It was a very good Sunday for David Moyes. First title challengers Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur both lost. Then he saw Robin van Persie scored against his old club for the third consecutive game as Manchester United beat Arsenal 1-0.
In a game of few chances at Old Trafford, Robin van Perise proved the difference heading home a Wayne Rooney corner. Rooney had a chance to calm the nerves around Old Trafford midway through the second half but dragged a left-footed shot wide.
This was Arsenal’s third big game in a week and it was a mountain to big for them to climb, as they put on maybe their worst performance since the opening game of the season.
Heading into the game, all the talk was about how Arsenal could move 11 points clear of United with a win, but now the champions will be buoyed but the fact that they are only 5 points off the lead, despite not hitting full form yet this season.
Earlier in the day, Manchester City lost away from home for the fourth time this season, as a first half goal from full-back Phil Bardsley gave second-from-bottom Sunderland the valuable 3 points. So far this season, City have lost away to Cardiff, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Sunderland while drawing at Stoke. That kind of away form will not win Manuel Pellegrini’s side the title.
It was also a bad day for Arsenal’s North London rivals Tottenham Hostpur who lost at home 1-0 to Newcastle. Loïc Rémy grabbing the winner on 13 minutes for the Geordies while Tim Krul made 14 saves to preserve the shut out.
AVB has to figure out quickly how Spurs cope with the Europa League and Premier League as they have lost 3 of the 5 times this season in the league after a Europa League game.
Finally in maybe the game of the weekend, Stoke City and Swansea City drew 3-3. This game looked over when Stoke jumped to a two-goad lead in the first half, but Swansea fought back and went ahead with 4 minutes to go. But then for the second time this weekend, a bad referee decision decided a game when Robert Madley gave Stoke a penalty with virtually the last kick of the ball that Charlie Adam converted to make the final score 3-3.
