Fletcher loves it as United plan comes together

Manchester United FC midfielder Darren Fletcher said everything went according to plan for the UEFA Champions League titleholders after they put together a 1-0 win against Arsenal FC on Wednesday night.

High tempo
Sir Alex Ferguson's side hold the initiative at the halfway point of the all-English UEFA Champions League semi-final following an energetic Old Trafford performance in which they never allowed Arsenal any time on the ball. Scotland midfielder Fletcher said: "Our game plan was to get about them and press them and do it at a high tempo and then try and break with the quality attacking players that we've got.

'In their faces'
"The game plan seemed to work," added Fletcher, a busy performer in the middle of the park. "Arsenal are a great passing side and if you stand off them, they will pass anyone to death, so it was important that we got at them, got in their faces and played at a tempo similar to what we did in the FA Cup here last season [when United beat Arsenal 4-0], before then breaking and creating chances like we did." With their route to goal blocked down the middle of the pitch, Arsenal struggled to threaten the home goal, managing just one shot on target. United, in contrast, had eight shots on target – seven in the first half alone.

Frustration
For this reason there was a sense of frustration that they did not have more to show for their efforts than John O'Shea's 17th-minute winner. Defender Patrice Evra said: "I think 1-0 is not good because we created a lot of chances – maybe four or five – and scored only one of them. I would like to congratulate their goalkeeper [Manuel Almunia], because without him we could have won 4-0." Midfielder Michael Carrick added: "We played well, especially in the first half, and created a number of chances and it would have been nice for one or two more to go in. But we have won the game and kept a clean sheet, so we have to be pretty happy with that."

Away goal
United's clean sheet means that they will be in a very strong position should they get a goal in Tuesday's return at the Arsenal Stadium, where they have scored in their three previous visits. As Carrick explained: "They will come out and be a real threat in the second leg but we are confident we can create enough chances to score again and hopefully that will make it even more difficult for them." Fletcher concurred when he said: "The pressure is on Arsenal now; they are at home and will have to come out and win the match. It will be a difficult match, but with the attacking quality we have got – whatever team the manager picks – we have enough quality to score that away goal."