We Won The League, In Manchester!

Time for the second look this week at a previous meeting of next Sunday's heavyweight opponents. I'm going back to May 2002 and the game that clinched Arsenal's third double. Could it have come anywhere better than the home of their greatest rivals of this era?

Arsenal were weakened by the absence of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Tony Adams, but the travelling fans were in confident mood, unveiling a flag reading 'Old Trafford - Champions Section'. That confidence was a hangover from four days previously, when Chelsea had been outplayed in the FA Cup Final.

The opening 45 minutes were played in a frantic atmosphere - and United were not afraid to put the foot in, as Scholes, Phil Neville, and Keane were shown considerable leniency by Paul Durkin after wild challenges.

Yet if United's intention was to disrupt the Gunners, the ploy definitely backfired. After comfortably negotiating the tempestuous first-half, Arsenal imposed their style on the contest in the second.

Three minutes after the interval Wiltord's cross almost found Edu, but the Brazilian's stretch was in vain, and a careless moment from Fabien Barthez almost let in Wiltord, but he was slow to take advantage of his fellow countryman's poor clearance.

After 55 minutes Wiltord scored the decisive goal. Mikael Silvestre carelessly gifted possession to Wiltord, who found Freddie Ljungberg on a trademark run from midfield. Higbury's favourite redhead beat Blanc before forcing a fine save from Barthez, but Wiltord was on hand to steer home the rebound.

Even the introduction of Van Nistelrooy as a late substitute failed to raise the attacking threat of the hosts, and the lucky travelling Gooners were soon celebrating the final whistle with the inevitable 'We won the league, in Manchester'.

Arsenal showed the resilience that complimented their silky style, and hopefully those traits will be in evidence again this weekend. I think we can safely assume that Mike Riley will be just as lenient as Durkin when the visitors 'mis-time their challenges'.