* Let's get the easy stuff out of the way first. Yes, it was handball. Yes, it should have been a penalty. Yes, Nemanja Vidic should have been sent off. We'll leave it to Pete Gill to tot up the numbers of red cards and penalties not given on United's travels this season and simply reflect that this was a shocking decision from an assistant referee on a weekend of shocking decisions from assistant referees.

* Vidic should already have been on a yellow card. Throwing himself in front of Jack Wilshere on the edge of the penalty area is a typically cynical challenge from the Serb who - along with John Terry - is a master of such interventions. He would have have happily conceded the free-kick and accepted the yellow card to stop Wilshere. Curiously, he was punished with neither.

* Manchester United should clearly have had their own penalty in the 88th minute when Gael Clichy stamped on the back of Michael Owen's leg. But considering that Vidic let-off - and their poor, poor performance - United can have little cause for complaint.

* Arsene Wenger showed considerable faith in selecting Aaron Ramsey rather than move Samir Nasri into the middle and bring Andrei Arshavin into the side. The Welshman repaid his faith even before the goal with a first-half display of perpetual motion in partnership with Jack Wilshere. Both individually passed the ball more times than Anderson and Michael Carrick put together.

* Mind you, Sir Alex Ferguson's tactics - as per usual against Arsenal - were clearly to cede possession and counter-attack with pace. Just as we expect to see against Barcelona in the likely Champions League final, United's central midfielders were mostly spectators. As impressive as Carrick looked against Schalke when given space, he is anonymous against technically superior players.

* It was of course Carrick who spotted Ramsey's position on the edge of the box far too late to stop the Welshman scoring his goal.

* Anderson's exit after 56 minutes simply served as a reminder that he was on the pitch.

* Such was Arsenal's early domination that it took Javier Hernandez around 20 minutes to actually touch the ball. His only contribution to the early exchanges was to be twice called offside. In the 53rd minute, we were reminded of the danger caused by his movement - had he made contact with Nani's cross it would have been a trademark Chicharito goal.

* Nani was chosen ahead of Luis Antonio Valencia because of his previous impact against Arsenal but the decision almost backfired when Gael Clichy skipped down the flank with no hint of a track-back from the Portuguese winger. What you gain in direct running with Nani's inclusion, you certainly lose in work rate.

* United enjoyed far more possession in the second half but it took until the 77th minute for them to look truly dangerous from open play and it came on the counter-attack - Nani forcing a save from Wojciech Szczesny after being played in by Wayne Rooney.

* Collective Arsenal and Chelsea-supporting breaths must have been held every time United had a free-kick or corner-kick. And then when Sebastien Squillaci entered the fray. And then when Emmanuel Eboue joined him. Admit it, we all expected a cock-up.

* Who knew Arshavin could tackle like that? When Arsenal needed a bit of balls, a very unlikely Russian stood up. Or rather went to ground to make a series of very good challenges.

* Arsenal showed Schalke how they should have played United - giving Rooney no space to drop into midfield and allowing Carrick and Rio Ferdinand little time to ping balls onto the flanks. Gifted no space and time, United looked a long, long way from being prospective double winners.

* Just as he was against Barcelona, Laurent Kosielny was immense. With Thomas Vermaelen close to returning to full fitness, do Arsenal fans still think the Gunners need to buy a raft of centre-halves? And while, we're here...do you still need a keeper?

* Although this will be painted as a victory for Chelsea, Arsenal fans will savour an all-too-rare win over United that was more than deserved. At half-time - having restricted Arsenal to shots off target - many will have expected United to pull themselves together and win the game with ease. Massive credit is due to the Gunners for ending a seven-game run of United domination.

* But can they only do it when the pressure is off? If they'd shown the same composure against Tottenham and Liverpool in recent weeks, they may be playing more than a supporting role in the title race.

* At an average of 23 years and 296 days, Arsenal's was the youngest Premier League starting line-up of the season. Not bad for a bunch of kids, eh?

sauce