Old Trafford is all set to host Arsenal this weekend after a two-week international break, and Arsene Wenger and his men will be looking to win against Manchester United after almost a decade. The last time Arsenal won against the Red Devils was in September 2006 when Emmanuel Adebayor scored the only goal of the match.
Arsene Wenger will be further determined to win this since he has had an intense rivalry with Jose Mourinho right from Mourinho’s days at Chelsea.
This time around, things are expected to be different because Arsenal will enter this match in a better form comparatively. The Gunners have been unbeaten in 10 league games and are within two points of the lead. Arsenal have also been playing as a strong unit which can alternate between an aggressive and attacking game to defensive yet compelling football. The key lies in knowing when to play which style, and Arsenal seems to have figured out the right mix.
The Red Devils, on the other hand, have been facing a rather disastrous season. They are placed eight points behind the league-leaders Liverpool, and have been alarmingly inconsistent. There can be a lot of reasons behind why a world-class manager like Jose Mourinho has failed to do much at United, and also why players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba have failed to make any sort of significant impact. The fact of the matter remains that the Red Devils are in terrible form, and even a top 4 finish seems highly unlikely for them at this point.
So, who will emerge the winner? Let’s take a look at the two teams’ chances
MANCHESTER UNITED
After an initial good run, the Red Devils have slumped into a rather miserable form and show no signs of improvement on any level. It almost seems like the same story every season, be it under David Moyes, Louis Van Gaal, or even Jose Mourinho – the initial few matches will look hopeful and then, it’s almost as if the players just give up.
For a team that was built on fast-paced counter-attacking football, it is shocking to see them play like an unmotivated bunch. They have been relying on defensive football for quite some time since Sir Alex Ferguson departed as manager, much to the frustration of the fans. Things seemed good for a moment when Jose Mourinho took charge, but not anymore.
Coming back to this game, Jose Mourinho will have to play without veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic owing to a booking picked up by the Swede. Also, captain Wayne Rooney is likely to miss out since he hasn’t recovered from his injury yet. However, this could mean that youngster Marcus Rashford could start, especially since he scored two goals against Arsenal last season.
Other players to miss out are Eric Bertrand Bailly (hurt knee) and Antonio Valencia (broken arm), while Marouane Fellaini (calf injury) and Chris Smalling (broken toe) are the doubtfuls.
PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR: Marcus Rashford
The young striker is poised to be one of United’s future top players, after he scored on his debut game against Watford much to the delight of fans who consider him a key player in the club. With strikers Rooney and Ibrahimovic out for this game, it could turn into a brilliant opportunity for Rashford to capitalise on. He will assume the role of the central striker and if he can manage to do well in a game as crucial as this, it could open up other doors for him when it comes to playing on the frontline in important games like these.
Predicted Manchester United line-up (4-1-4-1): De Gea; Darmian, Jones, Rojo, Blind; Carrick; Mata, Herrera, Pogba, Lingard; Rashford.
ARSENAL
The Gunners have had a good run so far this season. They’ve been unbeaten since the season commenced and will be looking to end their drought against the Red Devils.
Recently, there were rumours of Arsene Wenger quitting as manager but no official confirmation or statement has been released yet. Speculations suggest that Wenger could quit after Arsenal wins the league. With the form they’ve been in, a win this season seems highly likely.
As far as the team is concerned, Alexis Sanchez, despite his leg injury, has declared he would play this game, after scoring twice for Chile on international duty. In that outing, he wore protective strappings on his leg, and Wenger would play him cautiously as he would not want to strain him further.
However, bad news is on the cards for Wenger as Hector Bellerin’s ankle injury has deemed him unfit to play for almost a month. Add to that, key players like Santi Cazorla, Danny Welbeck, Lucas Perez, Per Mertesacker, Chuba Akpom are also out.
To fill Bellerin’s position, Carl Jenkinson could start at right-back for Arsenal.
PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR: Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez has been Arsenal’s most reliable and strong player so far this season. He has taken up the responsibility of spearheading the Gunners’ attack as the central striker, and has done exceedingly well for the team. He has scored eight goals and provided four assists across all competitions this season. He excelled even on international duty as he scored two goals against Uruguay, and will be looking to continue the same form against Manchester United.
Expected Arsenal line-up (4-2-3-1): Cech; Jenkinson, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Xhaka; Walcott, Ozil, Iwobi; Sanchez
PREDICTION
Solely based on how the two teams have been performing this season, a 2-0 win is most likely for Arsenal and perhaps this will be the match in which Arsene Wenger and his men exact their revenge.