Manchester United trash arsenal with 8-2 win at Old Trafford
Arsenal's problems were brought into brutally stark relief at Old Trafford as they suffered a disembowelling at the hands of Manchester United, with Wayne Rooney scoring a hat-trick in an 8-2 victory for Sir Alex Ferguson's side.
The result was the most desperate defeat Arsenal have suffered in the Premier League, with their previous worst a 6-1 loss at the same ground in February 2001. On that occasion, as on Sunday, the root cause of the collapse was a hopeless, makeshift defence, but the current malaise enveloping Arsenal threatens to be something altogether more serious.
Rooney ran riot with two direct free-kicks and a penalty, Ashley Young scored two brilliant curling efforts, Danny Welbeck, Nani and Park Ji-Sung added further goals and Arsenal's futile replies came from Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie.
