A traditional skirmish missed absent enemies. Two men would have had something to say about the careless passing that characterised the opening half-hour of last night's match between Arsenal and Manchester United. Neither Patrick Vieira nor Roy Keane would have tolerated the sloppiness that prevailed in equal measure among the players of both sides, writes Richard Williams at Highbury

But for the first time in more than a decade, this fixture took place without the contribution of either man. Vieira was in Turin, preparing to help Juventus resume their cruise to the Serie A title. Keane was in Glasgow, preparing for his Celtic debut away to Clyde in the Scottish Cup on Sunday.

The opening minutes were so full of swift, inventive football that one was tempted to raise a glass to absent friends. At that point a fixture notable in recent seasons for rancour seemed to be benefiting from the absence of furious glares and wagged fingers.

Not until the 19th minute did the Clock End take advantage of Arsenal's incessant attacking to remind the visitors of their loss. "There's only one Keano", they bellowed gleefully, while John O'Shea and Darren Fletcher did their best to compensate for the absence of the departed captain.

Vieira had issued his own reminder to his former supporters earlier in the day, with a candid appraisal of Arsenal's progress in recent months. "They've certainly suffered psychologically since I left," he told a reporter. "Maybe it's because they haven't fully understood the reasons why I left, or maybe they are only just beginning to understand."

He left London, he said, because there had been nothing left to stimulate him. This was, in fact, Vieira's own rather more subtle version of Keane's scalding judgment on his colleagues, recorded but never transmitted by United's television channel. Vieira obviously believes Juventus can give him a better chance than Arsenal of winning the European Cup.

The manner in which both managers attempted to compensate for the departure of their former generals offered an instructive contrast. In the absence of the unfit Paul Scholes, Alex Ferguson opted to shore up midfield with a Scot and and an Irishman whose maturity has yet to arrive but who could be relied upon to perform with commitment and a physical edge.

Wenger was more subtle. Gilberto Silva, Arsenal's most experienced midfield player, was placed in front of the back four in the classic holding midfield role, shielding Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure while aiming to pick up Wayne Rooney's runs from deep positions.

For a while the mood of the match struck an unexpectedly serene note. When Ryan Giggs met Jens Lehmann's clearance kick with a volley that flew 20 yards wide of the goal, he and Pires shared a chuckle. A minute later, however, Giggs appeared to catch Reyes on the Achilles tendon and Arsenal's Iberian winger went down dramatically. First on the scene, as he would be at several altercations, was Rooney, intent on giving the referee the benefit of his wisdom.

No one, it seemed, had told United's prodigy that, lacking its principal protagonists, the old abrasiveness is a thing of the past. But until they rediscover it, both sides will continue to squabble over second place.