The above picture wasn't from Monday night, but from a couple months ago...still...Ji-Sung Park and his crazy side-of-the-head goal were the difference against the Gunners, putting United 2 points clear of Arsenal and Manchester City, with a game in hand.

"The game-plan was to stifle the midfield and to make sure we got possession of the ball in there. We did that well in the first half. We played very well and maybe we should have been further in front.

"In fairness, with the goal we did score, we deserved that. In the second half we had some great opportunities on the counter-attack, we were disappointed [not to make more of that]. Arsenal had more of the game in the second half without actually making many chances." -Sir Alex Ferguson ( ManUtd.com )

MATCH REPORTS: ( ManUtd.com | Sky | BBC | Guardian | Telegraph | Daily Mail | Sun )

• Wenger blames pitch ( BBC ) (ed: It wasn't the pitch, you fool...it was your team's inability to complete a pass.  It was your team's inability to get into the attacking third for most of the game.  Go ahead, blame the pitch...just remember United played ON THE EXACT SAME TURF.)

MORE AFTER THE JUMP:

SQUAD NEWS:

• Apropos for Park: ( ManUtd.com )
• Patrice Evra: "We deserved it" ( ManUtd.com )
• Rio Ferdinand says not to get carried away after beating Arsenal: ( ManUtd.com )
• Gabriel Obertan inspired by fellow Frenchman Thierry Henry: ( MEN )
• Park set for the Asian Cup: ( MEN )

SIR ALEX:

• Responds to Arsene Wengers comments about the pitch: ( Guardian )
• Happy with the back four: ( Sky )
• Calls Wayne Rooney's penalty miss "unusual": ( Telegraph )
  
• Disappointed about losing Park to the Asian Cup in January: ( Sky )
• Says that Chelsea is a big game: ( Sky )
• Calls Sam Allardyce's sacking at Blackburn "absolutely ridiculous": ( BBC )

TRANSFER/LOAN NEWS/RUMORS:

• United trying to work a new deal with Anderson: ( MEN )
• Rio Ferdiand wants 4 more years: ( Sun )
  
• Ritchie de Laet loan to Preston North End extended through 4 January: ( Sky )
• United in the hunt for Nilmar? ( Sky )
• Need to move fast for Fabio Coentrao: ( Telegraph )
  

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:

• Fox extends TV rights for Champions League through 2015: ( FSC )
  

• Gary Speed named Welsh boss: ( Evening Standard )
• Hopes to get Ryan Giggs and Robbie Savage to help Wales vs. England in March ( Daily Mail )
  

CHILIAN MINERS AT OLD TRAFFORD:

• If you hadn't heard, the 26 of the 33 miners trapped in a mine in Chile were invited to Old Trafford for Monday's match and even got to sit in the director's box.  Here are some farewell comments from David Gill: ( ManUtd.com )
• Pictures: ( Guardian )