ONE man is responsible for the fact Manchester United do not already have this Champions League semi-final sewn up — Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia.
The Spaniard single-handedly kept the Gunners in the tie with a series of magnificent first-half saves.
Despite total dominance, United head to the Emirates next week with only a slender advantage through John O’Shea’s 18th-minute strike into the roof of the net from six yards.They are still hot favourites to go through to the final in Rome, with a chance of becoming the first team ever to retain the Champions League trophy.
But how they were cursing that they did not bury their opponents last night.
United had 14 shots at goal to Arsenal’s five and eight efforts on target to the Gunners’ one. Almunia, though, stood defiant.
When he first got into Arsene Wenger’s side, he was dubbed Fawlty Manuel after the hapless Spanish waiter in the hit comedy Fawlty Towers.
He had no pedigree in the game and Wenger’s judgment was called into serious question.
But Almunia has risen above it all, shown why the manager believed in him, and is steadily becoming one of the best keepers in the Premier League.
You have to wonder whether England boss Fabio Capello might yet consider him for the World Cup.
He qualifies for the national side this summer on residency grounds and Capello has so few decent stoppers to choose from he will not care about the ethics of the situation if he believes Almunia can help his cause in South Africa.
There was ample evidence here to show why he could do England a service.
Inside the first two minutes, Almunia sprang to his left to claw out Wayne Rooney’s looping header which was dropping in the corner.
Then he made a wonder save from a close-range shot by Argie striker Carlos Tevez, then got up again to block the rebound.
But he had no chance from the resulting corner. Michael Carrick collected and his deflected cross was smashed home by the unlikely figure of O’Shea. United deserved the lead and the visitors were in danger of a real tonking.
They were being over-run in midfield and resorting to long balls in the vague direction of lone striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who had no support.
It was not the usual Arsenal way and they were getting pulled apart.
It required some of the grit which Guus Hiddink’s Chelsea employed at Barcelona the night before — but the red wave just kept on coming.
Wenger reckoned this was the tie in which we would see the fruits of the Arsenal he has been building — but they spent most of the game scrambling to clear their lines.
Theo Walcott, on the right, could not get into the action, Samir Nasri was struggling in central midfield and Cesc Fabregas, who was supposed to be linking with Adebayor, always seemed to be too far away from his striker.
Any time they dwelt on the ball, the energetic Tevez was chasing back to whip the ball off their toes and restart a United attack.Carrick and Anderson were well in control in midfield too.
Anderson cost £20million a couple of years ago and it is only now that the fans are beginning to understand why boss Alex Ferguson spent so much cash on the Brazilian.
Almunia made another incredible save to keep out Cristiano Ronaldo’s point-blank header and he was there again diving to his left to block the winger’s effort from the edge of the box.
But Almunia suffered for his art when he came out bravely at the feet of Tevez and got a boot in the neck. Tevez was booked but it was a ball he was justified in going for.
Arsenal were delighted to hear the half-time whistle. It was a minor miracle that they were only one down.Arsenal were delighted to hear the half-time whistle. It was a minor miracle that they were only one down.
But, as the game passed the hour, Wenger’s men got more of the ball, perhaps because United could not keep up the relentless pace.
Fergie could see it and brought on the newly-crowned PFA Player of the Year Ryan Giggs — for his 800th club appearance — and Dimitar Berbatov for Anderson and a disbelieving Tevez.
The on-loan Argie was clearly miffed at getting the hook, shaking his head as he left the field.
The crowd rose to applaud their favourite and again implored Fergie to sign him up permanently.
Ronaldo, who had been relatively quiet, suddenly sprang to life and hit a vicious dipping 30-yard shot which comprehensively beat Almunia, only to hit the top of the crossbar.
It was that sort of night for United and a worrying rib injury to ace defender Rio Ferdinand near the end will be cause for concern.
Wenger took off the ineffective Walcott and brought on Nicklas Bendtner.
But the manager did not change tactics, leaving Adebayor stranded up front without any back-up.
Bendtner did get his head to one late chance but was well wide of the target.
And Wenger, who desperately wants the big European prize on his CV, admitted Arsenal were glad to get away with the one-goal defeat.
The Gunners have never before lost a European semi-final.
If they succeed this time it will be one of the greatest achievements in their history.
