Here146;s their answer

Arsenal responded to question marks about their ability to compete for the English Premier League title with a well-deserved 2-1 win over champions Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal responded to question marks about their ability to compete for the English Premier League title with a well-deserved 2-1 win over champions Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Missing several first team players, including strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie, the Gunners found a hero in French midfielder Samir Nasri who scored in each half of a match United boss Alex Ferguson described as fantasy football.

Nasri put Arsenal ahead after 23 minutes and struck again just after halftime to make up for last weekend8217;s bruising 2-1 defeat at Stoke City and a 4-4 home draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

Substitute Rafael volleyed a late reply for the visitors but Arsenal clung on through six minutes of stoppage time to go above United into third place with 23 points.

Hull City8217;s remarkable start to the season hit the buffers at home to Bolton Wanderers as they went down 1-0. The win lifted Bolton out of the bottom three and up to ninth place.

New Portsmouth manager Tony Adams got his first victory, with Jermain Defoe scoring a late penalty for a 2-1 win at Sunderland. Stoke City drew 0-0 with Wigan Athletic while West Ham United conceded three late goals in a 3-1 defeat by Everton.

After last week8217;s defeat at Stoke, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger defended his side against accusations that they lacked the spine for a title tight and he was delighted with the response against United. 8220;It was a very important result because I know what the reaction would have been if we had lost,8221; he said. 8220;It was important for us to stay near the top. Today we showed our spirit and mental attitude against a great United side. It was a cracking game of football.8221;

Wasted chances

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Ferguson8217;s side were left to rue several wasted chances in a dominant opening 20 minutes when their strike force of Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Cristiano Ronaldo threatened to blow Arsenal away. Michael Carrick was inches away from giving United the lead inside five minutes and then Berbatov had a goal ruled out for offside when he tapped in a rebound after Rooney8217;s shot was parried by Manuel Almunia.

After being second best for 22 minutes, Arsenal went ahead when the lively Nasri collected a poor Berbatov clearance and struck a shot that took a crucial deflection off Gary Neville8217;s shin on its way past Edwin van der Sar.

In a breathless first half, Cesc Fabregas went close to making it 2-0 on the half hour with a left-foot effort while at the other end Park Ji-Sung tested Almunia with a skidding drive.

Arsenal needed just two minutes of the second half to double their lead. An inter-change of passing between Fabregas and Nasri carved through United and Nasri thumped a right-footed shot past Van der Sar. Ronaldo should have pulled one back immediately but his side-foot volley went agonisingly wide of the far post 8212; a miss Ferguson later said was a turning point.