Filed under: Arsenal, Manchester United, Premier League, Football, Match Reports
Ji-Sung Park continued his hot streak against Arsenal to send Manchester United back to the top of the Premier League table.Park has now scored four times against the Gunners after his 41st minute header proved the difference in a tight affair at Old Trafford., which featured a rare penalty miss by Wayne Rooney.
Arsenal huffed and puffed but never looked like scoring as United extended their unbeaten run in the league - and knocked the Gunners off the summit in the process.
Sir Alex Ferguson sprung a shock by naming Dimitar Berbatov, who scored five goals in his last outing at Old Trafford, among the United substitutes.
The move was even all the more surprising given Arsenal were forced to hand a Premier League debut to rookie goalkeeper Woijciech Szczesny with Lukasz Fabianski deemed unfit.
There was a clear ploy for the hosts to test out the 20-year-old Pole, with Rooney and Nani quick to strike from long-range in a cagey start to the this top-of-the-table clash .
But after Nani had fired just wide, Szczesny was given no chance as the Portuguese winger created Park's 41st minute headed opener.
Gael Clichy let Nani run a run and when his did finally block the cross, the ball ballooned to the South Koeran winger who improvised to loop his header over Szczesny and in off the post.
Manchester United continued to look the more dangerous - with Anderson fluffing a chance to extend their lead as his 54th minute shot was blocked by Szczesny following Rooney's pass.
Yet with a slender one-goal in it this match was not beyond the Gunners as they served a warning. Samir Nasri's shot was parried by Edwin Van der Sar into the path of Chamakh, only for the Moroccan striker to send a scuffed shot that was diverted away by Rio Ferdinand.
After a mistake from the out-of-sorts Clichy, Nani drove over with Rooney pleading for a square pass in front of goal.
Arsene Wenger's response was to send on big-guns Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie to inject some life into his side.
Arsenal should have been put to bed when Clichy conceded a penalty after he was penalised for handball after going to ground under pressure from Nani.
Yet Rooney blazed his 73rd minute spot-kick over the bar to throw the visitors a lifeline that wasn't taken.
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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2010/12/13/man-united-1-arsenal-0-ji-sung-park-premier league/
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