Manchester United vs Arsenal: Preview

So, who's dreading this one?
If you asked a large number of Gooners what their feelings were ahead of Sunday's game, the overwhelming answer would be: "we're *bleep*".

Such an answer is difficult to dispute. Arsenal are in a bad state at the moment, with what is generally perceived as the worse transfer window in Wenger's tenure and a sizeable heap of injuries and suspensions culminating in only one point and no goals so far this season and causing quite a bit of damage to morale in the process.

The only real positive this season has been overcoming Udinese and qualifying for the Champions League, which has undeniably raised the spirits of the team and supporters, but fans can rightfully feel a large degree of trepidation going into Sunday's encounter at Old Trafford.

United are a stark contrast
So what about our illustrious opponents? Off the back of their record breaking 19th title, United have taken something of a fresh approach to their business this summer by signing two young prospects in the form of David De Gea and Phil Jones and one experienced player in Ashley Young. With both Edwin van der Sar and Paul Scholes retired, United's squad is now the youngest it has been for a long time.

But in this young squad are quality players and these quality players are currently playing an exciting brand of football involving plenty of quick passing and interchanging. Wayne Rooney has recaptured some of his form of old, Nani likewise and Young has hit the ground running. Their squad pretty much has everything and they are rightfully the favourites for the Premier League title.

But winning is possible
Now that I've painted a rather glum picture, you're probably wondering how it is we can get anything out of this game.

Having seen every United game so far, I've reached the conclusion that while their attack is something to be feared, their defence seems a bit vunerable. David De Gea has not made the most confident of starts to his United career, contradicting the talent and assurence he displayed whilst at Atletico Madrid. Injuries to Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have left them with Jonny Evans and Phil Jones at the back. While they are both talented - Phil Jones especially - they are inexperienced. In fact, the whole backline minus Patrice Evra and perhaps Evans is young and relatively inexperienced.

If Arsenal play the game without fear and have a go at United, we might get some joy. It'd be easy for the Arsenal players to be afraid of playing United at the moment but they have to stand up and be accounted for. Against Udinese in mid-week, the players showed spirit and determination. They need to do that again on Sunday if they want to get anything out of the game.

Furthermore, there's no real pressure on Arsenal here. Sure, we've not scored a goal yet this season and only have one point from a possible six in two winnable games, but you'd be hard pressed to find a so-called pundit or expert who thinks we have a chance. When nobody believes you can accomplish something, the desire to prove them wrong is a strong one. So maybe this will work in our favour.

We rarely win at Old Trafford, as you'll see in the match facts, but I think we can get something here.

Match Facts

Head-to-head
This is the 214th meeting between the sides. Manchester United have won 88 times, Arsenal 79 and there have been 46 draws.

Manchester United had won their last seven matches against Arsenal before they suffered a 1-0 defeat at the Emirates in May.

This will be the 46th time Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger
have faced each other. Ferguson has won 20 times to Wenger's 16, with 9
draws.

Manchester United
Danny Welbeck's last five Premier League goals have been headers.

Man Utd have scored 20 headed goals in the league since the start of the 2010-11 season, five more than any other club.

They won 18 of their 19 league games at Old Trafford last term,
equalling the Premier League record for most points won at home.

Manchester United's substitutes scored 11 league goals in 2010-11, more than any other team.

They have won their last seven Premier League matches at Old Trafford against opposition from London and 10 of their last 11.

Their starting line-up against Tottenham had an average age of 23 years and 191 days, the second youngest the Red Devils have fielded in the Premier League. Their youngest averaged 14 days per man younger - in a 1-0 win at Hull City on May 24, 2009.

Arsenal
If the Premier League had started on 26 February (Carling Cup final weekend), Arsenal would be 15th after 13 games.

The last time that Arsenal failed to score in their first two league games of the season was 42 years ago, back in 1969/70.

Arsenal's Premier League win percentage with Samir Nasri in the
starting line-up of 49% is well below their 62% win rate in his absence.

Team News
Manchester United
United are hopeful that Rio Ferdinand will be avaiable for this game, but Nemanja Vidic and Rafael Da Silva are both definitely out.

Darren Fletcher played 90 minutes for the reserves after recovering from a virus and may play a part.

Arsenal
Arsenal go into this game missing several players: Alex Song and Gervinho are both still servining suspensions they received during the Newcaslte game, while Emmanuel Frimpong's red card against Liverpool means he will miss this game as well.

Injury wise, Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere are both definitely out; the latter of which will see a specialist on his ankle injury. Sebastien Squillaci and Nicklas Bendtner are also out of the game, but whether this is down to injury or for another reason we can only guess.

Thomas Vermaelen will have a test on Saturday and should be fine, according to Wenger, but there is a "little doubt". Laurent Koscielny recently had a fitness test and the results were positive, so he may have a chance to play as well.

Johan Djourou had a setback during the Udinense game but should be available. Tomas Rosicky came through fine and will play a part.

Lineups and Tactics


Usually in these games, Ferguson will change his formation and personnel specifically to counter us; usually by mirroring our formation and playing the industrious Park Ji-Sung on the left of midfield. However, with their current form and our current form, I can see Ferguson sticking with the same lineup and trying to take the game to us instead of sitting back and hitting us on the counter.

In fact, it's pretty going to be roles reversed. I can't imagine we'll dominate posession and constructing decent goalscoring opportunites has proven difficult for this side so we'll be pretty much forced to play more defensively.

With no available holding player, we could see Johan Djourou in midfield. It's either him or Henri Lansbury and with us being away from home, I can see Wenger going with Djourou. There is, of course, the posibillity of Wenger going 4-4-2 but that's neither here or there.

United's obvious threat is down the flanks and with Jenkinson being inexperienced and Sagna being out of position, they may see some joy exploting them.

Final Verdict
Given the circumstances, a draw would be a great result and would see us going into the international break with a little more confidence and belief. Nobody likes stewing over a bad result for a week or two, after all.

In saying that, I do expect United to win the game. By how many, I'm not so sure. There is potential here for a comprehensive United win, but let's hope not.

Nice preview.. We are in a tough position to play at Old Trafford...
But we have nothing to loose as weight of expectations have fallen.. It may work in our advantage...
I really hated the way media reported Uniteds win by praising Fergie for fielding a young team and winning...
If that deserves credit.. We are doing this with Wenger for years now and have got more amazing results with a younger team and the f**ing media and even fans forget to appreciate this...
i want us to win only for disproving the f**ing media again like we did it when they said we will not qualify...

i rather see Rosicky in Ramsey position and him playing the AMC.......


Rosicky was pretty good in the 2nd leg...... he was everywhere and i think he is a better tacklers and better at defensive side of the game then Ramsey


and Hernández will start...he played a bit last game....so should be fit enough to play atleast 60min

I think honestly we will lose this tie, best we can hope for is a draw.

We'll win

you heard it here first

Iceman wrote:We'll win

you heard it here first

Fady has spoken

Iceman=Fady from old forums? Really?

english_jewel wrote:Iceman=Fady from old forums? Really?

Haha, yeah.
Why is it so hard to believe?

english_jewel wrote:Iceman=Fady from old forums? Really?

who else is legendary enough to take Bergkamp's nickname?

Well, I'd be extremely happy with taking a point home, considering the injuries and suspensions.

If we had Song and Gervs, I'd actually parrot Fady's prediction. I'm impressed with how we've grinded out results and our whole mentality this season. We're just missing depth and quality.

We don't have defensive midfielders for this game.

Would we ever change formation cos Cesc isn't here anymore?
Cos wasn't the 4-2-3-1 used so he could have a freer role?

4-2-3-1 still makes us look good defensively tbh..

But we will gradually move into a 4-4-2 of sorts, I'm sure..

Excellent preview Jay

Just wanted to add this in:

hahostolze Martijn Stolze
I can reveal that Oguzhan Ozyakup has been put into Arsenal's matchsquad for the ManU game tomorrow.

Bench for Ozyakup tomorrow? I never really thought he'd make it here but if Wenger is bringing him into the squad ahead of Aneke (unless he is in the squad as well).

Personally I don't think we have much chance against United. We've started slow, they are currently firing all cylinders however this match reminds me of the Utd. match in 2006 were we won 1-0. Excited though!

Just read that Francis Coquelin is also in the squad for United.

I think Lansbury is actually injured at the moment.

So our starting eleven may be:

Szczesny; Jenkinson, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Sagna; Coquelin, Ramsey, Rosicky; Walcott, Arsavin, van Persie

And the subs:

Fabiasnki, Djourou, Traore, Ozyakup, Chamerbalin, Ryo, Chamakh

Potentially four players could be making their Arsenal league debuts.

GoonerJay29 wrote:Just read that Francis Coquelin is also in the squad for United.

I think Lansbury is actually injured at the moment.

So our starting eleven may be:

Szczesny; Jenkinson, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Sagna; Coquelin, Ramsey, Rosicky; Walcott, Arsavin, van Persie

And the subs:

Fabiasnki, Djourou, Traore, Ozyakup, Chamerbalin, Ryo, Chamakh

Potentially four players could be making their Arsenal league debuts.

I'm all for youth... but that's just silly.

It's getting worse. Bacary Sagna was apparently taken ill this morning and will have a test tomorrow.

Now, come on... So we're gonna have to play Traore

Lets play our reserves team and snatch 3 points. #TrollFace

2-1 arsenal here it here first. MOM=Szczesney

Fantastic preview jay!


Either Ozakyup or Coquelin will start. Illness cant do shit to sagna so im sure he will start as well.

Im sure wenger will give time to Ryo n Oxlade. maybe one of them might start ?


I know we should be dreading going in, but i dont care. I trust in the team. They wont go down without a fight.

First win at OT!!!!!! since 2006

Iceman wrote:We'll win

you heard it here first

I have already posted a 2-1 win for us.

I trust the team as well, and I'm sure we'll see alot more determination and passion from our players than in past seasons against Manchester, but right now I just think we aren't ready for this fixture. If we had Gervinho, I would have been a bit more optimistic though cause he looks really good in our attack.

I really hope I'm wrong though and hope we can get something, cause United away is easily my favourite fixture of the season.

2-2.

Arsène Wenger has put a selection of fringe youngsters on stand by ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Manchester United, as the Frenchman’s selection headache continues, Young Guns understands.

The Gunners will give fitness tests to Thomas Vermaelen, Johan Djourou and Bacary Sagna this morning, with the latter complaining of illness on Saturday. Ignasi Miquel and the fit again Armand Traoré are both ready to step in if they all fail.

Elsewhere, the suspensions to Alexandre Song and Emmanuel Frimpong mean Francis Coquelin is in line to start at Old Trafford. He only returned from international duty with France Under-20′s on Thursday, but trained with the first-team on Friday, and is thought to be preferred to Henri Lansbury.

Like Coquelin, fellow countryman Gilles Sunu also returned on Thursday, and should be named on the bench, due to injuries to Ryo Miyaichi and Benik Afobe. Both of whom have been ruled out for around 10 days.

Joining Lansbury, Miquel, Traoré, Coquelin and Sunu in travelling to Manchester, is Dutchman Oğuzhan Özyakup, who has been promised further first-team involvement after signing a new contract this summer.

young guns blog

So, basically, the Mercedes that is our starting back four crashed, and the rescue truck that was sent to retrieve them crashed into a tree too?

We're now sending out Norm in the Go Go Bronco to salvage what he can