SOCCER - FA PREMIERSHIP/Derby County...2 Manchester United...2: Manchester United are still looking down on their challengers from the Premiership's summit, but the view from the top is no longer so inviting. With a performance incorporating the best and worst of Alex Ferguson's side, one of the most wonderfully claustrophobic title races for many years took a sudden turn in Arsenal's favour here yesterday.

The advantage is back with the men from Highbury. United's failure to establish a new Premiership record of seven successive away victories, when for a long time it seemed a mere inevitability, edges them a point ahead of Arsene Wenger's side but, crucially, they have played a game more.

Ferguson left the east midlands last night grousing about a "carelessness" that could have wretched repercussions for his profligate side.

Yet it could have been even worse. In a controversy that will have the campaigners for television replays frothing at the mouth, Pride Park was convinced it had seen a late and dramatic winner when Fabien Barthez spilled Branko Strupar's daisy-cutter into Malcolm Christie's path three minutes into stoppage time.

Christie got to the ball at exactly the same time that Barthez grabbed it with both hands, it popped out and Derby's striker knocked it into the net, only for Steve Dunn to blow for a foul on the goalkeeper.

The replays supported Dunn's decision, and a lot of huff and puff could have been saved if greater appreciation had been afforded to the International Board regulations, which state "the goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball by touching it with any part of his hand or arms".

Gregory, starting the first of a three-match touch-line ban for referee-baiting, still felt sufficiently incensed to seek out Dunn afterwards, while Ferguson, too, believed Christie should have had a hat-trick.

"It should have stood," he said. "But the referee was shocking throughout."

Gregory was equally harsh. "The referee bottled it. He told me afterwards that Barthez had both hands on the ball but, to me, he didn't have it under control," he said. "If that had happened in front of the Stretford End, I don't think he would have disallowed it."

Gregory also argued that Dunn should have awarded the home side a penalty, with four minutes of normal time to go, when Barthez went walkabout and chopped down Christie. But, at that stage, Derby should have been grateful even to be in the game.

It had needed the shock of Christie's ninth-minute goal for the champions to work up a head of steam, but once Paul Scholes had restored parity five minutes before half-time they created enough chances to put the game beyond doubt. Their domination in a period of second-half pressure was rewarded only once, however, when Juan Sebastian Veron waltzed past a couple of wishy-washy challenges and rifled in his first goal since October.

At that stage United's exquisite passing had Derby virtually encamped in their half while Veron, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes worked their elaborate patterns.

"There were times when we treated them like gods," said Gregory. "We stood off them too much and let them do their stuff."

No matter. With 12 minutes to go, Ryan Giggs opted to shoot when a cross from the left would have been more advisable. Derby broke upfield and suddenly United, minus the rested Roy Keane and Laurent Blanc, were stretched.

Luciano Zavagno combined with Lee Morris, a lively substitute, and swung over a cross for Christie to score his second.

The first was another crisp finish, volleying in after the ball had squeezed out between Fabrizio Ravanelli and Ronny Johnsen, and Derby can take great heart from the manner in which they extended their guests during the first half.

No side has mastered the art of comebacks better than Ferguson's, however, and when Scholes capped a neat move by turning in Giggs's ball an air of deja vu descended for regular United watchers. Not this time though. Advantage Arsenal.

DERBY: Oakes, Barton, Zavagno, Riggott, Higginbotham, Ducrocq (Morris 63), Kinkladze (Elliott 82), Lee, Boertien, Ravanelli (Strupar 74), Christie. Subs Not Used: Foletti, Valakari. Booked: Ducrocq, Zavagno. Goals: Christie 8, 77.

MAN UTD: Barthez, Irwin (O'Shea 84), Gary Neville, Johnsen, Silvestre, Beckham, Scholes, Veron, Giggs (Forlan 80), van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer. Subs Not Used: Carroll, Butt, Phil Neville. Goals: Scholes 41, Veron 60.

Referee: S Dunn (Bristol).