Manchester United 1 Arsenal 0: Wayne Rooney says United knew it was a game they could not afford to lose

Defeat would have put the champions 11 points off the top of the table

Wayne Rooney applauds the fans after Manchester United's victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford

Wayne Rooney has called Manchester United’s 1-0 victory over Arsenal on Sunday a match the champions knew they could not afford to lose. The forward's corner assisted Robin van Persie’s 27th-minute winning goal.

If Arsenal won they would have gone 11 points clear of the Premier League champions, but with the result at Old Trafford that gap has now been closed to five points.

“It was a great result, we had to win at all costs,” Rooney said. “We defended well and it was great effort by everyone.

“We knew we couldn't afford to lose, we couldn’t let Arsenal get 11 points ahead, we knew a victory would get us right back up there.”

On the goal, from a perfectly executed corner routine, Rooney said it was something United had worked on with the Gunners squad lacking in height. This was helped by 6ft 6in German defender Per Mertesacker missing the game through illness.

“We had worked on free-kicks and corners,” he said. “Arsenal have got smaller players, we thought it was an opportunity and thankfully it paid off.

“[The result] gives us a massive lift going into the international break.”

United next face Cardiff away in the division on the 24 November.

For Premier League Sunday - as it happened, CLICK HERE