Title race wide open?

Well, no to be honest, but bloody hell did it feel good to do the domestic double over Man Yoo for the first time since 97-98 (as memory serves, and look what happened that season). However, whilst we were also 12 points back at one point that year, we had a game in hand, and there weren't three clubs sitting above us. That said, the results at the weekend have left the top of the table as interesting as it has been for many a year at this stage of the season.

Whilst the game was not the peak of technical attacking excellence that many a neutral will have been hoping for, I thought it was a full blooded, frenzied example of the Premiership's top teams going at it hell for leather at each other. Clear cut chances may have been at a premium, but there was some nice football on show (most notably from Fabregas, who is just a cut above) and some crunching tackles. Both teams defended very well, the goals scored aside, and I thought it was a cracking game.

It's days like this that make you glad you know so many Man Yoo fans (I think we all know our fair share), and it's rare that after a defeat, you find so many of them as gracious as I did yesterday afternoon. It was similar after the game at Old Trafford, and whilst I think that a draw would've been a fair result yesterday, we did enough to win it.

Thierry got man of the match, which is really quite beyond me. He maybe (I'm still not sure myself) should have had a penalty, and he scored a fine header, but other than that he was completely anonymous (as was Rooney, save for his goal and a fine strike that Jens tipped on to the bar). Personally I might have given it to Evra, who was excellent (although both Arsenal goals came from his side), or Ferdinand, or Fabregas. Sky's refusal to consider a player from the losing team as man of the match is ridiculous, especially in a game that was as tight as this.

I have to say that I was fairly unimpressed with a number of individual performances, particularly from the attacking players, although this might have something to do with the excellent defensive performances put in by both sides. Hleb had another of his "I want to play centre mid" games, and Adebayor brought nothing to our game (other than a quality cross for Henry in the first half. I'm getting really bored of people raving about him because he "runs his heart out". I saw plenty of examples of him loping around the pitch yesterday). On the United side I thought that both Carrick and Scholes contributed very little in an attacking sense, and I couldn't believe that the Ronaldo that turned up is the prohibitive favourite for player of the year.

I've been saying for a while now, within my circle of football-loving friends, that spaghetti head is yet to do it against the big clubs, in the big games, or on the big stage. He had a poor World Cup (where he was upstaged by the geriatric Luis Figo), has brought nothing of note to this year's Champion's League campaign (although neither did the other United players) and has not done the business against Arsenal (twice), Liverpool or Chelsea. As this is a claim that was put against Henry for a long time (which there is now stacks of evidence to disprove, but that's another argument) I think it's a little premature to carp on about him being the best player in the world right now. I'm sure he'll go on to put in top class performances against real opposition in games with real pressure, but he hasn't done it yet. He did nothing against us yesterday, for all his tricks and touches. I honestly can't remember him beating a player.

As mentioned earlier, I think that both back fours did well (Clichy gave a very good account of himself against both Giggs and Ronaldo) although Eboue's despicable gamesmanship flared up again. I really am growing a strong dislike for what seems like our first choice right back, and if he hadn't delivered a fantastic cross for the winner I would have been demanding to know why Hoyte was dropped.

The bad news that has tempered my mood following yesterday's huge win is that Robin van Beast, the lad who started our comeback, has broken his fifth metatarsal and it looks like we'll be without him until sometime in March. Considering he's our top scorer so far this season (and has weighed in heavily with assists as well) it's a body blow to the rest of our season, and my flat mate Jim the bindipper must be regretting not taking me up on £20 bet to see who would score more this season, RvP or Sloth's ugly brother (Dirk Kuyt for the remedial amongst you). I thought Robin's goal was the pick of the three yesterday, less for the finish, which was quality, but more for the way that Rosicky and Cesc battled to win the ball on the right hand side. More of that please lads.

So, the Spuds midweek in the League Cup. Shrek senior is already moaning about decisions that went against his (completely outclassed) side when we met last in the league, expect more before the game on Wednesday. I hope we send out the same side that destroyed Liverpool in the League Cup and give the Spuds' first XI a tanking.

Come on you Gunners.