From the Back Pages, November 11: Robin van Persie puts aside old loyalties to give United lift

Manchester United 1 Arsenal 0: If, as Arsène Wenger had suggested, Robin van Persie is still “an Arsenal man”, he has a strange way of showing it. He celebrated his match-winning goal yesterday with the gusto of a man desperate not only to kick-start Manchester United’s Barclays Premier League title challenge but also to bring the Arsenal bandwagon to a shuddering halt. (The Times)

Even £100million worth of talent could not find a way past Tim Krul. It will go down as one of the Premier League’s great goalkeeping performances as the statisticians totted up a remarkable 14 saves. (The Mirror)

Andre Villas-Boas has claimed he was advised by the medical department to make a last minute decision not play Hugo Lloris against Newcastle on Sunday after a pre-match test called the Impact Test. (Daily Mail)

Wes Brown and Phil Bardsley are emerging from very different forms of rehabilitation but these two seemingly reborn Manchester United old boys revelled in reinforcing the idea that trips to Wearside spell purgatory for Manchester City. (The Guardian)

There were six goals, eight bookings, a penalty and a point apiece at the Liberty Stadium where Stoke City relinquished a two-goal half-time lead before snatching a dramatic point in stoppage time. (The Telegraph)

ENGLAND have been hit with a double injury blow to two senior players after Kevin Pietersen joined Matt Prior on the treatment table just 11 days from the first Ashes Test. (The Express)

It has been a rivalry that has dominated their generation, but the history books will show that in the end there was one clear winner. Rafael Nadal yesterday took his head-to-head record with Roger Federer to 22 wins from 32 matches with a 7-5, 6-3 victory in the semi-finals of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. (The Independent)