Arsene Wenger's men excelled at Old Trafford yesterday, but were condemned to defeat by a pair of set-pieces.

As Arsenal's season is over, Manchester United head towards a second successive Premier League title.

They now lead Chelsea by six points after recovering from a goal deficit to overcome Arsenal.

They did so with, predictably, a goal from Cristiano Ronaldo and, more surprisingly, one from Owen Hargreaves.

Ronaldo coolly converted a twice-taken penalty to take his tally for the season to an incredible 38 in all competitions.

But when United won a free kick with 20 minutes remaining, the prolific Portuguese was displaced by Hargreaves, who stepped up to flick his shot over the Arsenal wall and past a motionless Jens Lehmann.

It brought United their reward for a much-improved second-half display, in particular after the introduction of Carlos Tevez, but also demonstrated that they can do what Arsenal consistently fail to - win without necessarily playing well.

Because, when Emmanuel Adebayor gave Arsenal the lead, even the most fervent Red Devil would have struggled to argue that it was not deserved.

Adebayor was magnificent, leading the line single-handedly and occupying the United defence, even though there was a hint of hand-ball in his goal.

He served as the focal point of the attack, involving others as they broke to join him.

Francesc Fabregas showed particular willingness to do so, with Arsenal's 4-5-1 formation allowing them to spring a series of rapid counter-attacks.

One resulted in Edwin van der Sar second-guessing Adebayor and gratefully falling on the striker's shot after Alexander Hleb had fed the Senegalese.

Then, three minutes after half-time, Adebayor emerged between Michael Carrick and a flapping van der Sar to head home Robin van Persie's cross after Arsenal had worked the ball across the pitch from a free kick.

Initially they appeared to be going nowhere until a flash of acceleration from the Dutchman gave him the room to cross.

The lead only lasted for four minutes as, moments after van der Sar spared Rio Ferdinand from a particularly embarrassing own goal, William Gallas handled Michael Carrick's pass.

Penalty.

Ronaldo beat Lehmann and, though Park Ji Sung encroached, did so again from the retake.

That was one of the Korean's two notable contributions. The other was to head weakly wide from an enticing cross from Hargreaves.

It was no surprise, then, when his number was held aloft in a double change.

Sir Alex Ferguson's initial 4-5-1 had proved ineffectual and off went Park and Paul Scholes as Anderson and Tevez added a South American flavour to a more attacking ensemble.

His earlier error rectified, Ferguson found his fired-up charges finally able to defeat Arsenal's pantomime villain and unlikely hero.

Increasingly vocal, Lehmann has been first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Almunia's major critic recently.

But the Spaniard's wrist injury brought an unexpected return for Lehmann and the idiosyncratic German savoured his return to the big stage.

This may prove his farewell to Arsenal. If so, it threatened to be a dream finale, with a hat-trick of brilliant stops.

His first save was super, Lehmann extending a foot to touch Wayne Rooney's close-range shot wide.

Lehmann's legs came to Arsenal's rescue again when Rooney outpaced the visitors' defence. His shot had half of Old Trafford celebrating, but Lehmann's decisive touch ensured it went wide.

And when Patrice Evra was the provider, supplying the through-ball to send Rooney clear, Lehmann won that duel.

But when Hargreaves stepped up at the set-piece, the German had no answer.

At the other end, van der Sar had the woodwork to thank to spare Wes Brown an own goal and to keep out Nicklas Bendtner's injury-time header.

As Wenger keeps on saying, Arsenal have no luck.

stsports@sph.com.sg