Liverpool triumph 3-2 at Fulham
LONDON: Arsene Wenger acknowledged the 5-1 thrashing by Liverpool at the weekend forced his Arsenal side to retreat into their shells to avoid defeat at all cost against Manchester United in the Premier League on Wednesday.
The Londoners would have gone top with a win against the champions but few chances were created in a disappointing 0-0 draw at the Emirates.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s surge towards a first league title since 1990 continued when they beat Fulham 3-2 with a last-minute penalty.
The most open Premier League championship race for years continued on a wild and windy night across Britain, leaving Chelsea top, just seven points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur who chalked up a superb 4-0 win at Newcastle United.
The other match that survived the weather ended in a 1-1 draw between Stoke City and Swansea, a result that left both sides mired in the equally tight battle to avoid the drop.
The storms caused Manchester City’s game against Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium and Everton’s match at Goodison Park against Crystal Palace to be postponed because of dangerously high winds.
Former Arsenal man Robin van Persie almost stole victory for United with a late header that drew a breathtaking one-handed save from Wojciech Szczesny.
“Our defensive focus was extreme today because we conceded so many goals on Saturday. It was important not to lose tonight,” manager Wenger told reporters.
“United restricted us to very few chances but our team was highly focused not to concede tonight and maybe that restricted our game going forward.”
Arsenal are second, one point behind Chelsea, while United are seventh, 15 points off the pace.
Wenger’s side have taken just five points in six games against Chelsea, Manchester City (in third place), Liverpool (fourth) and United.
Arsenal let in four goals in the opening 20 minutes against Liverpool and Mikel Arteta’s mistake after 90 seconds almost led to another early setback.
Szczesny, however, saved the home side from another terrible start by guessing the right way as Van Persie shot from close range with his favoured left foot.
Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, who caused United captain Nemanja Vidic problems in the air all evening, missed a clear header from eight metres following a Santi Cazorla corner soon after.
Good chances, though, were few and far between in a dislocated and often frantic first half between two sides searching for their best form.
Mesut Ozil, Arsenal’s buy from Real Madrid in August, was more involved than at Anfield at the weekend.
Van Persie, returning to the club he represented for eight seasons, shot across goal when well placed after 18 minutes but United again failed to make the most of new midfield signing Juan Mata.
Jack Wilshere was at the core of most of Arsenal’s best moments and received consistently rough treatment from the visitors.
United full back Rafael, injured in an aerial challenge with Giroud, was replaced by Rio Ferdinand for the second half which triggered a reshuffle of the back line but the match followed the same pattern of high tempo movement but little penetration and no end product.
Laurent Koscielny had a header from a corner cleared from under the United crossbar by Antonio Valencia after 63 minutes and Giroud narrowly failed to connect with a cross in front of goal.
Arsenal were robbed of possession and suddenly Van Persie came to life. He fed Wayne Rooney and raced into the area where he met the England forward’s cross with a meaty header which the Polish keeper pushed on to the bar and away.
David De Gea was then forced into a diving one-handed save to thwart Santi Cazorla late on and, as the 90 minutes ended, the United goalkeeper plunged to keep out another low effort from the Spaniard.
Moyes refused to accept United were out of the running for the Champions League places despite being 11 points behind fourth-placed Liverpool with 12 games to play.
The most dramatic game of the night was played at Craven Cottage where bottom-of-the-table Fulham, who forced a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday, twice led against Liverpool who were heavily fancied to win following their 5-1 demolition of Arsenal on Saturday.
It was Fulham who took the lead when defender Kolo Toure, guilty of a terrible error that cost Liverpool victory at West Brom earlier this month, sliced the ball into his own net after eight minutes.
Daniel Sturridge equalised, scoring for the eighth successive match, four minutes before the break before Fulham stunned the visitors by going ahead again through Kieran Richardson.
Brendan Rodgers’s side equalised for a second time when Philippe Coutinho found the net from 20 metres in the 72nd minute.
Sascha Reither then brought down Sturridge in stoppage time and skipper Steven Gerrard scored from the penalty spot. (Reuters)