Determined Arsenal united for quick return to Manchester

Wenger usually fields a reserve side in the competition, which is probably just as well as most of his first team are probably still recovering from the physical battering and mental stress they endured when losing 2-0 to surrender their record 49-match unbeaten run.

Predictably, the aftermath of Sunday’s game has been as dramatic as the match, following on from last year’s angry confrontation which resulted in four Arsenal players being suspended and the club getting heavily fined.

The immediate fallout from Sunday’s match involves Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has been asked by the Football Association to explain the comments he made about referee Mike Riley and United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Van Nistelrooy has also been charged with serious foulplay for a challenge on Ashley Cole.

Wenger was incensed for the way Riley handled the game, notably for failing to send off Rio Ferdinand for a body-check on Fredrik Ljungberg and for awarding United a penalty when it appeared Sol Campbell had made minimal contact with Wayne Rooney as his England teammate fell in the box.

Van Nistelrooy converted the spot-kick to give United the lead, then Rooney celebrated his 19th birthday with a stoppage-time second, his first Premier League goal for his new club.

Both teams have also been accused of a fracas in the tunnel, with one Arsenal player allegedly throwing soup over United manager Alex Ferguson and a member of the Arsenal staff being punched in the face.

All this is par for the course when United face Arsenal these days — but it is nothing new. As long ago as 1990-91 players from both sides fought on the pitch and even though Arsenal were docked points for their part in the incident they still won the title. That is also likely to be the outcome this season.

Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira told the club’s website on Monday: ‘‘We feel stronger than ever and our character is just so great we will bounce back in our next game. The main thing is that we are still top. We are eight points ahead of Manchester United and two ahead of Chelsea so we are still in a strong position. If you asked those two sides where they’d want to be right now I think they would still say where we are.’’

After the League Cup diversion against City, Arsenal return to league action on Saturday against Southampton at Highbury.

Despite Sunday’s setback, Arsenal remain firm favourites to retain the league title.

Wenger always said the unsavoury finish to last season’s goalless draw at Old Trafford was the catalyst for his team’s success as they went on to win the league without losing a match.

If they responded like that to a draw, their opponents can only shudder at the thought of what defeat might mean to their team spirit and determination.

(Reuters)