Arsenal 1–2 Manchester United (1999)

Arsenal 1–2 Manchester United
Villa Park in 2008
Event1998–99 FA Cup semi-final replay
Arsenal Manchester United
1 2
After extra time
Date14 April 1999 (1999-04-14)
VenueVilla Park, Birmingham
RefereeDavid Elleray (Harrow)
Attendance30,223

The replay of the 1998–99 FA Cup semi-final between Arsenal and Manchester United was a football match that took place at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on 14 April 1999.[1]

The game is often described as one of Manchester United's greatest ever, and Giggs' winning goal is frequently cited as one of the greatest goals ever scored in English football.[2] Rob Smyth of The Guardian described it as "the greatest game in the modern era of English football. […] this match […] had such gravitas, subtlety, intensity and excellence that it should have been shown on HBO.)"[3]

Background

Manchester United and Arsenal were rivals at the top of English football; Arsenal won the 1997–98 Premier League with United finishing second, and then Arsenal beat United 3–0 in the 1998 FA Charity Shield. The two teams competed for the 1998–99 Premier League and also met in the semi-final of the 1998–99 FA Cup, which was a 0–0 draw after extra time, necessitating a replay.[4]

Route to the semi-final

Further information: 1998–99 FA Cup
Arsenal Round Manchester United
Opponent Result Replay Opponent Result Replay
Preston North End 4–2 (A) — Third round Middlesbrough 3–1 (H) —
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 (A) — Fourth round Liverpool 2–1 (H) —
Sheffield United 2–1 (H)[a] 2–1 (H) Fifth round Fulham 1–0 (H) —
Derby County 1–0 (H) — Sixth round Chelsea 0–0 (H) 2–0 (A)
Manchester United 0–0 a.e.t.
(N) 		— Semi-final Arsenal 0–0 a.e.t.
(N) 		—

Match

Summary

David Beckham scored an early goal for Manchester United, with Dennis Bergkamp equalising in the second half. Roy Keane, United's captain, received a second yellow card and was sent off for a bad tackle on Marc Overmars. After Phil Neville fouled Ray Parlour in the box, Arsenal were awarded a penalty. Bergkamp's shot was saved by Peter Schmeichel, taking the game to extra time,[6][7] where Patrick Vieira gave the ball away to Ryan Giggs who scored a sensational solo goal, dribbling past five Arsenal players to give United a 2–1 lead and send them through to the 1999 FA Cup final.[8]

Details

Arsenal1–2 (a.e.t.)Manchester United
Bergkamp 69' Report Beckham 17'
Giggs 109'
Attendance: 30,223
Referee: David Elleray (Harrow)
Arsenal
Manchester United
GK 1 England David Seaman
RB 2 England Lee Dixon
CB 6 England Tony Adams (c)
CB 14 England Martin Keown Yellow card 29'
LB 3 England Nigel Winterburn
RM 15 England Ray Parlour Yellow card 61' downward-facing red arrow 105'
CM 4 France Patrick Vieira
CM 26 France Emmanuel Petit downward-facing red arrow 120'
LM 8 Sweden Fredrik Ljungberg downward-facing red arrow 62'
CF 10 Netherlands Dennis Bergkamp
CF 9 France Nicolas Anelka
Substitutes:
GK 24 England John Lukic
DF 5 England Steve Bould upward-facing green arrow 120'
DF 7 Argentina Nelson Vivas
MF 11 Netherlands Marc Overmars upward-facing green arrow 62'
FW 25 Nigeria Nwankwo Kanu upward-facing green arrow 105'
Manager:
France Arsène Wenger
GK 1 Denmark Peter Schmeichel
RB 2 England Gary Neville
CB 5 Norway Ronny Johnsen
CB 6 Netherlands Jaap Stam Yellow card 31'
LB 12 England Phil Neville
RM 7 England David Beckham Yellow card 35'
CM 8 England Nicky Butt
CM 16 Republic of Ireland Roy Keane (c) Yellow card 33' Yellow-red card 74'
LM 15 Sweden Jesper Blomqvist downward-facing red arrow 61'
CF 10 England Teddy Sheringham downward-facing red arrow 75'
CF 20 Norway Ole Gunnar Solskjær downward-facing red arrow 91'
Substitutes:
GK 17 Netherlands Raimond van der Gouw
DF 3 Republic of Ireland Denis Irwin
MF 11 Wales Ryan Giggs upward-facing green arrow 61'
MF 18 England Paul Scholes upward-facing green arrow 75'
FW 19 Trinidad and Tobago Dwight Yorke upward-facing green arrow 91'
Manager:
Scotland Alex Ferguson

Statistics

Overall[9]
Statistic Arsenal Manchester United
Goals scored 1 2
xG 2.51 1.62
Total shots 27 16
Shots on target 9 4
Ball possession 56% 44%
Pass completion 73% 72%
Passes (completed) 726 (532) 579 (417)
Pressures 167 195
Pressure Regains 50 47
Tackles won (Attempted) 31 (43) 30 (48)
Yellow cards 2 3
Red cards / Second yellows 0 / 0 0 / 1

Aftermath

Martin Tyler: A rather weary one from Vieira. Giggs gets past Vieira, past Dixon who comes back at him... it's a wonderful run from Giggs! Sensational goal from Ryan Giggs in the second period of extra time. He's cut Arsenal to ribbons and the team with 10 men go back in front 2–1!

Commentary of Giggs’ winning goal by Martin Tyler[10]

The match was the last ever FA Cup semi-final to go to a replay. In the FA Cup final, Manchester United beat Newcastle United 2–0 to win the Cup, securing the double, as they had won the Premier League a week earlier.[11] Four days later, they completed the treble by beating Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League final.

The game is remembered as one of the greatest in English football; it was ranked #38 in The Times' 50 Greatest Football Matches (2019).[12]

Giggs' winning goal is also considered among the greatest ever scored, and his celebration, removing his shirt to reveal copious chest hair, is considered an iconic image by football fans.[13][14] Ian Wright described it as "arguably one of the best goals in FA Cup history."[15] It has been compared to Diego Maradona's solo goal in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final.[16]

Both Ray Parlour and Arsène Wenger admitted to being "haunted" by the defeat and Giggs' goal.[17][18]

A statistical analysis of the game in The Independent in 2019 gave Arsenal 2.51 expected goals (xG) to United's 1.62; Dennis Bergkamp's penalty miss was considered a key moment that won the game for United.[19]

Notes

  1. ^ Both sides felt that Arsenal's winning goal had been gained unfairly. Marc Overmars scored following Nwankwo Kanu's failure to return the ball to Sheffield United following an injury. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger offered to replay the tie.[5]

References

  1. ^ "REWIND: On This Day in 1999 Arsenal clashed with Manchester United in a momentous FA Cup semi-final replay". onlinegooner.com.
  2. ^ Walker, Dan (2016-10-20). Magic, Mud and Maradona: Cup Football's Finest Tales. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4711-3633-7.
  3. ^ Smyth, Rob (15 April 2011). "The Joy of Six: FA Cup semi-final memories". The Guardian.
  4. ^ "On This Day: Giggs tears Arsenal to ribbons". ManUtd.com.
  5. ^ Campbell, Denis (14 February 1999). "Fair play wins in FA Cup row". The Guardian.
  6. ^ "Man Utd v Arsenal: Five most memorable meetings". TheFA.com.
  7. ^ "Peter Schmeichel's save in 1999 FA Cup semi-final cost Arsenal the Double, says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer". Sky Sports.
  8. ^ "Arsenal 1 - 2 Man Utd". The Guardian. 13 April 1999.
  9. ^ "xG breakdown: United vs Arsenal, '99 semi-final". The Independent. 23 May 2019.
  10. ^ Wilson, Jeremy (9 March 2015). "Manchester United v Arsenal: That Ryan Giggs wonder goal remembered". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Man United 2 Newcastle 0 1999 FA Cup final highlights". ManUtd.com.
  12. ^ Whitehead, Richard (2019-03-01). The Times 50 Greatest Football Matches. The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-9115-5.
  13. ^ Revolta, Doug (20 May 2014). "Ryan Giggs: 10 of his greatest games for Manchester United". The Guardian.
  14. ^ Ansorge, Paul. "Remembering Ryan Giggs' Manchester United vs. Arsenal 1999 FA Cup Semi-Final". Bleacher Report.
  15. ^ "MOTD Top 10: How you ranked greatest Premier League era goals". BBC Sport.
  16. ^ "Giggs - 1,027 games, 34 trophies, one legend". BBC Sport.
  17. ^ Hopkinson, Tom (7 March 2015). "Arsene Wenger admits THAT Ryan Giggs FA Cup goal against Arsenal still gives him nightmares". Daily Mirror.
  18. ^ Orme, Daniel (21 February 2023). "Ray Parlour admits he can't watch back infamous Arsenal defeat". Irish Mirror.
  19. ^ "xG breakdown: United vs Arsenal, '99 semi-final". The Independent. 23 May 2019.