FA must act against Arsenal
Arsene Wenger should be glad there is no drug testing for managers - because someone must have slipped something into his half-time cuppa. The Arsenal boss is normally Monsieur Magoo, the man with the worst case of selective myopia in medical history. But by the final ten minutes, not only had his vision assumed a crystal clarity, he also appeared to be hallucinating. He managed to see Ruud van Nistelrooy attempt to stamp on Patrick Vieira, something that 67,000 spectators, and millions of TV viewers, managed to miss. No doubt his new-found vision had deserted him by the final whistle when Arsenal´s behaviour was, to put it mildly, a disgrace. The antics of Martin Keown, Ashley Cole, Kolo Toure and Ray Parlour, as they goaded and taunted van Nistelrooy, even hitting and shoving the United man, would be pathetic if it wasn´t so distasteful. If it had happened in the street, it would constitute an assault, and referee Steve Bennett should have red-carded all four, even after the final whistle.
Stuart Brennan, Manchester Evening News
You cheat - United 0 Arsenal 0
Arsene Wenger called Ruud van Nistelrooy a cheat after the Clash of the Titans erupted into open war at Old Trafford. And United boss Alex Ferguson then demanded the FA hammer the Gunners for attacking Van Nistelrooy at the end. The Dutchman, who missed a late penalty, was pushed and jostled by FOUR Arsenal players. He had been at the centre of the 80th-minute incident when Arsenal felt he overreacted to Patrick Vieira kicking out at him. The United striker jumped backwards and the Gunners skipper was sent off for a second yellow card. Wenger said: “Nistelrooy fouled Patrick first and then hit him with his legs so he should have gone as well. He is a great player but he always has an attitude to dive and provoke people."
Neil Custis, The Sun
Arsenal are out of order
The front of the Manchester United match programme provided a bit of a hint. “Flash, bang, wallop! Handbags, head wounds and humdingers . . . United v Arsenal photo special.” And inside we had a rundown of some of the great fights that passed for football matches between the two old rivals down the years. The 21-man brawl at Old Trafford in October 1990 that ended with United docked one point and the Gunners two. Nigel Winterburn pointing a finger at Eric Cantona as the Frenchman was shown his second red card in four days at Highbury three years later. And all the way up to the present day with a picture of Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira in a mid-air collision at the Community Shield curtain-raiser in Cardiff. Except that snap was taken before the action really started with Sol Campbell kicking out at Eric Djemba-Djemba and Frannie Jeffers sent off. So we cannot say we were not warned. Except that the events at the end of a match yesterday that saw eights bookings and a red card for Vieira was probably worse than anything we had seen before.
Steven Howard, The Sun
United 0 Arsenal 0
Arsene Wenger called on Arsenal to mix it with United. He got his wish, with the game finishing with all-out mayhem. CRASH! Martin Keown cracked Ruud Van Nistelrooy on the head after the United striker had missed an injury-time penalty. WALLOP! Lauren appeared to tread on the striker’s ankle and push him. BANG! Ray Parlour smacked the Dutchman in the ribs. OUCH! Ashley Cole barged into him. Young Cristiano Ronaldo was then involved in a flare-up and just about every player seemed to get stuck in.
Sports staff, The Sun
Out of control
Arsenal will be charged by the FA today for the disgraceful and violent conduct of their players at the end of yesterday´s ill-tempered clash at Old Trafford. Ruud van Nistelrooy was struck by Martin Keown, Ray Parlour and Lauren at the final whistle after the Dutchman´s role in the 80th-minute controversy which led to Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira´s dismissal. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson branded Arsenal´s behaviour at the end " beyond the pale" and called for the FA to investigate their bullying conduct which marred the game. And in a further twist, Vieira branded van Nistelrooy a cheat for the over-reaction which led to the eighth red card of his career and sparked the ugly scenes between both sides. Television replays clearly showed Vieira made no contact with van Nistelrooy and the Frenchman said: " I am really angry with Ruud, not the referee. Ruud made more of the challenge than he should have done, and in that way he cheated. He tried to stamp on me."
Sports staff, The Sun
Shame on you Arsene
When you are a manager you have to defend most things, even if you know you are in the wrong. But if you start to condone the sort of shameful conduct that Arsene Wenger sought to excuse at Old Trafford last night, then you deserve to have your reputation equally sullied. Arsenal had justification for their joy at surviving Patrick Vieira´s red card and Ruud van Nistelrooy´s controversial injury-time penalty to claim a point that proved the Gunners are not a spent force by any means. Yet what ensued after Steve Bennett blew for full-time was nothing short of scandalous. Martin Keown may or may not have intended his elbow to land on van Nistelrooy´s head as he celebrated the point. But in choosing to cavort around the Dutchman, Keown sparked the disgraceful scenes that will rightly land the Gunners with an FA charge of " failing to control their players".
Martin Lipton, Daily Mirror
This is war
Arsene Wenger labelled Ruud van Nistelrooy a cheat while Sir Alex Ferguson called on the Football Association to punish Arsenal as the big two ended in a brawl and bitter recriminations. FA disciplinary chief are sure to call both clubs to account over the disgraceful scenes that marred their goalless draw at Old Trafford. Wenger was fuming after Van Nistelrooy had feigned being struck by Patrick Vieira when the Gunners skipper clearly made no contact. But referee Steve Bennett who had booked Vieira moments earlier for a foul, felt the intent from the volatile Frenchman was enough and showed him a second yellow and then a red. Ferguson was also livid after seeing Martin Keown, Ray Parlour and Lauren surround Van Nistelrooy and bait him for missing a stoppage-time penalty.
Richard Tanner, Daily Express
Shamed
Martin Keown faces an FA disciplinary charge after the disgraceful scenes that followed Ruud van Nistelrooy´s injury-time penalty miss in an explosive goalless draw between Manchester United and Arsenal yesterday. Veteran defender Keown hit Van Nistelrooy on the back of the head as he led a pack of celebrating Arsenal players who taunted and jostled the Holland striker when he ran back towards the centre circle.
Peter Ferguson, Daily Mail
Yobbish Arsenal were no victims
Arsenal will complain they are being victimised, but Patrick Vieira only has himself to blame for his club´s latest red card shame which triggered more ugly scenes. Once again Arsene Wenger´s sode completely lost their composure. They are top of the Premiership but yesterday at Old Trafford they set all the wrong examples. This is not how big teams, big players behave, and Wenger has to take responsibility for his side´s yobbish behaviour.
Brian Woolnough, Daily Star
pour resumer honte a arsenal qui doit etre sanctionne tres severement pour ce qu´ils ont fait .
