Funny, the way it goes. Without a homeborn player in their starting team, Arsenal survived their toughest test of the season so far with a display so full of fighting spirit that it seemed quite English. When it was all over, they gathered in a huddle near halfway, no doubt reminding themselves they were still on top of the Premier League before renewing their Arsenal vows.

United trooped away wearily, their bowed heads weighed down by the sense of having blown it. When you take the lead with eight minutes remaining, as United did, you don’t bargain for a share of the points. Neither was it a surprise that the visitors got themselves in that position. From less possession, they were a constant threat. Arsène Wenger described United's quality as “clinical” and reminded us that when it comes to the English language, his choice of word is as precise as Cesc Fabregas’s passing.

No one can describe Wenger’s team as quitters. They had 12 minutes to save their skins yesterday and how feverishly they went about it. Much of the credit will be given William Gallas for the finely controlled volley, but most of the praise should be reserved for Gael Clichy. His part in the goal was pivotal.

The left-back won possession on halfway and immediately surged forward. His touch was a shade heavy and the ball was close to running out of play but desperation saved Clichy. After getting the ball back under control, he played a delightfully murderous ball across the United goal. Defenders went for it but dared not touch it, Edwin van der Sar in the United goal didn’t know whether he was coming or going and when substitute Theo Walcott turned the ball back across goal from the far post, Gallas finished from the toughest of angles. Sir Alex Ferguson thought his defenders “lost their bearings” on that late equaliser but that was testimony to the quality of Clichy's cross.

Van der Sar blocked Gallas’s volley and not many among the 60,161 crowd were aware the ball had crossed the line. Assistant referee Darren Cann was one of the few and he immediately signalled a goal. It was an outstanding call as the official’s view would not have been helped by the number of bodies around his line of sight. Van der Sar chased the referee, and continued his protests after the game. Television replays showed the ball had clearly crossed the line and you wonder, will Van der Sar one day take the trouble to offer his apologies to Cann?

Asked what he thought about Gallas’s volley, Wenger drew some laughter when admitting that he didn’t see it. Embarrassed laughter from folk who mistakenly thought temporary blindness only affected him at moments of Arsenal indiscretions. Someone wondered if he felt gratitude towards the official. “You can congratulate him,” said Wenger, “but not thank him. He was doing his job.” Again, that wonderful precision.

When he wasn’t subtly educating us about the finer points of the language, Wenger offered an interesting insight into his team when saying that it had something special that you don’t see at first. He was talking about character that is often disguised by the team's technical excellence.

A team that controls the ball so skilfully and passes the ball so accurately is not going to get much credit for what it achieves through grit and effort. Yet the principal reason why Arsenal didn’t lose yesterday was the team’s character. They twice came from behind and at no point did they stop believing they could breach United’s normally excellent defence.

Yesterday’s performance from the defence wasn’t quite what we have become used to and that was the case even when one allows for Arsenal’s ability to slice open the best defences. Of Arsenal’s first equaliser, Ferguson was especially critical of the failure to clear the ball after Van der Sar blocked Emmanuel Adebayor's effort. Patrice Evra was closest to the ball but he let Bacary Sagna get to it first and turn it back for Fabregas to score. “It was a lack of concentration,” said Ferguson. “We have given away two scrappy goals. Same as here last season, I can’t believe it. We’ve thrown it away.”

And that was certainly how the United players felt at the end of the match. But it tells you something about the game and the teams. Though they had less possession, United had marginally more control. They created a number of good chances from their limited attacks and were more penetrative than Arsenal. The moment when Louis Saha split Arsenal defence to play a delightful ball through to Evra in the lead-up to the team's second goal defined the difference between the teams.

When Evra crossed, Ronaldo finished but if he hadn't, Michael Carrick was also alone and unmarked. And when the dust settles and United realise they won’t lose the league because of an away draw at Arsenal, they will feel better about yesterday’s game. They just had that bit extra and though they didn’t deserve any more than they got from the game, one sensed they have plenty more in the tank.

Arsenal’s young team is full of spirit and plays with Wenger-like precision but it’s going to get harder for their fine young team. Fighting spirit is necessary and admirable but over a long season, it takes its toll.

Top two are global talents Thirteen different nationalities were represented in yesterday’s starting lineups, with another four on the bench.

Arsenal: France 4, Spain 2, Ivory Coast 2, Czech Rep 1, Belarussia 1, Togo 1. Subs: Germany, France, Croatia, Brazil, England (1 each)

Man Utd: England 4, Holland, Serbia, France, Portugal, Brazil, Wales, Argentina (1 each). Subs: England, France, Poland, Portugal, Rep of Ireland (1 each)