Match Report: WBA 1 Manchester United 2

A late own goal spared goalkeeper David de Gea's blushes as Manchester United began their defence of the Premier League title with victory at West Brom. Wayne Rooney scored early on when he combined with Fabio and Ashley Young to drill in a low effort. Shane Long equalised on his competitive debut for West Brom when his tame effort crept under the body of De Gea. United grabbed the winner when Young's cross from the left took a deflection off Steven Reid and beat Ben Foster. In the end luck was on the side of United, who had dominated for much of the first half but seemed devoid of bright ideas after the break. Had Reid not put through his own net then De Gea's error would have been highlighted on Monday's back pages, although it is unlikely his moment to forget will pass without comment. In the past Ferguson's Achilles heel has been the man wearing the number one jersey and on Sunday De Gea may have made his manager consider whether he was right to throw the 20-year-old straight into the first team. Other young players such as Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck have been loaned out to gain experience before being handed their first-team opportunity, but Ferguson had no hesitation in giving the £18m summer signing his league debut. Rooney opens the scoring early on The Spanish stopper looked impressive when he took up a good position and then stayed on his feet to palm away a fierce strike from Paul Scharner. However, he appeared weak when balls were floated into the area. Yet it was not a teasing cross that outfoxed De Gea for the West Brom goal but a weak strike that drifted under his body. Up until the equaliser, United were in control and some fans must have been wondering how many the champions would score after Rooney drilled home in the 13th minute. The England striker linked with up with Fabio and Young before shifting inside the area and firing low into Foster's bottom left corner. United produced some controlled pinball in and around the penalty area. Nani, Rooney and Danny Welbeck knocked one-touch passes between themselves before Nani scooped over. Moments later, the Portugal international fired over again when former United keeper Foster failed to deal with a cross. The visitors' setup was upset after the break when centre-backs Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand were forced to come off with injuries. The average age of the starting XI was 23.9 years and that was lowered when Jonny Evans and Phil Jones came on as replacements. It was lucky for the pair that only Long's movement and Somen Tchoyi's crossing raised their heartrates during the second half. At the other end, United replaced Welbeck with experienced striker Dimitar Berbatov, hoping that a moment of Bulgarian magic would gift them victory. But as it was, it was a moment of good fortune which gave the champions the perfect start.

Arsenal 1 Manchester United 0

Arsenal blew the Premier League title race wide open as leaders Manchester United were deservedly beaten at the Emirates Stadium.Aaron Ramsey's winner early in the second half condemned United to defeat and leaves them only three points ahead of Chelsea with identical goal difference - and a meeting between the two to come at Old Trafford next Sunday.Forced to rebuild his promising career after suffering a broken leg, Ramsey made the most of a chance to deputise for injured captain Cesc Fabregas with a goal that will have been met with almost as much joy at Stamford Bridge as it was in front of Arsenal's fans.

Victory was well-earned reward for their superiority against a United side that never looked like repeating the heroics of their Champions League semi-final first leg victory against Schalke 04 on Tuesday in Germany.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger must have thought the fates had conspired against him when they were denied a clear first-half penalty after Nemanja Vidic handled Theo Walcott's cross.

But the game concluded with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson angry at referee Chris Foy after substitute Michael Owen was hauled down in the area by Gael Clichy in the closing moments, only to have his appeals ignored.It is a win that has probably come too late to revive Arsenal's own title aspirations, but one which gives Chelsea real hope that they can retain their crown if they can beat United next week.
Ferguson cut a frustrated figure throughout, a mood matched by his players as they rarely got to grips with an Arsenal side they have enjoyed so much success against in the recent past.
Arsenal lost Fabregas to a thigh injury sustained in training on Saturday - but his absence did not stop the Gunners dominating a first half that concluded with them nursing an acute sense of injustice.

 FERGUSON DEMANDS 25mins INJURY TIME

Vidic, a central figure in every sense, was fortunate not to be punished for an uncharacteristic error after only three minutes.In attempting to clear, he only succeeded in finding Jack Wilshere and was relieved to see the teenager pull his effort inches wide.
And Walcott could not keep a close-range shot under control as he stretched to meet Clichy's cross, sending it well over the top of Edwin van der Sar's crossbar.
United have had joy against Arsenal in the past by lying deep before striking with devastating effect on the counter attack.
And they almost delivered a sucker punch in the face of Arsenal's early superiority when Fabio da Silva burst into the area unmarked, but was unable to find Javier Hernandez.

Arsenal, with justification, were furious just after the half-hour when Vidic clearly used his hand to direct Walcott's cross away from the incoming Robin van Persie - an offence missed by the officials.
England striker Wayne Rooney's main contribution had been a yellow card for fouling England team-mate Wilshere just before the interval.He did show his enduring quality with a curling 25-yard free-kick after 48 minutes, but the previously unemployed Wojciech Szczesny was equal to the task with a diving save.Arsenal finally got the goal they had merited after 56 minutes, Ramsey sliding a low finish into the corner of the net from Van Persie's incisive cut-back.United, thoroughly out of sorts, replaced Anderson with Antonio Valencia moments before the goal.They did muster a response, however, when Vidic rose highest from a corner to head just wide.And in a belated show of urgency by United, Szczesny was then forced to save well from Nani after Rooney had driven deep into the Arsenal half in a bid to lift his team-mates from their slumbers.With three minutes left Ferguson and United's players were reduced to a fury as Owen was brought down from behind by Clichy as he raced into the area.Referee Foy, much to Ferguson's obvious disgust, was unimpressed.It was Arsenal's last anxious moment before closing out a win that leaves the title potentially on the line when United confront champions Chelsea, who narrowly beat Tottenham 2-1 on Saturday.

Bale named PFA Player of the Year

Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale has been named as PFA Player of the Year, with Arsenal's Jack Wilshere winning the Young Player award.
Arsenal's Sami Nasri was second in the voting with Manchester City's Carlos Tevez third.
Blackpool's Charlie Adam, Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic, West Ham midfielder Scott Parker and Bale's team-mate Rafael van der Vaart were also nominated.
Bale is the fourth Welshman to win the award with Ryan Giggs, Mark Hughes (twice) and Ian Rush previous winners.
He is the first Tottenham player to win the award since David Ginola picked up the award in the 1999.
"I am more than delighted really. It is a massive award and it is a great honour to receive, especially from other fellow professionals," said Bale.
"It is a honour really when you look at the names that have won it before and it just makes you go 'wow' really.
"There haven't been too many Welshman to have won the trophy but it is great and it is great for me personally."
The PFA Premier League Team of Year was: Van Der Sar; Sagna, Vidic, Kompany Cole; Nani, Nasri, Wilshere, Bale; Tevez, Berbatov.
Bale and Nasri were also on the Young Player shortlist but Wilshere took that honour.
"It is my first full season and it is a massive award, especially from my fellow players. It is amazing," he said.
"Arsenal is a good club for bringing youngsters through and they keep proving it so I would like to thank the manager as well."
Manchester City's Joe Hart, Everton's Seamus Coleman and Manchester United duo Nani and Javier Hernandez were also nominated.