Originally Posted by SkySports

Stalemate at the San Siro

A controlled and patient display from Manchester United only lacked a goal at the San Siro, as Inter Milan owed more than a little to their visitor's wastefulness in front of goal to escape with a 0-0 draw.


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Pre-match and all the talk had been about the 'Special One' but on this showing Jose Mourinho's current crop in Italy are little better than mediocre.

While the odd eyebrow was raised by Sir Alex Ferguson's selection of Dimitar Berbatov as a lone striker, the only real surprise was that Inter were not dead and buried by the break.

United's supremacy was such Cristiano Ronaldo will feel he could have had a hat-trick, as two free-kicks and a pair of headers had Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar scrambling across his goal.

The Brazilian's best save though was reserved to thwart Ryan Giggs, who after outmuscling Nelson Rivas from the excellent Michael Carrick's pass could only find the Inter keeper's sprawling legs.
Giggs denied

After the interval Inter awoke from their slumber to finally add hunger to a display that looked malnourished in the opening 45 minutes, but other than an Adriano miscue in front of goal and a scramble late on, Edwin van der Sar was a virtual bystander.

So while Ferguson's men will be confident of getting a goal in the second leg at Old Trafford, they remain vulnerable to Mourinho's guile.

It was expected a meeting between the undisputed kings of Italy and England would be a keenly-fought affair with little give on either side.

In fact the first half turned out to be a landslide in every respect but the scoreboard.

The sheer speed of United's movement caught Inter napping almost as much as Ferguson's decision to leave Wayne Rooney on the bench.

Their swift snappy passing, allied to movement off the ball gave Inter a problem they struggled to solve. Indeed, they would not have managed it without an outstanding individual performance from Cesar.

Ronaldo was the first to be denied with a smart near post header, before a succession of free-kicks called Inter's overworked keeper into action.

Private duel

Ronaldo did beat him once with a point-blank header but it flashed wide.

The major worry, especially with a coach as wily as Mourinho in the opposing dug-out, must be United's failure to score.

It was not as though they lacked the opportunity. Lone front-man Berbatov surged clear in the box at one point, only to look up and see no-one in support as he prepared to cross.

Inter's frustrations were summed up just before the break when Cesar's deputy, Francesco Toldo, was booked for protesting on the touchline at another decision that had gone against his team.

Ferguson must have sensed Inter would finally flex their muscles after the break, and so it proved.

Adriano had already flashed one shot wide when he crashed to the turf under Rio Ferdinand's challenge as Javier Zanetti crossed.

The Brazilian screamed for a penalty but TV replays suggested Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo was right to say no.

But Inter tails were up and Dejan Stankovic was narrowly wide with another shot before attempting to release Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who had strayed narrowly offside when otherwise he would have been clear.

United were not quite clinging on as their opponents had been earlier. However, they were being tested and it took them some time to regain their earlier composure.

Their goal threat had become sporadic with Zanetti's far-post clearance to prevent Giggs reaching Ronaldo's low cross the summit of United's danger until the veteran Welshman was allowed to gallop into the Inter box, where his shot was blocked by Ivan Cordoba and Carrick fired the rebound over.

After seeing Cordoba fail to make the most of a Mario Balotelli corner, Ferguson gave Rooney seven minutes to make a difference, and was no doubt not meaning for his striker to pick up a booking for a foul on Stankovic.

However, it was a peripheral moment, with Ronaldo taking centre stage one last time to unleash another 20-yard thunderbolt. Cesar remained defiant and saved with his chest.

Originally Posted by SkySports

Gunners edge ahead

Arsenal are up and running in Europe again after claiming a 1-0 win over Roma at Emirates Stadium.


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Robin van Persie's spot-kick was enough to hand the Gunners a vital first leg lead in their UEFA Champions League last-16 encounter.

The hosts, free from the pressures of picking up Premier League points, were positive from the off and quickly had Roma rattled.

It became only a matter of time before the breakthrough materialised, with it coming as some surprise that it took 37 minutes for the Gunners to take a deserved lead.

Van Persie, who had caused the Italians problems all night, won and converted a penalty, picking himself up after being cynically tripped by Philippe Mexes to fire low into the bottom corner.

The Gunners continued to look the more dangerous going forward after the break and spurned a host of chances to put the result beyond doubt.

Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Eboue wasted two of the better opportunities, with Arsene Wenger pulling his hair out on the bench.

John Arne Riise provided a couple of reminders that Roma are far from out of the tie, but Luciano Spalletti's side have it all to do in a fortnight's time.
Determined

Arsenal had drawn blanks in each of their last three Premier League games, as manager Arsene Wenger was left to reflect on his team's inability to break down determined defences.

Tuesday's encounter looked set to be a more open affair, with Roma all too aware of the importance an away goal would bring to the tie, and so it proved.

Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri was handed a roaming role, and broke the offside trap early on to dash into the right side of the penalty area.

He pulled the ball back for Bendtner, on the penalty spot, but it was just a yard behind him and the Dane's first touch was heavy, allowing the defenders to recover and block.

Then full-back Gael Clichy picked out Nasri with a deep cross from the left - but his glancing header flew wide.

There was a warning for Arsenal when Marco Motta let fly from 25 yards with an angled drive, which was heading towards the top right corner before Manuel Almunia tipped it behind.

Roma defender Simone Loria then somehow managed to stab the ball over when he was picked out in the six-yard box by a quick free-kick.

Despite all of their possession, Arsenal were again unable to convert it into a goal.

Tripped

However, the Gunners were awarded a penalty on 37 minutes when Van Persie got into the left side of the area, and was tripped by Mexes.

The Dutchman stepped up to take the spot-kick himself - and coolly dispatched his 15th goal of the season into the bottom right corner.

Van Persie was in the thick of the action again soon after when he dashed towards the goalline and pulled the ball back, but Bendtner was crowded out at the near post.

Daniele De Rossi was somewhat fortunate to only get a yellow card following a two-footed lunge on Nasri, who went sprawling into the far touchline. The midfiedler will, nevertheless, now miss the second leg.

The second half opened in farcical fashion as Roma kicked off when Arsenal only had nine men on the field.

William Gallas and Kolo Toure eventually dashed from out of the tunnel, with the Ivory Coast defender running straight on to the pitch - and was promptly booked by Danish referee Claus Bo Larsen for entering the field of play without permission.

Bendtner should then have made it 2-0 on 53 minutes.

Eboue dashed forward and into the right side of the box, before squaring for Van Persie.

Hustled

The Dutchman was hustled off the ball, but it broke to Bendtner on the left.

The young Dane took a touch to set himself in the six-yard box, before then blazing his shot high over the bar.

Arsenal continued to press forwards, with Abou Diaby's shot on-the-turn from 18 yards forcing Alexander Doni into a smart save, down to the keeper's left.

A mix-up in the Roma defence when Loria slipped suddenly gifted Eboue a golden chance as he latched onto a loose ball at the edge of the area.

However, the Ivory Coast midfielder went wide and skewed his shot the wrong side of the post, with the keeper beaten.

Wenger sent on Mexican winger Carlos Vela, replacing Bendtner, to inject some pace for the final 22 minutes.

Arsenal sat back, looking to protect their lead, but it looked a dangerous tactic.

Nasri's shot was deflected behind as Arsenal looked for a crucial second goal, but in the end had to be content with just the one to show for all their efforts.