▁both ▁Ch else a ▁won ▁one ▁of ▁two ▁games ▁in ▁hand ▁to ▁drop ▁them ▁down ▁to ▁second ▁again . ▁ ▁United ▁celebrated ▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁League ▁Cup ▁semi - final ▁over ▁local ▁riv als ▁Manchester ▁City ▁with ▁a ▁great ▁performance ▁away ▁at ▁third - pla ced ▁Ar sen al . ▁The ▁G unn ers ▁began ▁the ▁match ▁just ▁a ▁point ▁behind ▁United ▁and ▁with ▁hopes ▁of ▁mount ing ▁a ▁serious ▁title ▁challenge ▁to ▁United ▁and ▁Ch else a . ▁They ▁began ▁well , ▁And rey ▁Ar sh av in ▁shooting ▁wide ▁twice ▁early ▁on ▁when ▁well ▁placed . ▁But ▁a ▁man - of - the - match ▁performance ▁from ▁Portuguese ▁mis - fit ▁N ani ▁turned ▁the ▁match ▁in ▁United ' s ▁favour . ▁First ly , ▁a ▁piece ▁of ▁skill ▁took ▁him ▁past ▁two ▁def enders , ▁before ▁he ▁put ▁in ▁a ▁cross ▁towards ▁the ▁far ▁post , ▁which ▁ke eper , ▁Manuel ▁Al mun ia ▁pal med ▁into ▁his ▁own ▁net ▁just ▁after ▁the ▁half - hour . ▁Five ▁minutes ▁later , ▁Ar sen al ▁had ▁a ▁corner , ▁but ▁a ▁light ning ▁break away ▁by ▁N ani ▁and ▁Wayne ▁Ro oney ▁saw ▁the ▁latter ▁score ▁his ▁ 1 0 0 th ▁Premier ▁League ▁goal ▁by ▁slot ting ▁past ▁Al mun ia ▁with ▁a ▁first - time ▁shot ▁from ▁a ▁great ▁pass ▁by ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁w inger ▁just ▁eleven ▁seconds ▁after ▁Ar sen al ▁took ▁their ▁corner . ▁United ' s ▁attack ing ▁on ▁the ▁break ▁continued ▁to ▁cause ▁Ar sen