Owen Hargreaves gets the winner for United

United 2 Arsenal 1

MANCHESTER United took a major step towards retaining the Barclays Premier League title with victory over rivals Arsenal at Old Trafford.

The Gunners went ahead when a defensive mix-up allowed Emmanuel Adebayor the chance to nod home.

But after William Gallas handled in the box, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the penalty before Owen Hargreaves whipped home an inch-perfect free-kick to secure the win. United are now six points clear at the top, but Chelsea have the chance to close that gap to three when they face Wigan on Monday.

Arsenal enjoyed a lot of possession, stretched United and will feel they could have made the breakthrough.

Adebayor rattled in a shot that Rio Ferdinand did well to deflect to safety before Park Ji-Sung glanced a header wide of the post following a cross from Hargreaves.

It was end-to-end stuff at this stage of the game and Adebayor sent his shot into Edwin van der Sar’s arms following a one-two with Cesc Fabregas.

United hit back and Rooney got away from Kolo Toure a minute later and fired in a shot. However, Jens Lehmann stuck out his leg and steered the ball away for a corner to Arsenal’s relief.

Fabregas then got away down the left for Arsenal and tried to pick out Adebayor at the back post but Van der Sar was alert and made the interception.

Arsenal made the breakthrough in the 48th minute thanks to good work from Robin van Persie.

He got clear down the left and delivered a quick cross into the area.

While Ferdinand and Michael Carrick hesitated, Adebayor got beyond them to direct the ball into the net, though there was a suspicion that he used his hand rather than his head.

Either way, it was his 26th goal of the season and just the boost Arsenal were looking for.

They almost added a second a minute later when Van der Sar was forced to make a smart save and prevent an own goal from Ferdinand after he got his bearings wrong following a cross from Adebayor.

United drew level, however, thanks to Ronaldo’s 38th goal of a remarkable season from the penalty spot in the 54th minute.

William Gallas was adjudged to have handled Carrick’s shot and referee Howard Webb had no hesitation in the pointing to the spot.

Ronaldo lashed his penalty into the top corner only for Webb to order him to retake it after spotting an infringement.

Such is Ronaldo’s confidence, however, he again made no mistake to bring United level at 1-1.

Carlos Tevez then went close to giving United the lead after stepping off the bench, his 30-yard shot go narrowly wide in the 65th minute.

Arsenal swept forward again though in the 68th minute and Wes Brown’s attempted clearance from Gael Clichy’s cross came back off the post.

Hargreaves then gave United the lead with a superb free-kick.

With the Arsenal defence perhaps expecting a Ronaldo thunderbolt, the former Bayern Munich man curled his effort up and over the wall and beyond Lehmann.

It was only Hargreaves’ second goal since his £17million move from the Bundesliga in the summer and it was one to savour.

Arsenal were stung after seeing United suddenly regain the ascendancy, knowing their title hopes were fading fast.

They kept driving forward in the hope of securing a point at least but it was all to no avail.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Pique, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Hargreaves (Giggs 89), Scholes (Anderson 55), Park (Tevez 55), Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, O'Shea.

Booked: Brown, Carrick.

Goals: Ronaldo 54 pen, Hargreaves 72.

Arsenal: Lehmann, Toure (Justin Hoyte 85), Gallas, Song Billong, Clichy, Eboue (Walcott 61), Fabregas, Silva, Hleb, Van Persie (Bendtner 76), Adebayor.
Subs Not Used: Djourou, Fabianski.

Booked: Van Persie, Gallas, Lehmann, Adebayor, Justin Hoyte.

Goals: Adebayor 48.

Att: 75,985.

Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).