Arsenal v Utd. It means something again…

Morning all.

2018 was the last time an Arsenal women’s team defeated Chelsea away from home. Yesterday, Renee Slegers and her players put an end to that eight year run with a fantastic 2-0 win. Goals from Beth Mead and Mariona Caldentey secured the points. New signing Smilla Holmberg had a 15 minute runout which no doubt brought a smile to Kev and Cicero’s face. lol 

13 minutes into his Marseille debut, Ethan Nwaneri scored. A good goal it was too. A left footed strike which hit the back of the net. Not a bad start for our young player who by all accounts had a great game.

Arsenal take on Manchester United at 4-30 today.

The message from Mikel Arteta to his players should be clear. Be brave, be disciplined and be clinical! Win! No, not the four legged furry one at the club, win the game!

Utd have had a weird old season under Amorim. Up, down and then out of both domestic cup competitions. Their Carabao Cup campaign ended in the second-round after losing to Grimsby and their FA Cup journey ended as soon as it started by Brighton. With no European football to play, their squad should be pretty fit and healthy.

We on the other hand have had to endure a tough six months and yet we’re still in all four competitions. I very much doubt Mikel Arteta has even thought about anything other than fielding what he considers to be his strongest eleven for this game.

Unless Calafiori or Hincapie are ready to start which I doubt, I reckon we’ll see Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Trossard, Saka and Gyokeres start the game.

It’s been a long time since the winner of this fixture usually went on to lift the Premier League title, before Mikel Arteta’s managerial days, it had been a while since this fixture meant much really as both clubs had been drifting for a long time. Utd still are really as no one manager has joined the club and enjoyed a lengthy period in the job.

A few stats for those who are interested:

• Mikel Arteta has won 67% of his 12 Premier League games against Manchester United, the highest win rate of any manager to face them at least five times.
• Utd’s league record at our home in recent years has been poor. Since winning 3-1 back in December 2017, United have failed to win any of their seven Premier League visits to Emirates Stadium, losing each of the last four in a row.
• Michael Carrick’s first and only Premier League victory in his previous stint as United manager came against us in a 3-2 win at Old Trafford in December 2021.

That December victory came during very different times with two very different lineups. Today it’s different, different even than the 1-0 victory we achieved at Old Trafford earlier this season. If memory serves me right, our victory back in August was a bit of a smash and grab with David Raya saving us on more than one occasion. Too bad eh, we scored, they didn’t and we took the points.

Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme:

Carrick’s Manchester United set up in a 4-2-3-1 against Manchester City, producing an impressive brand of fast, fluid, counter-attacking football. They only had a 32% share of possession, but by breaking up play with tremendous belligerence, they set up a series of dangerous breakaways, making six big chances. We can expect a similar tactical approach, who may look to target the flanks from those counters by deploying speedy wingers Patrick Dorgu and Amad Diallo.

The key takeaway from Carrick’s set-up against City was the vibrancy and desire his players showed in and out of possession. They applied an incredible 584 pressures – way above the norm – to unsettle Pep Guardiola’s men, while we must also be wary of switches of play or balls aimed towards their front three from deep areas. Over 15% of United’s passes against City were long.

It may have been a mixed bag from the Red Devils results-wise this term, but they always carry a goalscoring threat. Scoring in all but one away match (City away) they are the division’s third-highest scorers on 38, with their xG tally the second best on 40.61. Bruno Fernandes’ set-piece deliveries are usually top class, and with Harry Maguire back in the starting XI, they are sure to be dangerous from corners and wide free-kicks, having netted 11 times from them already.

Holding onto leads has been an issue for United. Across their last 13 Premier League games they have drawn seven times, but on five of those occasions they gave up a winning position, while there is also some fragility in the air. Seven headed goals have been leaked this term, with only two top-flight outfits letting in more. Maguire’s return to the side will make them stronger though.

I’ve no idea how Carrick will set his team up away from home but I suspect they will be defensively organised with a plan to break quickly with Cunha and Mbeumo the targets. Martinez and Shaw will be all over Saka like a bad rash, pushing the boundaries as much as Pawson will allow. Casemiro will no doubt be doing the same to anyone who gets too close to him and I strongly suspect other players will do the same. We just need to stay focused and not give the officials a decision to make.

But, we have to improve on our last two league performances if we’re to have a chance of winning today. Move the ball around quicker, be more positive and certainly be more clinical in front of goal. The fact that City won yesterday might help focus the minds.

I had a dream. Gyokeres scores very early.

Catch up in the comments.