to see exactly when the referee does produce the night's first yellow card.
03:14Because I'm pretty certain that we won't go through this evening without some kind of caution.
03:19But at the moment, Mark Halsey feels it's sufficient just to say a word of admonishment to the Manchester United
03:27skipper.
03:28Who's always in the thick of things in these high-profile games.
03:37Patrick Vieira.
03:39Tall, powerful figure.
03:41Closely marked by both Brown and Ferdinand.
03:44Thierry Henry will take the free kick.
03:49Clever bend on it, but it was O'Shea who got it away.
03:51Henry winning the header back again.
03:54And then Sylvester has given it away to Robert Pires.
03:58Vieira.
04:01Vieira going in a bit late.
04:03But again, the referee happy to wave play on.
04:06Wes Brown for Manchester United.
04:12Niki Butt.
04:13He showed the ball to Vieira.
04:15And his tackle has earned Manchester United a free kick.
04:31A little consultation over the ball before Scholes plays it back rather hurriedly to Keane.
04:37I don't think that one was straight out of the textbook.
04:42And Nistaroy has hardly had a kick yet.
04:46Good play by Brown.
04:47And now by Niki Butt out to Solskjaer.
04:50And Nistaroy moving.
04:51It's Scholes behind him.
04:52First glimmer of an opening in the game.
04:54Inside the opening.
04:56Nine minutes for a man.
04:57Bang in form.
04:59Paul Scholes.
04:59Who got a hat-trick, of course, against Newcastle at the weekend.
05:04Taking him on to 17 goals.
05:06The best total of his Manchester United career.
05:09And by his standards.
05:10And he knows it.
05:12That was a real opportunity.
05:18Dennis Bergkamp's header.
05:21Away by O'Shea.
05:25Ferdinand taking no risks.
05:27Nor did Campbell at the other end.
05:29But his header against Solskjaer has given United the throw.
05:35Third of three massive away games this for United.
05:38They were beaten.
05:40And given a football lesson by Real Madrid in the Champions League.
05:43Then they gave Newcastle a lesson in the Premier League at the weekend.
05:46With that 6-2 win.
05:49Oh, the flick through to Van Nistaroy.
05:52Well, you would have put money and a lot of it.
05:56On Rude Van Nistaroy scoring here.
05:59Arsenal, I think, were expecting an offside flag.
06:02They moved up.
06:03But quite clearly, the Dutchman timed his run to perfection.
06:06And had it not been for the on-rushing Taylor.
06:10That would have been a tap-in for Van Nistaroy.
06:13And I think the presence of the goalkeeper.
06:15Right on his toes there.
06:17Must have had an effect on Van Nistaroy then.
06:21But we are talking here.
06:22About one of the great goal scorers in world football.
06:25So that's a bad miss.
06:27And following on Paul Scholes earlier in the half.
06:30Now, Arsenal will be feeling it could be their lucky night.
06:36Giggs, meanwhile.
06:39Nicky Butts, surely you can't give this many chances to Manchester United.
06:43And expect them to keep on missing them.
06:47Two guilt-edged opportunities have been scorned by United.
06:56Cole.
06:59Oh, terrific run again by Perez.
07:03Forced into the corner by Brown and then barged over.
07:06Free kick.
07:09Almost midway through the first half of this epic Barclay Guard-English Premier League match.
07:16The game that all the press here has been billing as a title decider.
07:20And it is still Arsenal 0-0.
07:22Manchester United 0-0.
07:25Campbell comes forward.
07:27To join Vieira.
07:29On the near post area.
07:30Now he's peeled away.
07:31And got the header in.
07:32But no real power on it.
07:34Should have done better really there.
07:35So Campbell.
07:36He had a definite sighting of goal.
07:40I'm surprised he doesn't get more goals from set pieces, Campbell.
07:45Three he scored this season.
07:48Here's Nicky Bott.
07:53Too long for Paul Scholes.
08:01I'm sure Manchester United fans all around the world will be thinking to themselves.
08:06We should be in the lead here.
08:08Scholes is headed early on.
08:11And then that miss by Ruud van Nistelrooy a few moments ago.
08:23There hasn't been a genuine save to make for either goalkeeper as yet.
08:30I say ugly enough because you wouldn't believe that in view of the start that both teams have made here.
08:50Ruud van Nistelrooy back again to Ryan Giggs.
08:54Van Nistelrooy.
08:55That's brilliant.
08:56Ruud van Nistelrooy surely won't miss again.
08:59No way.
09:01Ruud van Nistelrooy gives Manchester United the lead.
09:07He doesn't like the easy tap-ins.
09:10They've got to be classics for him.
09:13Campbell won't appreciate that.
09:15He was made to look second rate by Ruud van Nistelrooy.
09:20Who has just scored his 37th goal of a quite amazing season.
09:28Brilliant.
09:32A wonderful finish at the end of a wonderful run.
09:39There was nothing Taylor could do this time to stop him.
09:43And nothing anyone could do to keep him on his seat.
09:56Off skulls for an Arsenal throw.
10:01And it looks like we are going to get an early change here for Arsenal.
10:05They do.
10:06The Brazilian getting ready.
10:10I don't know whether Vieira's suffering again from the leg injury that made him a big doubt for tonight.
10:16And obviously forced him to go off in the semi-final at the weekend.
10:21We shall see.
10:23Henri.
10:25Cleared by Ferdinand.
10:27Van Nistelrooy.
10:28That was handball, I thought.
10:29The referee says play on.
10:30The right decision.
10:31Bergkamp shot.
10:33And Barthez had just got stranded off his line slightly there.
10:36Scrambled back in panic.
10:39I believe to see the ball go over him.
10:42Yes, it clearly is going to be Vieira.
10:45What a blow for Arsenal.
10:47Frustration as he chucks the captain's armband to Martin Keogh.
10:53For the second successive game.
10:57Arsenal's main man in midfield has to leave the field because of a knee injury.
11:03He lasted 56 minutes of the FA Cup semi-final at the weekend.
11:08He's only lasted, what, 33 minutes here tonight.
11:22There's a certain nervousness perhaps about Arsenal's play that isn't evident when Manchester United have the ball.
11:29And that was even the case, I think, before they scored.
11:35United are up for this.
11:37They're in the mood.
11:39I know they've got Arsenal on the back foot.
11:41We've got them where we want them.
11:43There's the war cry from Sir Alex before the match.
11:48They do.
11:48The ball back in.
11:49Danger here as Barthez took a big risk in coming that far from goal.
11:54But again, got away with it.
12:00If he'd have mistimed that challenge, anything could have happened.
12:03The ball could have run loose.
12:04He could have even given away a penalty kick.
12:07He does play on the edge, doesn't he?
12:12Routine save for him that time.
12:18Into the final 30 seconds and there will be a minute of stoppage time, that's all.
12:24Which just indicates how fast this game has been and how little stoppage time has been necessary.
12:38Cole.
12:40Risky with Van Nistelrooy around.
12:48A very unlikely route to an equalising goal.
12:52He stumbled at that moment and it looked as though the chance had gone, he kept going.
12:57And Barthez was fooled.
12:59It might have clipped off the heel of Henri.
13:02Let's have another little look.
13:04It did.
13:05It hit his own player and that was enough to fool Barthez.
13:11As Solskjaer crosses meanwhile and almost picked out Van Nistelrooy.
13:15Well, I guess as a goalscorer you're going to claim them all.
13:19So officially that has to be Thierry Henry's strike.
13:23And that would make him now on 28 goals for the season.
13:2820 of them in the Premier League.
13:31Here's Giggs meantime for United.
13:34Rocked by the unexpected nature of that equaliser.
13:37But looking to hit back straight away.
13:40And young Taylor with an excellent save.
13:43And suddenly now, the force is with Arsenal again.
13:50Well, isn't it amazing how one little incident like that that leads to a goal, one stroke of good fortune,
13:57can alter the whole perspective of a game of football.
14:01And that's what it's done.
14:03But here come United again on the break with Giggs.
14:07Van Nistelrooy to his right.
14:10It's not a bad ball.
14:11He had a Mnistelrooy on the far post waiting for the cross that never came in from Miguel Silvestre.
14:18But it did, but not in the right direction.
14:24Very strange goal, wasn't it?
14:26In all respects.
14:32It's now Arsenal 1, Manchester United 1.
14:36Thierry Henry.
14:38Who scored the goal without knowing much about it.
14:41Wins the ball back cleverly.
14:43Now Nicky Butt to United.
14:50And Arsenal are even getting the little decisions now, like throw-ins.
14:54Nicky Butt complains.
14:57They've already gone on with it.
14:58Thierry Henry.
15:02Across to no one in particular.
15:03And Gary Neville.
15:05Well, credit to him in the end.
15:07He cleared the danger, but it was a risky thing to do.
15:20Well, that's a lovely ball.
15:21And here's the chance to go in the lead.
15:24And Henry has taken it.
15:25Incredible turnaround at Highbury.
15:29How important will that goal be?
15:33Thierry Henry.
15:35And this time, there's no doubt about who scored it.
15:39And Arsenal, in the space of 17 second and a half minutes, have turned a one-goal deficit into a
15:492-1 lead.
15:51United players complaining that maybe the goal scorer was offside, but there was no question about the ice-cool nature
16:01of his finish.
16:02That was the moment the ball was played.
16:05And I'll tell you what, I think the linesman might have got that wrong.
16:09He certainly looked from that picture to be in an offside position when the ball was played.
16:14And he went on and found the net.
16:18And United have got a just cause for complaint.
16:22As Solskjaer crosses, it's a great ball in.
16:24Oh, what a game this is.
16:27Straight away, they've hit back with Ryan Giggs.
16:31Game of the season, you bet it is.
16:35And there's still almost half an hour to go.
16:42Unbelievable stuff at Highbury.
16:45Just as they were still debating the goal they conceded.
16:49Within 90 seconds, United have gone down the other end and scored themselves.
16:56Ryan Giggs, header, beating the despairing dive of Stuart Taylor.
17:08Enger, who does not normally lose his cool, is beginning to look like a man under pressure.
17:20Ryan Giggs, not exactly a noted header of the ball, though he has scored a few with his head in
17:24his career.
17:26As Henri wins it back, and the foul has been given.
17:29We could have had another goal.
17:31But the free kick had already been signalled by Mr. Halsey.
17:36Before the ball hit the back of the net.
17:39What a spectacular few minutes football we've had here.
17:472-2.
17:49And Wenger is still furious about the manner in which his team lost concentration.
17:56And it's getting a little bit ragged now as fatigue creeps in.
18:00But suddenly, Manchester United switch the play to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
18:04Oh, good defending.
18:05He's not had the best night, not by any means.
18:09Sol Campbell.
18:09Well, he might have used an elbow then on Solskjaer.
18:14Now then, the linesman saw something because he's indicated a free kick.
18:22What he saw, we're about to discover.
18:28I must say, it looks suspiciously as though the Arsenal man had used his elbow, shall we say, to hold
18:36off the challenge.
18:40Was it deliberate?
18:42And how serious was it?
18:50Well, you heard the words, deliberate elbow in the face.
18:54That's got to be a red card.
18:56A unique insight there.
18:58I don't think I've ever heard that kind of discussion between lines with a referee before.
19:02It is red.
19:07And that, it goes without saying, is a very serious blow to Arsenal.
19:15Not just tonight.
19:17He will be banned for three matches for violent conduct.
19:25And yet again, the meeting of the two giants of English football has ended acrimoniously.
19:32Now, I don't know how much contact he made there.
19:35But he certainly, for me, did exactly what the linesman said in pushing his arm and his elbow towards Ole
19:44Gunnar Solskjaer.
19:46It's yet another red card.
19:50The 48th player sent off in the seven seasons since Arsene Wenger took control.
19:56The fourth Arsenal player dismissed this season.
20:00And I repeat, unless there's some kind of appeal, he will be banned for three games.
20:07That's the punishment.
20:08And that's the frustration for Campbell.
20:13Still time for a winner.
20:15Giggs has given it away.
20:17Cano.
20:18Arsenal desperately need a winner.
20:22United's need is not quite so urgent, I would suggest, now.
20:26Because if he finishes like this, Arsene Wenger's team are still going to be three points behind their greatest rivals.
20:37They do, of course, have a game in hand because of their FA Cup semi-final involvement.
20:43The dice will be loaded against them, unless they can get something now.
20:47And here's the man who can.
20:48Oh, Henry denied by Barthez in stoppage time.
20:54What would have been the winner and what would have been his hat-trick.
20:59And still they come forward with Henry.
21:05Dangerous ball in, but nobody went to the near post to meet it apart from Barthez.
21:11There can only be seconds remaining now.
21:16Free kick has gone against the Arsenal man.
21:21And I don't think I have ever seen Wenger quite as angry as he has been on the touchline tonight.
21:29And that's the sign of frustration.
21:30I think that's the sign.
21:32He knows the title is ebbing away.
21:34And there's the final whistle.
21:37It's been a marvellous night.
21:40A score at Highbury.
21:42Arsenal 2.
21:43Manchester United 2.
21:46A cracking match with both sides refusing to budge an inch in their search for Premiership glory.
21:52The draw meant that Arsenal were playing catch-up to their North West rivals.
21:55And they were unable to do so.
21:57As a draw with Bolton and a crucial defeat to Leeds meant they had to settle for second place.
22:03Manchester United's form at the back end of that Premiership season was relentless.
22:07They went on to win their remaining four league fixtures and secure the Premiership crown.
22:12Despite being behind Arsenal for much of the season.
22:15The Hereby's the
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