Welcome to LIVE coverage of the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford. We'll have teams imminently.

Van Persie brings a save from Mannone after a brilliant through ball from Rooney! Another right-foot shot, not an easy chance.

Conspiracy! Referee Mike Dean gets in the way of the ball to break up an Arsenal attack.

That was decent interplay between the United strikers. Van Persie really has made an amazing start to his United career - 10 goals in 12-and-a-bit matches.

RVP and Rooney exchange passes but the Dutchman is forced wide and cannot get his shot away.

Arsenal are enjoying plenty of posession. Well, I don't know if they're enjoying it. They're having it, certainly.

It's the most wonderful time of the year - the United fans are singing that '12 Days of Christmas'/Cantona song. Must put the decorations up...

Based on that tackle, it appears that Jack Wilshere has been out since the 1970s. Proper reducer on Cleverley and that's a booking.

It's gone a bit Spanish, this game. Decent passing from both sides, but not much happening within 30 yards of either goal. FYI: The Arsenal fans aren't being respectful to RVP.

Infostrada have hit us with this statistical nugget: "This is the third time in five PL matches at Old Trafford this season that there has been a goal within the opening three minutes."

Good cross from Sagna towards Ramsey, who is beaten in the air. It comes out to Santos 25 yards out, and he drags his shot in the rough direction of the corner flag.

I'm prattling because there's not a lot of action down on the pitch. The ball spending a lot of time in the middle third.

Meanwhile, Eurosport-Yahoo!'s Sean Fay says he has had enough of muted celebrations.

Our man Tom Adams again: "Absolutely every single aspect of that goal was entirely unsurprising."

Ashley Young flings himself to the ground - it was a foul by Arteta, but Young certainly made the most of it. Need to be careful doing that these days...

Awful attempted clearance from Vermaelen for that goal. He has struggled this season, and a number of Gooners would rather see Laurent Koscielny in the centre of defence. That number has probably just increased...

Well, that didn't take long, did it? Celebration fans might be interested to hear that he was restrained, but didn't do that irritating thing of refusing to smile altogether.

GOAL!! It's Robin van Persie!! Ridiculous! Rafael crosses weakly from the right, Vermaelen makes a right hash of the clearance and Van Persie tucks the ball away with his right foot from the edge of the box.

United knock the ball around in their own half. Not much urgency until Wilshere flings himself as Valencia who manages to get the ball away.

Arsenal kick off, playing from right to left as we see it. The far side of the pitch is in sunshine, the near side in shade. As if you care.

Out come the teams! It's a sunny lunchtime at Old Trafford. Arsenal are in their natty purple and black hooped away strip. Which actually sounds odder than it is. Obviously, Van Persie gets a full complement of handshakes from the Arsenal team - including a couple of hugs.

FYI: I'll be pronouncing Giroud 'Zhi-roo' and Cazorla 'Ca-thor-la' in this text commentary.