Manchester United 8 Arsenal 2: Crushed and humiliated! Wenger in crisis as Rooney runs riot

Last updated at 12:49 AM on 29th August 2011

According to Gary Neville, Manchester United used to bully Arsenal physically. This, however, was more brutal than that; a far purer form of sporting torture that left Arsene Wenger and his players not only embarrassed but emasculated.

Arsenal were as bad as United were good, weakened by the absence of so many key players but weak-willed, too.

Where was that defiance and determination we saw only a few days earlier against Udinese? Where, more to the point, were Arsenal?

Here we go: Danny Welbeck (right) lifts the ball over Wojciech Szczesny to open the scoring at Old Trafford

MATCH STATS

Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Jones, Evans, Evra, Nani, Cleverley,
Anderson, Young, Rooney, Welbeck (Hernandez 35).

Subs Not Used: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Berbatov, Giggs, Park, Fabio Da Silva.

Scorers: Welbeck, Young, Rooney (3), Nani, Ji-sung

Booked: Evans, Young

Arsenal:Szczesny, Jenkinson, Djourou, Koscielny, Traore, Ramsey, Coquelin, Rosicky, Walcott, van Persie, Arshavin.

Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Oxlade Chamberlain, Chamakh, Lansbury, Miquel, Ozyakup,Sunu.

Scorers: Walcott, Van Persie

Booked: Arshavin, Jenkinson.

Sent off: Jenkinson

Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

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This looked like a team of imposters who had tied up the real players and emerged from the Old Trafford tunnel in their kit. A team even Wenger conceded had ‘collapsed’.

‘It was painful for us,’ he said, if not a broken man then a severely battered one.

Against a United side seemingly determined to match Manchester City stride for stride, they had no answer.

Inspired by Wayne Rooney, now back to the player he was prior to that ankle injury last year and the scorer of a marvellous hat-trick here yesterday, United were terrific.

Ashley Young was only marginally inferior to Rooney, scoring his first United goals to crown a quite exceptional display on the left wing. But then they were all outstanding yesterday, even if goalkeeper David de Gea managed to take the shine off an otherwise impressive display — including a penalty save — by allowing Theo Walcott to score through his legs.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s young side again showed a level of maturity way beyond their tender years. Phil Jones and Jonny Evans were superb in central defence; Tom Cleverley and Anderson were just as dominant in midfield.

Danny Welbeck was also growing in stature until a hamstring injury brought his afternoon to a premature end and ruled him out of England’s plans. He had scored the first goal, but when he went off Ferguson was could turn to Javier Hernandez.

Denied: David De Gea saves Robin Van Persie's penalty to keep United in the lead at Old Trafford

Compare that to Wenger’s first substitute, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, hugely promising but way out of his depth as a replacement for the equally ineffective Francis Coquelin.

These are the kind of players who highlight the need for Wenger to spend some money — and fast. Yes, there were eight players missing, among them Jack Wilshere, Alex Song and Gervinho. And yes, they lost Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri to richer, more attractive clubs.

Peach: Ashley Young curls the ball home to double United's advantage as they take control against Arsenal

But Wenger has to add strength and quality, if only to prevent more goals like Welbeck’s opener being conceded. Can you imagine Tony Adams or Sol Campbell bouncing off the young English striker the way Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny did here? They really did not look fit to wear the shirt, so pathetic were their attempts to win the ball.

Three and easy: Wayne Rooney bends home a free kick to put United three up against Arsenal

Wenger said Park Chu-young, the South Korean striker, would soon be arriving from Monaco. But he needs a Gary Cahill at the back and he needs a defensive midfielder too.

Back in it? Theo Walcott celebrates his goal but his joy was short lived as United soon took command again

United were as in control as Arsenal were out of control yesterday, with Andrey Arshavin lucky to escape with a yellow card for a shocking challenge on Jones and players arguing. Carl Jenkinson, eventually sent off for a second booking, was severely reprimanded by Walcott for allowing Patrice Evra to burst clear.

Who's a clever boy? Rooney of celebrates scoring his side's fourth goal with team mate Anderson

It was moments after their exchange that Welbeck got the 22nd-minute opener, shrugging off those challenges from the Arsenal centre halves to meet a delightful chip forward from Anderson with a header that looped over the advancing Wojciech Szczesny.

Within five minutes, Arsenal had the opportunity to equalised. Evans pulled down Walcott in the box and Howard Webb invited Robin van Persie to score from the penalty spot, but the Arsenal captain’s effort was poor and De Gea made a save that had the home supporters singing his name.

Five star: Nani salutes the crowd after putting United further in front against Arsenal

The miss proved all the more painful because of what followed two minutes later; a stunning 22-yard shot from Young that curled into the top corner.

Joy of six: Park Ji-sung (right) piles on the misery for Arsenal with yet another goal

Rooney made it three with another curling strike from a free-kick, his 150th goal for United. That Walcott then replied seconds before the break with a shot that De Gea should have dealt with did little to ease the sense that Arsenal were being annihilated.

Hat-trick hero: Rooney slots home a penalty to score his third, and United's seventh

Seeing red: Carl Jenkinson (left) is sent off after fouling Javier Hernandez

Manchester United 8 Arsenal 2: Match by numbers

Rooney scoring United’s fourth goal by employing the exact same free-kick routine in the 63rd minute must have been all the more galling. There was worse to come.

Nani beat Szczesny in the 67th minute with an outrageous chip — again Rooney was the creator — before sub Park Ji-sung shared a one-two with Young before driving home low for 6-1.

There was a brief riposte in the form of a volley from Van Persie.

Jenkinson was the provider of that but he then earned Arsenal’s third red card of the season for a foul on Hernandez.

When Walcott, now at right-back, then brought down Evra, Rooney completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, Young making it eight with a goal almost identical to his first in second-half stoppage time.

Afterwards, Wenger requested ‘more time’ before being written off as a spent force, and he has certainly earned it.

He also deserves more support from members of the Arsenal hierarchy, who had disappeared from the Old Trafford directors’ box long before referee Webb brought an end to the torture on the pitch.

Wenger needs to bring in reinforcements, if only to ease the suffering.

Thursday, September 15, 2011