It should have been FOUR red cards! CLATTENBURG on Battle of Old Trafford again

It was the closest Arsenal came to losing during their Invincibles season, the infamous and original Battle of Old Trafford in 2003. A red card, missed penalty, snarling faces, sly digs and fouls galore, followed by record fines and bans totalling nine matches.

But when Manchester United were awarded a 92nd-minute spot-kick with the game goalless, Ruud van Nistelrooy had the chance to kill the story of Arsenal’s incredible campaign before it had even been told. Instead, he smashed his effort against the crossbar and Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the season extended to six matches. It would run all the way to a title-winning 38 games without loss, and they remain the only team in Premier League history to achieve the feat.

Arsenal travel to Manchester United on Sunday as they seek a first title since that Invincible season. The current team have silk and steel and Arsene Wenger’s side also had a nice mix of flair and resilience. They were no soft touch, as Van Nistelrooy discovered when Arsenal defender Martin Keown gloated in his face after the penalty miss and again on full-time.

Remarkably, Patrick Vieira was the only player sent off. However, Mail Sport columnist Mark Clattenburg, having re-watched the full match (and the post-game fracas), believes referee Steve Bennett could have shown red cards to five players - and Keown himself deserved two.

Roy Keane was not one of them, and he later said: ‘I had a lot of hatred for Arsenal. I don’t remember liking anybody at Arsenal. I knew I had to be at my angriest against them. I didn’t feel like that about any other team, but Arsenal brought out something different in me - I behaved myself that day, and I regret it.’

But Keown had no regrets, despite a retrospective three-match