1-0 is factually the most fragile of victories. It suggests you scraped through, just about did enough and were perhaps a shade lucky. Not so on Wednesday night.
United toyed with Arsenal at times and could, aswell as should, have skipped off the Old Trafford turf with a bigger advantage. Having said all that, many of us would have quite happily taken 1-0 before the game and it puts the Reds in a fantastic position. In the driving seat, on pole position and hopefully half way on the journey to Rome. Arsenal failed to conjure up an away goal and United have the lead thanks to a glorious goal from the most unlikely source.
Take a bow if you predicted a 1-0 win with John O’Shea scoring the solitary strike. I mean no harm to John by this, but that combination was a proper coupon buster. It was, however, a fantastic strike. Yes, the Arsenal defenders had downed tools and marched out of the penalty area when United looked at their most potent, but Sheasy still had an awful lot to do.
Leaning back and with the ball on the rise, he didn’t spoon it over or shank it wide (and many right-backs would have done one of the two). He instinctively drove it into the roof of the net. A chiselled finish, just like his recent strike against Derby. Senor Almunia's gloves got close but couldn’t stop the Irishman landing what could be the tie’s knock-out blow.
After an attacking first half, we saw a workman-like second half, notable for a couple of incidents in particular. Ronaldo rattling the bar from 35 yards with a trademark sizzler and another landmark for a player who continues to rewrite the history books.
I have run out of superlatives to describe Ryan Giggs. A tiny number of footballers ever get close to 400 appearances in the game, but twice as manyas that at the highest level is quite simply phenomenal. Belated congratulations on the PFA Player of the Year award Ryan, I'm sure - as well as hopeful - that it will not be the last trophy the Welshman will lift this season.
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