When Arsenal beat United 5-2, was the game fixed?

“Reminder to Manchester United: All the soccer skill in the world amounts to nothing without possession of the ball. That’s why United crashed at Highbury. In defence and attack they showed end of season lethargy. They were slow to challenge for the ball and to take up position….United did not go down without a show of tantrums. Their annoyance instead of being directed at Arsenal should have been aimed at themselves.”
(Daily Mirror, 25 April, 1960)

“He (Busby) hit out at rumour-mongers yesterday, after his club had become the latest storm-centre in a spate of vicious stories that matches are being ‘sold’ to bring off betting coups. United were said to have ‘sold’ their match against Arsenal at Highbury last week when they were beaten 5-2.”
(The Sunday Dispatch, 1 May, 1960)

“There is no doubt in my mind that Manchester United players did conspire to fix the result of at least three games during the ’60/ ’63 period. It is widely accepted within the game that those convicted in the ensuing (Sheffield Wednesday) scandal were not the only prominent players involved in the match-rigging conspiracy.”
(A Strange Kind of Glory: Sir Matt Busby & Manchester United, by Eamon Dunphy )

Read the story in full: Red Matters by Giles Oakley