O’Shea edges United ahead

Manchester United will take a 1-0 advantage into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie against Arsenal, although must surely be wondering how they did not put the tie beyond the reach of the North London side.

John O’Shea put the United in front after 17 minutes after Manuel Almunia had just saved brilliantly from Carlos Tevez. The Arsenal marking from the resulting corner was non-existent leaving O’Shea free to slam home the opener.

Whilst Arsenal improved during the course of the first half, they offered little in the way of attacking potency and were again grateful to Manuel Almunia after he saved well from a point blank Cristiano Ronaldo header on the half hour mark.

Further chances went begging for United in the second half as a superb effort from Cristiano Ronaldo rattled the crossbar, and Ryan Giggs was adjudged to have been offside with ten minutes to go. Arsenal continued to muster very few opportunities and when Emmanuel Adebayor was eventually taken off for Eduardo, he had only registered one shot on goal.

This tie should have been as good as over, but for some great goalkeeping from Manuel Almunia (who Arsenal fans must be grateful had recovered in time to replace the luckless Lukasz Fabianski), the woodwork and some errant United finishing. Arsenal will need to improve in the second leg and will be desperate to have the attacking guile of Robin Van Persie back in their starting XI.

Can Arsenal put two past United at the Emirates in the return leg? Or will United score an away goal to kill the tie off? Let us know what you think.