Anything you can do, we can do better.
That was the emphatic message from Manchester United to neighbours and title rivals City, as Sir Alex Ferguson’s rampant side condemned Arsenal to their biggest defeat for 115 years to dislodge Roberto Mancini’s men at the top of the Premier League.
It was typical United to upstage their local rivals, who thought they had produced the performance of the day with their 5-1 mauling of Tottenham at White Hart Lane, only for Ferguson’s side to steal their thunder once again.
When City ended their 35-year wait for a trophy with victory in last season’s FA Cup, United upstaged them by claiming a record 19th title the same day, and it promises to be a thrilling title tussle between Manchester’s football tribes if they can both maintain this kind of form.
Arsenal may have been missing eight first-team players through injury and suspension, but such mitigation can only count for so much, certainly not the concession of eight goals in a performance which eclipsed the 6-1 defeat at Old Trafford in 2001 as Wenger’s worst day in the job.
The remarkable rout began when Anderson chipped a delightful ball over the Arsenal defence for Danny Welbeck, who out-muscled Johan Djourou to nod the ball over Wojciech Szczesny. The goal provided the platform for United’s subsequent demolition of Wenger’s side, who squandered a chance to draw level from the penalty spot when Jonny Evans was judged to have tugged back Theo Walcott.
Robin van Persie took the spot-kick but his effort had no conviction, David De Gea diving low to his right to turn the ball away, the miss setting the tone for Arsenal’s humiliating capitulation and Wenger’s darkest hour.
United capitalised on Van Persie’s penalty miss, Armand Traore’s weak header falling to Ashley Young, who sidestepped young Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin before curling a majestic right-foot shot beyond Szczesny. Despite trailing 2-0, Arsenal still had chances to get back into the game, De Gea performing a crucial double save, from Andrey Arshavin and Van Persie from the rebound.
Arshavin, booked earlier for a horrendous tackle on Phil Jones which could easily have been a straight red, should have gone for a similarly reckless challenge on Young.
There was agony for Welbeck when he pulled up with a hamstring strain chasing a long ball, the injury ending his game and ruling him out of England’s Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Wales.
Wayne Rooney, who had been a marauding presence, finally got the goal he deserved with an expertly-dispatched free-kick from the edge of the 18-yard box, Young his foil as the ball sailed past Szczesny to make it 3-1.
There was some brief respite for Arsenal when Tomas Rosicky released Walcott inside the United area, the England midfielder’s low angled shot going straight through De Gea’s legs.
Yet United refused to show their opponents any mercy, and buried Arsenal’s hapless players with a late flurry of goals. Rooney scored with a second free-kick, confirming his world-class ability from set-pieces.
He turned provider for Nani, the Portuguese winger showing the ease with which United dealt with their opponents by scoring with an impudent chip – a mixture of showmanship and technical brilliance.
United made it 6-1, Young squaring for sub Ji-Sung Park to apply an assured finish.
Van Persie plundered a second goal for Arsenal.
But Carl Jenkinson, booked previously for a foul on Young, was sent off for hauling down Javier Hernandez to earn a second caution.
And when Walcott brought down Patrice Evra, Rooney claimed his hat-trick with the resulting penalty.
Young claimed his second, another looping right-foot shot from the edge of the area in added time.
The first Manchester derby of the season, at Old Trafford on October 23, promises to be some occasion.
By David McDonnel, MirrorFootball.Co.Uk
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