Red Devils and Gunners's Clash!
Jan 3rd, 2006 by SkyLanD
"Forget the fact that Chelsea are virtually over the horizon - this game is still one of the most important of the season. Despite their position Arsenal are still a great team and hard to beat at home. Tonight's match is still a benchmark."
"不要去想切尔西现在有多大优势--这场比赛仍然还是本赛季最重要的一场! 尽管阿森纳的排名不理想, 但它仍然是支伟大的球队, 要在他们的主场击败他很难! 今晚的比赛仍是一次重大考验."
"United go into the game in rich domestic form, and Ferguson is confident his side is prepared for their final league visit to Highbury before the Gunners move to their new Emirates Stadium in the summer."
曼联将保持国内联赛的好状态挑战阿森纳, 弗格森对最后一场在海布利挑战阿森纳的比赛充满信心, 下赛季, 枪手将搬到新球场酋长球场Emirates Stadium."
Highbury Highlights: Five Of The Best
21st February, 1920: Arsenal 0-3 United
Shortly before the First World War, Woolwich Arsenal had moved to Highbury, dropped the ‘Woolwich’ bit from their name and been relegated from Division 1. On the league’s resumption after the war, for the 1919-20 season, they had engineered themselves a place in the top flight (at the expense of Spurs), despite finishing fifth in Division 2. Mutterings about ‘dirty dealings’ and allegations of money changing hands never came to anything, so Arsenal took up a place in the top division that they haven’t lost since. None of that mattered to United, however, as they travelled to Highbury for the first time on 21st February 1920 and won convincingly, 3-0.
1st February 1958: Arsenal 4-5 United
On 1st February 1958 United went to Highbury for a match which took on added significance with hindsight. Over 63,000 people packed into Arsenal’s ground but they saw United win a thrilling contest 5-4. Goals from Duncan Edwards, Bobby Charlton and Tommy Taylor established a 3-0 lead at half-time. United then proceeded to let Arsenal back into it; 15 minutes into the second half it was 3-3 – goals from David Herd and Jimmy Bloomfield (two) doing the damage. Dennis Viollet and a second from Taylor took United two goals clear, but Derek Tapscott kept Arsenal in the game. Thrilling stuff, with Edwards described as ‘a colossus’ by Arsenal goalkeeper Jack Kelsey. Five days later the Munich Air Disaster claimed the lives of eight United players among the 23 who were killed.
28th November 1990: Arsenal 2-6 United (League Cup 4th Round)
After a difficult first three seasons in charge, Alex Ferguson was thrown a lifeline by the 1990 FA Cup triumph. The next season they moved up to sixth place (from 13th the year before) and won the Cup Winners’ Cup. They should have made it a Cup double by adding the League Cup, but lost the final to Sheffield Wednesday. A highlight of the cup campaign, though, was beating Arsenal 6-2, the Gunners’ heaviest defeat at home since the war. The win came just weeks after the infamous Old Trafford brawl (which saw both sides docked League points) and came courtesy of a hat-trick from 19-year-old Lee Sharpe plus goals from Clayton Blackmore, Mark Hughes and Danny Wallace.
16th April 2003: Arsenal 2-2 United
There are no apologies for including this draw alongside nine of United’s best victories at Highbury – it certainly felt like a win at the time and subsequent events proved it had the same impact. All season United had kept an impressive Arsenal in their sights, never letting the Gunners open too big a gap. A sensational April – which included a 4-0 win over Liverpool and a 6-2 hammering of Newcastle – had finally given United the edge, but only by three points and with Arsenal having played one game fewer. And the game at Highbury was still to come. Clearly Arsenal were still confident of overhauling United, but the Reds had other plans. It was a storming game featuring four goals – United’s came courtesy of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first goal against Arsenal and a Ryan Giggs header – and a sending-off (Sol Campbell, for elbowing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer). Sir Alex Ferguson said afterwards that ‘from a neutral’s point of view it was absorbing. From a manager’s point of view, I need a good night’s sleep!’ Arsene Wenger’s team never recovered and United ultimately coasted on to another Premiership title.
1st February 2005: Arsenal 2-4 United
By last season it was clear that there was a new kid on the block and that Roman Abramovich’s money would enable Jose Mourinho to build a world-class team at Chelsea. But a double over Arsenal is always noteworthy (we’ve only had 14 of them in 86 years of league meetings). United’s 2-0 victory at Old Trafford had already ended Arsenal’s record unbeaten run amid yet more controversy over penalties awarded or not, but no-one expected the Reds to run riot at Highbury. Vieira and Bergkamp twice gave Arsenal the lead in the first half, but two goals in four minutes from Cristiano Ronaldo early in the second period put United in charge as they produced some of their best football of the season. Despite having Mikael Silvestre sent off for head-butting Freddie Ljungberg, United stayed on top and an outrageous chip from John O’Shea in the final minute sealed the points – and the bragging rights for last season.
尽管明天要考试, 今晚还是准备豁出去了, 笔记本已经准备好... 闹钟已经准备好, 4点准时起床看比赛.... 曼联不会让我失望...