Arsenal Vs. Manchester United: Aaron Ramsey Goal Blows Title Race Wide Open

Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey is the toast of London after putting a major dent in Manchester United's title hopes at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, scoring the only goal in a well-deserved 1-0 victory for Arsenal. The hosts were dominant in the first half, although they failed to test Edwin van der Sar in the goal, often opting to go for the extra pass or a low-percentage crossing option rather than shooting.

It was one of those crosses, however, which should have led to the opening goal. Theo Walcott scampered out to the right wing and sent in a delivery that sailed over Nemanja Vidic's head and seemed perfectly placed to drop onto Robin van Persie for an easy goal, only for the Serbian centre half to raise an arm and deflect it out of play. A corner was given, which means that referee Chris Foy saw contact but assumed it was not with an arm, which makes Vidic seven and a half foot tall in Foy's terrifying world.

That was the major story at halftime (Samir Nasri was pulled for a hamstring injury at the interval as well), but Ramsey soon made sure justice was done after a substitution seemed to confuse the Manchester United defence. Park Ji-Sung failed to track the midfielder's late run into the box, and a square pass from van Persie was hammered expertly home to give Arsenal their deserved lead.

As expected, there was major pressure from United for the equaliser, but they wasted their best chance from open play when a mistake by Laurent Koscielny allowed the visitors to conduct a four on two break, which Nani ended up blasting straight at Wojciech Szczesny. Foy then denied United a penalty after Gael Clichy stamped on Michael Owen's calf in the 89th minute - one can't imagine that Sir Alex Ferguson and company will be particularly mollified by the 'it all evens out argument'. Four minutes of injury time came and went without any major chances coming United's way, and Foy's final whistle was greeted by an eruption of noise in the Emirates.

Apoplectic reaction to having that penalty call turned down aside, I think even Ferguson would admit that his team were outplayed today. In terms of the title race, Manchester United are now three points clear of Chelsea, having played the same number of games and have an identical goal differential. They also host them next weekend. Arsenal, meanwhile, consolidate their hold on at least third place, going eight points clear of fourth place Manchester City, albeit having played two matches more.