Arsenal vs Man Ure
3rd November 2007 - Premier League - Emirates Stadium

Last night was like the night before Christmas. Full of excitement and anticipation. Just like Christmas Eve when I was a kid, I was in bed by 10.30pm!

As a result of my early night, I awake at 5am, but today there are no pressies to open, just a radio talk show about fishing!

My first thoughts about the match are that I’m quietly confident we can win the game. We have enough quality, as do United, but I feel we are stronger at the back. We also have home advantage in what is becoming fortress Emirates. It now feels like home too after the move from Highbury.

I’m hoping that tonight doesn't feel like Christmas night, disappointed not getting what u want and feelings of anticlimax!

If we win today I’ll enjoy mentioning it to all the plastic mancs that I know. Most of whom haven't even been to Manchester. Imagine if u chose u team based on how good they look on TV or how many trophies the win rather than anything else. I'd support Brazil instead of England! If only.

On the same note I’ll get slaughtered if we get beat too. They're still going on about the fluky treble almost a decade ago for goodness sake, although I do mention the 2005 FA Cup Final quite a bit!

Hopefully today's game will be all about playing fast attacking football and Utd don't play their usual tactic of kicking us to break up the game. I could accept defeat if we are beaten by a better side, but its hard when the other team cheats, like Manchester united have done on so many occasions.

There's no love lost between the clubs. I expect it to be a tense atmosphere we some unpleasant banter between the Gooners and the wankers! Like I said, there's no love lost!

I arrive at the ground in time for a couple of pints and get to my seat just as the players are coming out onto the pitch. It’s the usual chanting of the surnames and the booing of the opposition but today it’s much louder than usual and there’s animosity in the air.

The match kicks of at a very good pace and within a few seconds Hleb is close to the Man Ure box but the ball ends up being cleared.

There were a few chances at both ends during the first half but it was pretty much a cagey performance from both sides. Man Ure seemed happy to stop Arsenal from playing by niggly fouls and time wasting. I head to the bar a few minutes before half time and as I’m queuing Shrek scores against us again.  Feck! We never do anything the easy way. The replay shows that the ball actually came off William Gallas and Match of the Day gave it as an own goal in 45+1 minutes.

I neck my pint and get out there for the second half in plenty of time.

It was a perfect start for us to as we level the score just two minutes after the restart. A cool headed Cesc Fabregas controls and then shoots into an empty net after some good play from Eboue.

For the next ten minutes we seem to have United on the rack as we up the tempo but we everyone eager to score we leave massive gaps at the back and it’s to easy for united who thrive on the counter attack. When the score with 9 minutes left to go it looks like we have lost the match. Almunia, playing his worst match for Arsenal this season (what a time to have a mare!), comes out to far and Evra knocks the ball past him to a number of Man Ure players queuing up to score. It is knocked in by the goofy twat Ronaldo, who I’d love to knock out!

United time wasted the next few minutes as arsenal pressed for the equaliser but it didn’t look good. In the second minute of injury time the ball ricochet around the united penalty area and the next thing a goal was given! I was just behind the goal and it didn’t look to me like it had crossed the line at all, but who am I to complain! The confusion went to jubilation as the crowd went wild. The whistle blew just after the restart and we snatched a draw from a defeat.

I watched the replay and the ball was about 2 feet over the line so nothing to debate. I was surprised the linesman saw it though because he got everything else in the match wrong!

Anyway, we got through the “Two tough matches” without defeat so what’s possible this season? Let’s just beat Slavia Prague on Wednesday and take it from there.