Man Utd win their last game on English soil before the Munich air crash 1 February 1958
Manchester United's 5-4 victory at Highbury on Saturday, February 1, 1958 was memorable not only for the scoreline but also because it was the famous Busby Babes' last game on English soil before the Munich air disaster.
United came to Highbury with a team full of famous names, one of which, Duncan Edwards, opened the scoring with a thunderbolt
from the edge of the area. Bobby Charlton then beat Jack Kelsey to make it 2-0 on the half-hour. Tommy Taylor netted the third for the Red Devils and Busby's boys went in at the break with a seemingly unassailable lead.
Within 15 minutes of the restart Arsenal pulled one back through David Herd. Jimmy Bloomfield then slotted past Harry Gregg to make it 3-2, and with the ground in uproar Bloomfield dived to head a third for the home team.
In a thrilling finale Dennis Viollet finally restored United's lead before Taylor grabbed his second and United's fifth. Derek Tapscott typified Arsenal's fighting spirit with a fourth for the Gunners.
Within five days of this exhibition of English football five of that United starting line-up perished in the Munich tragedy.
Left-back and captain Roger Byrne, the entire half-back line of Eddie Colman, Mark Jones and Duncan Edwards, plus centre forward Tommy Taylor were all killed in the disaster.
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