Arsenal flounder as Ronaldo and United romp to Rome

Manchester United will travel to Rome later this month for a showdown with either Chelsea or Barcelona to try and re-claim their European crown, after emphatically dismissing the best efforts of Arsene Wenger and Arsenal.
 
In the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against the Gunners, at the Emirates no less, United produced an attacking display worthy of a place in European football’s greatest showcase, as their power, flair and clinical finishing proved to much for an Arsenal side out of their depth at this stage in the competition.

So emphatic was the victory that the tie was essentially over after eleven minutes, as a fortuitous opener by Park Ji-sung was followed by an astonishing Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick.

The remaining 79 minutes proved little more than extended wake, as Arsene Wenger was made to sit contemplating both his own and Arsenal’s futures. And insult was added to injury later as a counter-attack comprising all of three passes, and lasting a mere 13 seconds enabled Cristiano Ronaldo to slide home a third for his 25th goal of the campaign.

United’s celebrations were dampened somewhat by a red card which saw Darren Fletcher dismissed for what was in fact a legitimate, goal-saving tackle on Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.

However as far as semi-finals go, United; aside from the treatment of Fletcher, could probably not of dreamed of a more categorical victory.

Indeed Arsenal were so well beaten that one could in fact compare United’s opening, and ultimate dismantling of the North London side, to the fate suffered by Ricky Hatton this past weekend at the lightening hands of Manny Pacquiao: wherein Park delivered the sucker-punch, felling Wenger’s men to their knees; Cristiano Ronaldo delivered the telling knock-out blow.

Arsenal will no doubt rue the unfortunate slip by Kieron Gibbs, which allowed Park Ji-sung to profit for United’s first, as the catalyst for their decline. However they can have no such gripes about the strike which knocked the stuffing out of their Champions League dream.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s forty yard free-kick was so audacious it may have been perceived as arrogant. To even consider shooting from such distance could be considered petulant, with Manuel Almunia more than likely offended at the cheek of the Portuguese. However such is the belief of the Cristiano Ronaldo in his own ability, that not only did he consider the possibility of scoring, he  proceeded to send the ball hurtling towards Almunia’s goal before it dipped and swerved past the ‘keepers outstretched hands and into the bottom corner.

To be fair to Arsenal, they tried to rally and salvage something from an already lost cause. But in doing so they left themselves open to attacks which Manchester United could not ignore.

And Ronaldo capped a fine overall display by inter-twining with Park and Wayne Rooney to exploit one such opening and grab United’s third, in a devastating attack which saw him sprint the length of the field before latching onto an inviting Rooney through ball and finishing past the powerless Almunia.

It was game, set and match United. However there was a sting in the tail for Fletcher, who despite clearly getting a foot on the ball to deny Fabregas, was reprimanded for a foul and shown a red card, ruling him out of the final.

Van Persie impressively converted the spot-kick, but it was little consolation to Arsenal, who will be forced to concede that whilst Manchester United flourished on the big scene, they, and their young starlets, floundered.

For United, all eyes now turn to Rome, with the prospect of a mouth-watering tie against Barcelona a distinct possibility.