Battle of Old Trafford
The "Battle of Old Trafford" was a Premier League match played at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Sunday, 21 September 2003 between Manchester United and Arsenal. The final result, a 0–0 draw, turned out to be significant for Arsenal as they went on to finish the league season without a single defeat, something that had only been achieved once before in English football, by Preston North End in 1888–89.
| Event | 2003–04 FA Premier League | ||||||
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| Date | 21 September 2003 | ||||||
| Venue | Old Trafford, Manchester | ||||||
| Referee | Steve Bennett (Kent) | ||||||
| Attendance | 67,639 | ||||||
| Weather | Sunny 16 °C (61 °F) | ||||||
The highlights of the match included the sending-off of Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira for a second bookable offence, for an incident that also brought about a booking for Manchester United centre-forward Ruud van Nistelrooy, and the decision by referee Steve Bennett to award Manchester United a penalty kick in the last minute of the match. Players from both teams were charged by the Football Association (FA) for their reactions at the end of the game; five Arsenal players and two Manchester United players were forced to pay fines.
The name was later applied to the same fixture during the following season.