Fantastic skills, total commitment and controversial refereeing decisions filled the Old Trafford air with the kind of tension which makes the English Premier League arguably the best in the world.
One penalty given to Manchester United and another clear-cut call denied Arsenal, together with an own goal by the Gunners' Abou Diaby and manager Arsene Wenger sent to the stands deep into stoppage time - although he never quite made it - added to the excitement.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said before the game that his side had to improve on last season's dismal record against the other three clubs in the Premier League's 'big four'.
Five points out of a possible 18 against Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal last time round was a dismal return, yet United's first-half performance was almost a mirror image of many of those poor displays.
Arsenal were much the better team. They should have had a penalty in the 39th minute when Darren Fletcher mowed down Andrei Arshavin in the United box.
Referee Mike Dean waved away the Arsenal appeals, but Arshavin was to extract just revenge seconds later.
Denilson found the Russian playmaker free on the left and his superbly struck 25-yard shot was helped into the United net by goalkeeper Ben Foster.
Whether or not the tea cups were clattering in the home dressing room at half-time, United were a different proposition after the interval.
Foster made a superb point-blank save from Robin van Persie in the 48th minute, but it was United who were celebrating minutes later.
Ryan Giggs' visionary pass found Wayne Rooney free inside the Arsenal penalty area. Rooney took the ball beyond keeper Manuel Almunia, who upended the England man.
Referee Dean pointed to the spot and Rooney sent Almunia the wrong way as he curled the penalty right-footed into the bottom right corner of the net.
Back came Arsenal with van Persie's viciously curling free-kick from the right of the United box crashing against the bar with Foster beaten.
A minute later, the game decisively moved towards United when Giggs floated a free-kick from the right towards the near post where Diaby headed into the roof of his own net from seven yards.
Both sides missed further chances and Arsenal had the ball in the back of the net through van Persie five minutes into stoppage time.
However, the effort was rightly ruled out for offside against William Gallas, although Wenger's anger on the touchline saw him kick over a drinks bottle for which he was sent to the stands by Mr Dean.
The Arsenal boss never quite made it there before the final whistle ended his side's 100 per cent record for the season.