Highlights

• The 'Battle of Old Trafford' between Manchester United and Arsenal in 2003 was a fiercely contested match with a 0-0 scoreline.
• The animosity between the two clubs had a long history, including previous matches with controversies and physical altercations.
• Various fines and bans were handed out to players after the game, and former referee Mark Clattenburg believes four men could have been sent off.

Manchester United and Arsenal have enjoyed a fierce rivalry between one another for years, as their status as two of the Premier League's biggest clubs has often led to feisty confrontations. And that was no better exemplified than during the 'Battle of Old Trafford'.

Over two decades ago, the Gunners travelled to the home of the champions as they looked to mount a title charge of their own in the 03/04 campaign. As many football fans will know, that season went on to be one of the most memorable as Arsene Wenger led his side to an unbeaten Premier League season, an achievement they alone have accomplished to this day in the English top flight.

It could have been a completely different story had fortune gone against Arsenal on 21st September 2003 when Manchester United came closer than any other side to defeating the team that would go on to be 'Invincible'. A 0-0 scoreline does not go any way towards describing the events on the pitch as a fiercely contested match was played out in Manchester.

Wenger's team went into the game with a more physical approach than in other games, with Ray Parlour and Freddie Ljungberg being brought in to replace the more technical Sylvain Wiltord and Robert Pires respectively. This suggests that the French manager, one of the best to ever manage in the Premier League, was prepared for a tough and physical battle on the day. But where did all the animosity between the two clubs come from?

The History of Manchester United vs Arsenal

Over 200 games have been played between two English clubs

The sides had most previously met in April 2003, in a match that was also very tense and ill-tempered. Arsenal defender Sol Campbell was shown a straight red card for elbowing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the face. This game ended in a 2-2 draw, but probably did not help towards the bad blood that spilled over in the 'Battle of Old Trafford'.

There was, however, a much longer story behind the bad feeling between the clubs, with even Sir Alex Ferguson's first encounter with the Gunners featuring controversy in 1987 after David Rocastle was shown a red card for sparking a row between the teams.

A massive brawl also occurred in a match between Arsenal and Manchester United more than a decade before the September 2003 fixture, as Nigel Winterburn was kicked by both Brian McClair and Denis Irwin after the Arsenal man had mocked the former for missing a penalty two years beforehand.

This was not the last time a penalty kick would be the source of a controversial moment in a meeting between the Gunners and the Red Devils. Tempers even flared in the Community Shield match between the two at the beginning of the 2003/04 season - in a game that is usually seen as a glorified friendly - as Campbell kicked out at a United player, and Francis Jeffers saw red for kicking Phil Neville.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Manchester United have won seven more Premier League titles than Arsenal (20 vs 13) and have won the most out of any English club.

United emerged victorious through a penalty shoot-out, but that was far from the end of the story. There was a famous rivalry between Premier League hardmen Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira as the two sides dominated the Premier League as the two teams shared 11 of the first 12 Premier League titles on offer - with only Blackburn Rovers breaking that trend. The two battling midfielders clashed in the tunnel before a game after Vieira had an altercation with Gary Neville prior to the game. Not only were both men incredible football players, they were also not to be messed with physically.

'The Battle of Old Trafford' Explained

Only Vieira was sent off despite all the chaos

Keane and Vieira were both back in action against each other during the 'Battle of Old Trafford'. A very competitive fixture between two top teams was locked in a stalemate despite several chances for Manchester United. The game reached the 80th minute before things really kicked off. Vieira was sent off after reacting badly to a foul by Ruud van Nistelrooy - as the French midfielder swung his leg towards the Dutch forward with his studs showing - after initially being booked only moments prior.

While there was no actual contact on the kick, the referee decided that the intent was there and the offence was worthy of a second booking for the Arsenal man, while Van Nistelrooy also went into the book for his part in proceedings. The Gunners' backline held strong even with the disadvantage of being down to 10 men until the final minute of the game, when a Martin Keown foul on Diego Forlan saw the hosts awarded a penalty and the chance to put an end to Arsenal's unbeaten start to the campaign.

Van Nistelrooy was the man to step up to take the spot kick - despite having missed his previous two - with all the pressure on his shoulders. The striker confidently struck the penalty with a lot of power, only for it to hit the underside of the crossbar and bounce away from goal.

This sparked the real battle between the two teams as Keown - who had given the penalty away - celebrated by screaming in the face of Van Nistelrooy after he missed from 12 yards. As the final whistle went to confirm the points being shared, the English defender was once again in the face of his opponent as Keown jumped up behind Van Nistelrooy before slamming his arms down on the back of the Dutchman.

Other Arsenal players such as Ashley Cole, Parlour and Kolo Toure were also quick to get in his face as they felt he had got Vieira sent off unfairly. Keane got in quickly to escort his striker away from the melee while other United players began to pile in to spark a huge scuffle between the two sets of players.

Martin Keown Still Blames Van Nistelrooy For Scenes at Old Trafford

Former defender believes Dutchman pretended to be injured

Speaking to talkSPORT in 2021, the former Arsenal defender said that Van Nistelrooy was still responsible for what occurred at the Theatre of Dreams: “You have to go back all the way to Patrick Vieira being sent off.

Ruud van Nistelrooy feigns injury, you could say it was cheating, he goes down, and Patrick Vieira gets sent off."

Keown then even disputed that the Dutch forward should have even had the chance to win the game in the late stages: “Then after that, it was like the Alamo, because they saw they had a chance to win the game. They had a penalty, which you could argue wasn’t a penalty, which I am involved in."

Mark Clattenburg Would Have Shown Four Red Cards

Former referee says Keown could have been sent off twice

Numerous punishments were handed out after the game by the FA. Arsenal were handed a record fine of £175,000 for failing to control their players, while Lauren was given a £40,000 fine and a four-game ban.

Gunners duo Vieira and Parlour were both given a one-match ban and a £20,000 and £10,000 fine, while Ashley Cole also received a £10,000 fine. Meanwhile, United duo Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo were charged with improper conduct and both fined £7,500 and £4,000 respectively.

Looking back at the incident, though, former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg believes that the referee on the day, Steve Bennett, missed four red cards during the game. Speaking to the Mail, the ex-official believes that Vieira was rightfully sent off for kicking out at Van Nistelrooy, while Keown should also have been off for a second yellow card after he brought down Forlan for the penalty.

During all the chaos, though, two other players should have been sent off in Clattenburg's eyes. United's Quinton Fortune barged into Lehmann to get the ball back for the spot kick, before Lauren then tried to kick the winger. The former should have been shown a second yellow for his offence, while Lauren's subsequent four-game ban is enough for Clattenburg to think that his kick was worth a red.

After the game, more reds should have followed. Keown, funnily enough, could have received another red card after he hit Van Nistelrooy with his arm. And after Parlour punched the Dutchman in the stomach, he too should have been sent off.

"This is madness. He doesn’t book anyone but I can see two red cards here. Keown should definitely be booked for cracking Van Nistelrooy with his arm - so this should be his second red card of the afternoon! And Parlour should be shown red for the rabbit punch in the stomach. Lauren should also be booked at the very least."

It came as little surprise to anyone that the FA were so harsh with their punishments after the game. And while incidents of this nature may have become less commonplace over the years, you can still always rely on this fixture to throw up fireworks whenever it comes around.