Premier League: Man. United 1 Arsenal 0

Robin van Persie's superb header accounted for Barclays Premier League leaders Arsenal and catapulted Manchester United firmly into the title race on a tense afternoon at Old Trafford.

In a game of few chances, the Dutchman's first-half header from a Wayne Rooney corner made the tangible difference between champions and pace-setters, but the foundations for success were built on a magnificently dogged defensive display from David Moyes' men.

The United manager opted to field Phil Jones in a withdrawn central midfield role alongside Michael Carrick, safeguarding against the Gunners' advanced midfield threat, and the move almost totally stifled the visitors' creativity in central areas.

A forward four of van Persie, Rooney, Antonio Valencia and Shinji Kagawa, meanwhile, offered United plenty of attacking menace. A cagey opening to the game yielded plenty of possession for United, but the clear mutual respect shared by the sides meant a dearth of chances.

When United forged ahead, it was with virtually the game's first attempt of note. Moments after a dangerous Rooney cross had been headed behind, the England striker swung in an equally threatening corner which van Persie reached ahead of Olivier Giroud to help a fine header into Szczesny's top corner.

Though Arsenal responded positively, their first attempt on goal didn't arrive until Giroud's 36th-minute header, which sailed comfortably off-target. Steadier was the flow of bookings. Bacary Sagna and Mathieu Flamini were cautioned, the latter for a lunge on Phil Jones, himself booked moments earlier for an apparently legitimate aerial challenge on Szczesny.

United's half-time lead was fully deserved, but it was Arsenal who began the second period with the greater purpose. Mesut Ozil thrashed a close-range effort into David De Gea's side netting to serve notice of the Gunners' growing intent, although Rooney's low, left-footed effort came within a whisker of doubling the Reds' advantage on the hour.

For the most part, Arsenal were on the front foot and United, backed by a wall of noise from the home support, were required to put in a dogged defensive shift, with Jones - returned to centre-back after an injury to Nemanja Vidic - particularly outstanding.

Chris Smalling headed wastefully wide from a quick van Persie free-kick nine minutes from time, but quickly atoned with a brilliant block to save the day as Giroud looked set to haul the visitors level. That intervention typified United's play on an afternoon when the champions laid bare their mettle for all to see.