#4 Man United 8-2 Arsenal, 28th August 2011
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Although not one of the Premier Leagues biggest margins of victory, this match - or rather mismatch - should be high up on the list of biggest results.
With Arsenal regularly challenging for honours alongside Manchester United this one-sided affair stands out as one of the most surprising results in Premier League history.
Arsene Wenger wasn’t without his excuses. His makeshift side hit by suspensions and a long injury list may have given clues as to why they were beaten, but there is no way they should have been outclassed and out gunned so easily in the manner they were.
With names such as Koscielny, Walcott, Arshavin and Van Persie in the starting line-up, there was no indication of the sort of hammering the Gunners were going to sustain at Old Trafford – their worst defeat since 1896.
Danny Welbeck (currently playing for Arsenal!) opened the scoring on 22 minutes with a looping header. The Gunners then had their chance to get back level when Jonny Evans fouled Theo Walcott in the area. However, Robin Van Persie’s tame penalty was saved by De Gea.
That was the miss that may well have shaped the game. Ashley Young, just 2 minutes later, curled a stunning 25-yard shot into the top corner of Arsenal’s net.
Wayne Rooney followed that with a superb curling free-kick (interestingly his 150th for United – he’s since gone on to beat Sir Bobby Charlton’s record of 249 back in January this year) to make it 3-0.
Walcott managed to pull one back for the Gunners however, Rooney nailed a trademark free-kick in the 63rd minute. Nani and Park both added goals, before Arsenal and Van Persie made the score 6-2.
The unfortunate Carl Jenkinson was then sent off for a foul on Hernandez and what was already a difficult day was made much harder. Rooney then completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, after make-shift right back Walcott fouled Evra in the box.
The scoring was then completed in stoppage time, when Young curled in yet another 25-yard effort.
According to reports, Arsenal fans were heard chanting “We’re going to win 9-8!” Toward the end of the game, but this surely was one of the Gunners and Arsene Wenger’s darkest days.
