NORTH LONDON USUALLY doesn’t disappoint when it comes to Arsenal v Manchester United.

If these moments are anything to go by, this evening’s clash should be memorable.

Lee Sharpe’s hat-trick, 28th November 1990

Just weeks before, the two teams had been involved in a mass brawl at Old Trafford (there’s a pattern when it comes to these clubs) which led to them being fined and docked points. So, when they were drawn to face each other in a League Cup fourth-round game, there was plenty of tension and needle.

United ran riot with 19 year-old Sharpe conjuring a superb individual performance. There are those who still lament the winger’s seemingly rapid decline. Injuries and attitude (plus the emergence of a certain Ryan Giggs) derailed his career but he and we will always have this night to savour.

David Platt’s winner, 9th November 1997

This was a suitably thrilling encounter. United had cantered to another League success the season previous but Arsene Wenger was in his first full campaign and intent on sending a statement.

They were 2-0 up inside the opening half hour with Nicolas Anelka and Patrick Vieira (scoring an absolute beauty) on the mark. But United’s response was superb. Summer signing Teddy Sheringham grabbed a brace in eight minutes and it was 2-2 at the break.

Then, with 7 minutes to go, Peter Schmeichel conjured an incredible save from a deflected Christopher Wreh shot and Gary Neville booted the rebound the safety. From the resulting corner, David Platt rose highest and Arsenal never looked back.

Thierry Henry’s brilliance, 1st October 2000

Compared to others, this clash was a relatively tame affair. After the double season of 1998, Arsenal had been silenced for two successive campaigns. United had claimed a treble and followed that up with a simple league win in May 2000 with Arsenal a massive eighteen points behind.

Though United would make it three straight league wins twelve months later, they did suffer a slender defeat at Highbury here, with Thierry Henry producing a moment of individual magic to separate the sides.

Vieira v Keane, 1st February 2005

The little details. The ‘Stand Up, Speak Up’ on the back of Vieira’s training jacket, the look of complete fear in the eyes of Pascal Cygan and Dennis Bergkamp, the Arsenal mascot loving it, the finger-pointing, Graham Poll trying desperately to calm the situation.

This is one of the greatest Premier League moments of all time. How apt that it was a Arsenal v Manchester United fixture.

John O’Shea’s chip, 1st February 2005

It didn’t start too well for United when Vieira (of course) opened the scoring but Ryan Giggs equalised ten minutes later.

A goal from Dennis Bergkamp gave Arsenal the half-time lead before United ripped the hosts to shreds on the counter attack. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in four minutes and United were in front by the hour mark.

Yet, it was a largely under-the-radar performer who grabbed the goal of the night. With a minute of normal time still left, Gabriel Heinze rampaged forward on the left wing and slipped the ball inside to Paul Scholes. He instantly stabbed a perfect pass forward into the unmarked John O’Shea. As Manuel Almunia raced off his line, the utility player deftly clipped a perfect finish over the goalkeeper and it dropped perfectly to the far corner.

And then there was the celebration.

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