Source: Daily_Mail
Jack Wilshere holds his own in a man's game at Old Trafford
When Sir Alex Ferguson provided a list in his programme notes of the three players Arsenal have had sent off this season as way of illustrating his great rivals' occasional bouts of physicality, it was a surprise to be reminded that Jack Wilshere was on it. [LNB]Dismissed against Birmingham for a wild lunge at Nikola Zigic in October, the young midfielder has nevertheless established a reputation for possessing rather more admirable gifts. [LNB]At Old Trafford he perhaps faced one of his sternest tests. England coach Fabio Capello thinks enough of Wilshere to have picked him as a substitute for an August game against Hungary. [LNB] No pushover: riled-up Jack Wilshere gives Darren Fletcher a shove[LNB]Blackburn midfielder Phil Jones - with whom Wilshere has played at Under 21 level - described his young colleague as a talent that may one day remind people of Lionel Messi. [LNB]All that is very well. What is more important is how Wilshere performs in games like this. At Old Trafford, in the absence of colleagues such as Cesc Fabregas, Wilshere was handed a responsibility that perhaps exceeded any he had been given in 11 previous starts this season. [LNB]Warning sign: referee Howard Webb has words with Wilshere[LNB]With Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger using a 4-2-3-1 formation, Wilshere - who is 19 on January 1 - began as a holding player alongside the more experienced Alex Song. [LNB]In Wenger's side though, players are given licence to break from those positions. Certainly it is when Wilshere goes forward that he looks most impressive. He is as dextrous and two-footed as Joe Cole was in his early days and on this evidence he also reads the game well. [LNB]But two of the most effective contributions he made early on came in the form of interceptions. One - cutting out a ball from Anderson in the 10th minute - began an Arsenal move that could have resulted in a chance had Bacary Sagna's cross from the right been more accurate. [LNB]Watching Wilshere, it is immediately obvious why Wenger likes him. His passes were delivered quickly and sharply and he ran well off the ball. A clear lover of a one-two, one such movement almost led him in on goal as he narrowly failed to collect a return ball from Tomas Rosicky. [LNB]He showed the other side when just before half-time, he squared up to Darren Fletcher in a brief melee that followed Marouane Chamakh's crude challenge on Nani. If Wilshere feels the need to prove himself as a man then he shouldn't. His football will eventually settle that argument for him. [LNB]Perhaps he feels responsibility and if he does that is understandable. Wilshere has something to live up to given the amount of talented midfielders who have gone before him at Arsenal. [LNB]Nevertheless, he should focus simply on what he is good at. Despite the fact that Arsenal had their backs to the wall for much of the first hour, they did look at their more dangerous when Wilshere was involved. [LNB] Sinking feeling: Wilshere looks dejected after Arsenal concede the only goal of the game in first-half[LNB]He proved difficult for the likes of Fletcher, Anderson and Michael Carrick to track before being replaced by Robin van Persie after 64 minutes. [LNB]But his reputation at Arsenal and beyond is growing, and it is easy to see why.[LNB] Man United 1 Arsenal 0: Park swings it as Fergie's men go topManchester United 1 Arsenal 0: How the action unfolded at Old TraffordBench-warming Bendtner facing axe, warns Denmark manager OlsenARSENAL FC
