Manchester United showed just why they are probably the best team in Europe last night after overcoming fellow English team Arsenal in the second leg of the Semi Final to reach the European Cup Final for the second successive year.
Manchester United - English, European and World champions - saw off the London team with ease.
United (who had eight British Isles players in the squad compared to Arsenal's two) won the first leg 1-0, which meant that, due to the away goals rule, Arsenal would have to score three times without reply if Manchester Utd went 1-0 ahead in this second leg.
Poor Arsenal were 2-0 down after just 11 minutes making their task - having to score four goals without reply - seem impossible.
The Londoners just could not cope with the United juggernaut.
An easy goal after just eight minutes by United's South Korean international Ji-Sung Park put them on their way and, just three minutes later, a rocket of a free kick from 41 yards by Ronaldo sealed their place in the Final against either Chelsea or Barcelona on 27th May.
United's night was marred by a red card shown to defender Darren Fletcher, even though his tackle on Fabregas in the penalty area was perfectly legal. Fletcher now misses the Final.
Van Persie stepped up to score the wrongly awarded penalty, scant consolation for Arsenal.
Since the European Cup became the "Champions League" in 1992, no winners have retained this trophy, but holders United - who became the first team since Valencia in 2001 to appear in successive European Cup Finals - will be looking to become the first team to do that.
AC Milan retained the old European Cup in 1990.
Again, English teams have dominated this season's tournament, with three of the four Semi Finalists being English.
And if Chelsea beat Barcelona tonight, it will be an all-English European Cup Final for the second successive year.
After winning it in 1968, 1999 and 2008, can Manchester United win it for a fourth time?
By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer at the Emirates
BBC Sport
VS
EUROPEAN CUP, SEMI-FINAL, 2ND LEG
Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United
van Persie (pen) 76.............Park 8
...................................Ronaldo 11, 61
At The Emirates Stadium, London. Attendance: 59,867
Manchester United win 4-1 on aggregate.
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Djourou, Gibbs (Eboue 45), Walcott (Bendtner 63), Fabregas, Song Billong, Nasri, Van Persie (Vela 79), Adebayor.
Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Silvestre, Diaby, Denilson.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra (Rafael Da Silva 65), Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson (Giggs 63), Park, Ronaldo, Rooney (Berbatov 66).
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Evans, Scholes, Tevez.
Manchester United go 1-0 ahead (2-0 ahead on aggregate) after just eight minutes after a defensive mistake by young Kieran Gibbs allowed Ji-Sung Park to slot the ball home
More misery came for Arsenal just three minutes later as Cristiano Ronaldo made it 2-0 to the European champions (3-0 on aggregate) thanks to his rocket from 41 yards
Manchester United produced a virtuoso display to remain on course to become the first team to retain the Champions League - and destroyed Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger's dream of winning his first European trophy.
Arsenal's hopes of wiping out a single-goal deficit from the first leg ended inside 11 minutes as United struck twice to silence an expectant crowd at the Emirates.
Ji-Sung Park pounced on Kieran Gibbs' slip for a close-range finish after eight minutes, while Cristiano Ronaldo fired a 40-yard free-kick past startled keeper Manuel Almunia three minutes later.
It left Arsenal's plans, plus Wenger's bold promise of a "magnificent" performance from his players, in tatters as they were simply unable to cope with the power, pace and energy produced by Sir Alex Ferguson's side.
Ronaldo's second goal of the game after 61 minutes summed up his side's display in the space of a few devastating seconds.
Arsenal were undone from their own corner by a superb sweeping move that also involved starring roles for Park and Wayne Rooney before Ronaldo completed the formalities with a flourish. It rubber-stamped United's passage into a final against Chelsea or Barcelona in Rome on 27 May - and on this evidence they will take some stopping.
The only blot on United's otherwise perfect night came 16 minutes from time when Darren Fletcher was sent off by referee Roberto Rosetti, who ruled the midfielder had fouled Cesc Fabregas as he raced in on goal (although replays clearly show Fletcher got the ball).
Robin van Persie's penalty will not cause United as much pain as Fletcher's suspension for the final.
If United's first-leg performance did not bring the margin of victory it deserved, they were full value for this triumph.
And as Ferguson and United's players celebrated, Wenger was left to contemplate the stark statistic that Arsenal have not won a trophy since they beat these same opponents in the 2005 FA Cup final - and looked light years behind them on the evidence of these two games.
United will now press on to try to seal another Premier League title, safe in the knowledge they can take a tilt at winning this European trophy for the fourth time.
Arsenal attempted to crank up the atmosphere inside the Emirates by placing thousands of flags on seats around the stadium but two early blows from United ensured they were swiftly lowered.
United were desperate for the away goal that would leave Arsenal facing a mountainous task and they were gifted it via an error from Gibbs. He looked comfortably positioned to clear Ronaldo's routine cross but he slipped and Park was on hand to take advantage by sliding in to lift a finish over Almunia.
Arsenal's plight became virtually impossible three minutes later when another mistake, this time from Almunia, allowed United to double their advantage and leave the Gunners requiring four goals.
Van Persie fouled Ronaldo 40 yards out and while his strike was sweetly-struck and dipping, Almunia must take responsibility for moving too late to save an effort that arrived at a comfortable height.
Arsenal's players - and their thousands of followers - were visibly shell-shocked and Rooney almost made it three after 18 minutes.
Playing with great discipline in a left-flank role, he cut in dangerously to test Almunia with a shot the keeper was just able to turn to safety.
United were in complete control and Ronaldo was just off target with a header from Anderson's resulting corner.
Arsenal had been dominated to such an extent that they were reduced to ignoring Wenger's long-held philosophies as they launched aimless balls in the direction of Emmanuel Adebayor and Van Persie.
Their only response was a tame header from Fabregas that provided little more than catching practice for Edwin Van der Sar.
If Arsenal hoped the interval would inspire some remarkable transformation in a one-sided encounter, they were to be disappointed as United simply resumed with the same air of superiority.
Ronaldo tested Almunia with a low shot at his near post before he added United's third - a goal that summed up the quality of his side's performance.
From an Arsenal corner, Ronaldo found Park just 20 yards from his own penalty area. He played in Rooney and when he served up a perfect pass, there was Ronaldo to complete a picture goal with a finish high past Almunia.
It afforded Ferguson the luxury of being able to remove Rooney and Patrice Evra, players who would have missed the final had they had picked up another yellow card.
Fletcher did, however, suffer that fate when he was shown a straight red card by referee Rosetti 14 minutes from time when Fabregas tumbled as the pair collided in the penalty area.
Rosetti awarded a penalty, which Van Persie duly scored, but replays showed Fletcher appearing to get a clean touch on the ball before Fabregas fell to the ground - although there was no suggestion the Arsenal captain dived.
United then simply played out time before taking deserved acclaim at the conclusion of a magnificent team effort - as Europe's elite trophy came into sight for Ferguson and his men once more.
Home truth: Arsenal started the second leg of this Champions League semi-final needing to overhaul Manchester United's 1-0 lead following John O'Shea's goal at Old Trafford a week previously
Familiar face: England World Cup winner and former United captain Sir Bobby Charlton (centre) was, as always, in the crowd
Korea move: Arsenal suffered an early blow when South Korea international Ji-sung Park scored for United
Joy and pain: Keiran Gibbs (right), Arsenal's young defender, slipped to allow Park to hand United the lead
Target man: more misery came for Arsenal three minutes later as Cristiano Ronaldo made it 2-0 to United...
. . . with a trademark thunderbolt of a free-kick from 41 yards out to hand United a 3-0 aggregate lead
Flounder: Almunia could do nothing as the Portuguese winger's shot flew past Manuel Almunia
Blue heaven: after only eleven minutes Arsenal needed to score four goals to reach the final
Try try again: as the second half commenced Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas attempted to rally his side
Goal again: perhaps inevitably, it was Ronaldo who scored United's third of the night . . .
. . . after a flowing move which began in United's own six-yard box . .
. . . Ronaldo slotted the ball past Almunia
On our way: delighted team-mates congratulated the Fifa World Player of the Year
Tough break: with 20 minutes of the game remaining Darren Fletcher was dismissed for a foul on Fabregas
Hard luck: replays suggested that Fletcher had made contact with the ball . .
. . . but the decision cannot be rescinded. He will miss the final in the Olympic Stadium in Rome
On the spot: Robin van Persie (left) converted the resulting penalty with ease
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Manchester United - English, European and World champions - saw off the London team with ease.
United (who had eight British Isles players in the squad compared to Arsenal's two) won the first leg 1-0, which meant that, due to the away goals rule, Arsenal would have to score three times without reply if Manchester Utd went 1-0 ahead in this second leg.
Poor Arsenal were 2-0 down after just 11 minutes making their task - having to score four goals without reply - seem impossible.
The Londoners just could not cope with the United juggernaut.
An easy goal after just eight minutes by United's South Korean international Ji-Sung Park put them on their way and, just three minutes later, a rocket of a free kick from 41 yards by Ronaldo sealed their place in the Final against either Chelsea or Barcelona on 27th May.
United's night was marred by a red card shown to defender Darren Fletcher, even though his tackle on Fabregas in the penalty area was perfectly legal. Fletcher now misses the Final.
Van Persie stepped up to score the wrongly awarded penalty, scant consolation for Arsenal.
Since the European Cup became the "Champions League" in 1992, no winners have retained this trophy, but holders United - who became the first team since Valencia in 2001 to appear in successive European Cup Finals - will be looking to become the first team to do that.
AC Milan retained the old European Cup in 1990.
Again, English teams have dominated this season's tournament, with three of the four Semi Finalists being English.
And if Chelsea beat Barcelona tonight, it will be an all-English European Cup Final for the second successive year.
After winning it in 1968, 1999 and 2008, can Manchester United win it for a fourth time?
By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer at the Emirates
BBC Sport
EUROPEAN CUP, SEMI-FINAL, 2ND LEG
Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United
van Persie (pen) 76.............Park 8
...................................Ronaldo 11, 61
At The Emirates Stadium, London. Attendance: 59,867
Manchester United win 4-1 on aggregate.
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Djourou, Gibbs (Eboue 45), Walcott (Bendtner 63), Fabregas, Song Billong, Nasri, Van Persie (Vela 79), Adebayor.
Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Silvestre, Diaby, Denilson.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra (Rafael Da Silva 65), Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson (Giggs 63), Park, Ronaldo, Rooney (Berbatov 66).
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Evans, Scholes, Tevez.
Manchester United go 1-0 ahead (2-0 ahead on aggregate) after just eight minutes after a defensive mistake by young Kieran Gibbs allowed Ji-Sung Park to slot the ball home
More misery came for Arsenal just three minutes later as Cristiano Ronaldo made it 2-0 to the European champions (3-0 on aggregate) thanks to his rocket from 41 yards
Manchester United produced a virtuoso display to remain on course to become the first team to retain the Champions League - and destroyed Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger's dream of winning his first European trophy.
Arsenal's hopes of wiping out a single-goal deficit from the first leg ended inside 11 minutes as United struck twice to silence an expectant crowd at the Emirates.
Ji-Sung Park pounced on Kieran Gibbs' slip for a close-range finish after eight minutes, while Cristiano Ronaldo fired a 40-yard free-kick past startled keeper Manuel Almunia three minutes later.
It left Arsenal's plans, plus Wenger's bold promise of a "magnificent" performance from his players, in tatters as they were simply unable to cope with the power, pace and energy produced by Sir Alex Ferguson's side.
Ronaldo's second goal of the game after 61 minutes summed up his side's display in the space of a few devastating seconds.
Arsenal were undone from their own corner by a superb sweeping move that also involved starring roles for Park and Wayne Rooney before Ronaldo completed the formalities with a flourish. It rubber-stamped United's passage into a final against Chelsea or Barcelona in Rome on 27 May - and on this evidence they will take some stopping.
The only blot on United's otherwise perfect night came 16 minutes from time when Darren Fletcher was sent off by referee Roberto Rosetti, who ruled the midfielder had fouled Cesc Fabregas as he raced in on goal (although replays clearly show Fletcher got the ball).
Robin van Persie's penalty will not cause United as much pain as Fletcher's suspension for the final.
If United's first-leg performance did not bring the margin of victory it deserved, they were full value for this triumph.
And as Ferguson and United's players celebrated, Wenger was left to contemplate the stark statistic that Arsenal have not won a trophy since they beat these same opponents in the 2005 FA Cup final - and looked light years behind them on the evidence of these two games.
United will now press on to try to seal another Premier League title, safe in the knowledge they can take a tilt at winning this European trophy for the fourth time.
Arsenal attempted to crank up the atmosphere inside the Emirates by placing thousands of flags on seats around the stadium but two early blows from United ensured they were swiftly lowered.
United were desperate for the away goal that would leave Arsenal facing a mountainous task and they were gifted it via an error from Gibbs. He looked comfortably positioned to clear Ronaldo's routine cross but he slipped and Park was on hand to take advantage by sliding in to lift a finish over Almunia.
Arsenal's plight became virtually impossible three minutes later when another mistake, this time from Almunia, allowed United to double their advantage and leave the Gunners requiring four goals.
Van Persie fouled Ronaldo 40 yards out and while his strike was sweetly-struck and dipping, Almunia must take responsibility for moving too late to save an effort that arrived at a comfortable height.
Arsenal's players - and their thousands of followers - were visibly shell-shocked and Rooney almost made it three after 18 minutes.
Playing with great discipline in a left-flank role, he cut in dangerously to test Almunia with a shot the keeper was just able to turn to safety.
United were in complete control and Ronaldo was just off target with a header from Anderson's resulting corner.
Arsenal had been dominated to such an extent that they were reduced to ignoring Wenger's long-held philosophies as they launched aimless balls in the direction of Emmanuel Adebayor and Van Persie.
Their only response was a tame header from Fabregas that provided little more than catching practice for Edwin Van der Sar.
If Arsenal hoped the interval would inspire some remarkable transformation in a one-sided encounter, they were to be disappointed as United simply resumed with the same air of superiority.
Ronaldo tested Almunia with a low shot at his near post before he added United's third - a goal that summed up the quality of his side's performance.
From an Arsenal corner, Ronaldo found Park just 20 yards from his own penalty area. He played in Rooney and when he served up a perfect pass, there was Ronaldo to complete a picture goal with a finish high past Almunia.
It afforded Ferguson the luxury of being able to remove Rooney and Patrice Evra, players who would have missed the final had they had picked up another yellow card.
Fletcher did, however, suffer that fate when he was shown a straight red card by referee Rosetti 14 minutes from time when Fabregas tumbled as the pair collided in the penalty area.
Rosetti awarded a penalty, which Van Persie duly scored, but replays showed Fletcher appearing to get a clean touch on the ball before Fabregas fell to the ground - although there was no suggestion the Arsenal captain dived.
United then simply played out time before taking deserved acclaim at the conclusion of a magnificent team effort - as Europe's elite trophy came into sight for Ferguson and his men once more.
Home truth: Arsenal started the second leg of this Champions League semi-final needing to overhaul Manchester United's 1-0 lead following John O'Shea's goal at Old Trafford a week previously
Familiar face: England World Cup winner and former United captain Sir Bobby Charlton (centre) was, as always, in the crowd
Korea move: Arsenal suffered an early blow when South Korea international Ji-sung Park scored for United
Joy and pain: Keiran Gibbs (right), Arsenal's young defender, slipped to allow Park to hand United the lead
Target man: more misery came for Arsenal three minutes later as Cristiano Ronaldo made it 2-0 to United...
. . . with a trademark thunderbolt of a free-kick from 41 yards out to hand United a 3-0 aggregate lead
Flounder: Almunia could do nothing as the Portuguese winger's shot flew past Manuel Almunia
Blue heaven: after only eleven minutes Arsenal needed to score four goals to reach the final
Try try again: as the second half commenced Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas attempted to rally his side
Goal again: perhaps inevitably, it was Ronaldo who scored United's third of the night . . .
. . . after a flowing move which began in United's own six-yard box . .
. . . Ronaldo slotted the ball past Almunia
On our way: delighted team-mates congratulated the Fifa World Player of the Year
Tough break: with 20 minutes of the game remaining Darren Fletcher was dismissed for a foul on Fabregas
Hard luck: replays suggested that Fletcher had made contact with the ball . .
. . . but the decision cannot be rescinded. He will miss the final in the Olympic Stadium in Rome
On the spot: Robin van Persie (left) converted the resulting penalty with ease
news.bbc.co.uk/sport
telegraph.co.uk
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