Manchester United
Edwin van der Sar The Dutchman must have been surprised at how little he had to do against Arsenal. Not called upon to distinguish himself 6
John O'Shea Had little to trouble him defensively and he took his goal superbly, making a sweet connection with a tricky bouncing ball 7
Rio Ferdinand With his team on the front foot, his was largely an exercise in discipline and concentration. Worringly, forced off clutching his ribs 7
Nemanja Vidic Commanding in the air, he ensured that Adebayor was never far from his or his partner Ferdinand's sights. Composed on the ball 7
Patrice Evra Suspect in recent weeks but the Frenchman used his pace and upper body strength to nullify the threat of Walcott on the flank 7
Darren Fletcher Loves the big stage. A ball of energy, he helped to set the tone for United, winning important challenges and distributing well 8
Michael Carrick The deepest lying of United's midfield trio, he caught the eye with the range of his passing. Set up O'Shea's goal with a low cut-back 8
Anderson Full of running, he made several breaks beyond the final man and helped to harry Arsenal from their stride. Replaced by Giggs 7
Cristiano Ronaldo Arsenal hearts skipped beats when he tore at them. A source of danger, he rattled the bar but infuriated at times by going to ground 8
Wayne Rooney Has a history of worrying Arsenal and this was no exception. The striker was a constant threat, with his hard running, strength and vision 8
Carlos Tevez Easy to see why he is such a crowd favourite. Ran the channels, tackled back and linked up the play. Clearly unhappy when substituted
Arsenal
Manuel Almunia Made a string of outstanding stops to keep the tie alive, the pick of which was a double save from Tevez in the first half 8
Bacary Sagna Stuck to his task, despite the threat presented by Rooney. Went about his work quietly but his marauding wings were clipped 6
Kolo Touré Battled to hold Arsenal's back line together, a snapshot in commitment. Made some important interceptions 6
Mikaël Silvestre An over-worked figure on his return to Old Trafford, his distribution was suspect. Under pressure he had one or two anxious moments 5
Kieran Gibbs Up against Ronaldo, the teenager endured a nervy start and he was guilty of errors. Showed his pace and did look to get forward 5
Samir Nasri Started in an unfamiliar deep and central midfield role, the game largely passed him by. Wanted too much time before making his move 4
Alex Song Struggled to provide the requisite protection for his back four or track United's runners from midfield. Strong in the tackle, though 5
Theo Walcott Rated as the quickest forward in England by Ferguson, he showed flashes of menace but was crowded out every time. Substituted 5
Cesc Fábregas At the centre of everything Arsenal did. Constantly cajoling and driving forward, the captain was his team's best chance of an opening 8
Abou Diaby There are never any grey areas with the Frenchman. He could not bring his idiosyncratic flair to the grandest of stages 5
Emmanuel Adebayor Arsenal needed more from him, even though he was starved of service. He struggled to escape the shackles of Ferdinand and Vidic 4
