sport news It should have been FOUR red cards with Martin Keown sent off TWICE! Our man ... trends now
It was the closest Arsenal came to losing during their Invincibles season, the infamous and original Battle of Old Trafford in 2003. A red card, missed penalty, snarling faces, sly digs and fouls galore, followed by record fines and bans totalling nine matches.
But when Manchester United were awarded a 92nd-minute spot-kick with the game goalless, Ruud van Nistelrooy had the chance to kill the story of Arsenal’s incredible campaign before it had even been told. Instead, he smashed his effort against the crossbar and Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the season extended to six matches. It would run all the way to a title-winning 38 games without loss, and they remain the only team in Premier League history to achieve the feat.
Arsenal travel to Manchester United on Sunday as they seek a first title since that Invincible season. The current team have silk and steel and Arsene Wenger’s side also had a nice mix of flair and resilience. They were no soft touch, as Van Nistelrooy discovered when Arsenal defender Martin Keown gloated in his face after the penalty miss and again on full-time.
Remarkably, Patrick Vieira was the only player sent off. However, Mail Sport columnist Mark Clattenburg, having re-watched the full match (and the post-game fracas), believes referee Steve Bennett could have shown red cards to five players - and Keown himself deserved two.
Roy Keane was not one of them, and he later said: ‘I had a lot of hatred for Arsenal. I don’t remember liking anybody at Arsenal. I knew I had to be at my angriest against them. I didn’t feel like that about any other team, but Arsenal brought out something different in me - I behaved myself that day, and I regret it.’
Arsenal's infamous trip to Old Trafford to face off with Manchester United was one of the fieriest match-ups in Premier League memory
Martin Keown (left) was agitator-in-chief as he taunted United's Ruud van Nistelrooy (right)
Patrick Vieira was the only player sent off - but years laters, it's clear more reds were needed
But Keown had no regrets, despite a retrospective three-match ban and £20,000 fine. He and Van Nistelrooy had a long-running feud and the Arsenal defender believed the United striker conned Bennett into sending off Vieira.
‘Ray Parlour, years later, said that I started the Battle of Old Trafford - I didn’t!’ Keown tells Mail Sport. ‘I maintain it started when Van Nistelrooy feigned injury, as if Patrick had kicked him. Van Nistelrooy instantly became a figure of hate among Arsenal’s players. We felt he had succeeded in cheating to leave us up against it.
‘I felt like justice had been served (when he missed the penalty) and so did my team-mates. Looking back, perhaps we could have toned down our reaction. But it happened in the heat of the moment and I don’t regret anything I did.’
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The Football Association handed Arsenal a record fine of £175,000 for failing to control their players. Lauren was also hit with a four-game ban and £40,000 fine, while Vieira and Parlour were suspended for one match and given £20,000 and £10,000 fines respectively. Ashley Cole was fined £10,000. There was even a debate in the media about docking Arsenal points.
Two United players - Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo - were also charged with improper conduct and fined £7,500 and £4,000.
‘The funny thing is, Steve Bennett got almost everything right until injury-time, and there were some big calls, too,’ says Clattenburg. ‘But what unfolded after the penalty award was chaos.’
How the crazy match unfolded...17min: Dennis Bergkamp sets Thierry Henry free on goal but an offside flag denies him a clear run at Tim Howard. ‘He’ll be disappointed with himself, he just went too early,’ says Andy Gray, on commentary.
Clattenburg says: He’s in his own half! This is a perfect example of why we delay tight offside calls and check once the attack has ended. As Bergkamp plays the ball, Henry is inches inside his own half, meaning he is not offside.
There is a lot of controversy around delayed flags - unfortunately, we are seeing some injuries from passages of play that are offside - but this is why the rule was brought in. Saying that, the assistant referee should get this call right - he has the halfway line for guidance for starters!
22min: Roy Keane is late in a challenge on Lauren and floors the Arsenal defender. He protests his innocence but Steve Bennett books the Manchester United captain.
Clattenburg: Keane has a bit of blood boiling from losing out to Henry in a duel a few moments earlier and you could see this happening a mile off. In real time, it looks worse than it is. He’s still gone straight through him and a yellow card is the right call. Bennett has set his level here, and so he should.
Mark Clattenburg's re-assessment of the tie has found that Steve Bennett was lenient under the circumstances
Lauren (right) lashed out at Phil Neville forcing his team-mate Ashley Cole to intervene
33min: Cristiano Ronaldo crosses from the right and the ball appears to hit Ashley Cole’s arm inside the area. Appeals go up for a penalty but are waved away.
Clattenburg: The ball clearly hits Cole’s hand, but this would not be given today - his arms are tucked in close to his body. It’s the right decision, although I suppose it does fall into the category of, ‘you’ve seen them given’.
44min: Keane fouls Patrick Vieira at the expense of a free-kick only.
Clattenburg: Keane is walking a tightrope, because there was another innocuous foul a few moments earlier. Neither that nor this foul on Vieira are yellows but, modern day, commentators would be asking for a second caution.
If you continue to make niggly fouls when already on a yellow, it lowers the referee’s tolerance for a second booking later in the game. But Bennett has got this right - the fact even Vieira isn’t asking for a second yellow tells you that!
45min: Vieira flies through John O’Shea, getting something on the ball, but sends the United midfielder into the air and crashing to the turf. Bennett gives nothing and O’Shea jumps straight back up.
Clattenburg: This is a free-kick minimum and a yellow card. He has flown in
