- Man U v Arsenal: The injuries and referee
- Manchester United and Arsenal, how the wrong model leads to problems
- Man U v Arsenal and what Tottenham, Man U and Chelsea haven’t quite realised.
- Manchester United v Arsenal: decline meets progress
By Sir Hardly Anyone
Manchester City have just won seven games in a row scoring 28 goals in the process. The BBC have made a very big thing of this on the radio. They didn’t mention that Arsenal have just won four in a row scoring 13 goals. And of course seven in a row is a lot more than four in a row (although the actual number of goals per game isn’t that different).
This year Arsenal have won 14 league games, lost one and drawn one. Manchester City have won 14 league games, and drawn two. That statistic makes it clear that the two clubs are now very close – so naturally the BBC didn’t mention it.
It is as ever a matter of which statistics you choose. Although of course in the end the table will tell us who has won the league, and the chances are it will be Manchester City. Although there is that little matter of 100+ issues raised against them by the rest of the league – although maybe we’ll come back to that later.
On the team front, Jurrien Timber could be in the squad for the first time since suffering a knee injury on the opening match of the season. Saka and Takehiro Tomiyasu are doubts.
Arsenal have had a poor time against Manchester United both of late and over the years – they have won 101, Arsenal have won 88 of the league and cup matches between them. And indeed the BBC’s comment that “Manchester United’s solitary defeat in their past 16 home league games against Arsenal was 1-0 in November 2020 (W10, D5),” does make for disappointing reading. Although of course, Arsenal have done rather well against Manchester United at home, by way of return. Indeed the club is on track to do the double over the team from what might now be called Very Old Trafford having beaten them 3-1 in September.
But the fact is the last six away games have all ended 1-0 to Mancheseter U so a change is needed and this seems the time to do it. They have lost 13 league games this season – you have to go down to clubs like Bournemouth and Palace to find teams beaten more often. And they have conceded almost double the number of goals that Arsenal have.
For Arsenal on the other hand, a win in either this or the final game of the season will give the club its highest ever number of wins at home since the Premier League became a 38 match season.
But of course the BBC needs to find the negatives, and they have done so by announcing Arsenal have “won one of their six away league games in the current campaign against the other teams currently in the top eight.” I wonder how many people they had scouring the records to find that one!
Here’s one more from the BBC, and a more cheery point too: “William Saliba is one of two outfield players to play every Premier League minute for his club this season, alongside Wolves’ Max Kilman.”
The Standard has gone overboard with its anti-Arsenal approach with the headline “Manchester United XI vs Arsenal: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news and injury latest” and then they offer no Arsenal line-up at all. But, ah well, it is the Standard. We would expect nothing less.
Racing Post does however take matters more seriously and offers us
Raya;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior;
Odegaard, Partey, Rice;
Saka, Havertz, Trossard.
Subs: Timber, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Vieira, Martinelli, Nketiah, Jesus.
Football London have a prediction for the match based on an interview with a Mr G Neville, which is so utterly lopsided and bonkers that I really can’t even bring myself to give you the link.
The Independent has a piece with the headline, “Premier League team news” in which the one thing missing is … the team.
But the Metro does actually give us a team… (although with spelling mistakes that I have corrected)
Raya,
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko,
Odegaard, Partey, Rice,
Saka, Havertz, Trossard
Sports Mole as ever comes out the winner, however, giving us a result prediction of 1-3 to Arsenal, and a team of
Raya;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu;
Odegaard, Partey, Rice;
Saka, Havertz, Trossard
And that I think is enough of that. Fingers crossed for our win and a defeat for Manchester City in their next game.
By the way…. anyone can understand why Tierney in the first half wanted a indirect free kick in our own penalty area to be retaken when Havertz was alone on goal from the free kick???????? The ref took a clear goal away from us. Unbelievable…. that would have been the 0-2….
Trouble is, Walter, we understand all too well!
So, we go to the final day.
Not at our best today, but we did enough, and yet another clean sheet.
Lets assume Spurs do us a favour and get a draw. And lets assume we only beat Everton by 1 goal.
That means on the last day Man City will have to score at least 4 goals against West Ham.
1 – 0 to us and 3 – 0 to Man City means we would win it on goal difference, making the statement from AI m that “Knocking 5 and 6 past weak sides isn’t the be all and end all” look all the more foolish than it did at the time.
That run when we did indeed waste our time knocking 5 and 6 past weak teams, could still win us the title.
Alas I do not expect Spurs to do us any favours.
@Nitram,
looking at the table, Sp*rs have not choice but to try to get 6 points if they want a chance to be in the CL and they will need at leasat 1 point to make sure they are in EL.
So, they do have a motivation to grab that point ASAP. So….
Now, as for next Sunday, I’m sure it will come down to a goal scored in added time of the second half if Citeh don’t winn against Sp*rs.
That being said, I found it interesting that a bad day for Arsenal and help from the referee were not enough for Manure to change the one nil to the Arsenal score… times they are a’changing….
As long as we didn’t get the second goal it was an uncomfortable watch in second half. I don’t recall our midfield having such a collective off-day this season.
Just as well we were not playing against a good team.
Chris.
Indeed.
As you will see bellow, I have been keeping a very close eye on all the permutations and indeed how things could pan out, and Spurs certainly could have something to play for.
The best scenario for us is for Villa to lose to Liverpool tomorrow. That means the maximum points they could achieve would be 70. Their last match is a tricky awayday at Palace, who as we know are playing very well. So a defeat for Villa tomorrow would at least gives Spurs some hope of finishing 4th.
These are the scenarios IF Villa LOSE to Liverpool:
A Spurs WIN against Man City and a WIN at Sheff Utd (69pts) would leave Villa having to WIN at Palace (70pts). This is by far Spurs best hope of CL qualification.
A Spurs DRAW against Man City and a WIN at Sheff Utd (67pts) would leave Villa having to DRAW at Palace (68pts) to be certain of securing 4th spot. Note, to be certain.
A Spurs DRAW against Man City and a WIN at Sheff Utd (67pts) but Villa LOSE at Palace (67pts) would then mean 4th spot goes down to goal difference.
Now, the GD currently sits in favour of Villa by +8, so it’s highly unlikely that 2 defeats for Villa and 1 win for Spurs will turn that around, but of course anything is possible, especially as if it mattered, Spurs could well get a few at Sheffield. It would make the last day very interesting.
But all these glimmers of hope for Spurs are if Villa LOSE at Home to Liverpool tomorrow, and unforetuneately nothing is riding on this for Liverpool except their pride, so I cant see that happening.
But, what if Villa DRAW with Liverpool putting them on 68 pts before Spurs kick a ball.
Spurs now have to WIN both their final games, to get them to 69 pts 1 ahead of Villa, and even that still might not be enough as a draw for Villa at palace would probably keep them in 4th on GD, unless spurs can turn that 8 goal deficit around.
If Villa win tomorrow CL football is gone for Spurs, and along with it any incentive to get anything from the City game.
Or has it?
Well, maybe not because Spurs do have 2 other reasons to not want to lose to City, and they come in the shape of Newcastle and Chelsea.
If Spurs do lose to City, that could even put their Europa League qualification in jeopardy.
If both Newcastle and Chelsea can win their final 2 games, that would mean Spurs have to get something at Sheff Utd or they could drop to as low as 7th . All highly unlikely I know, but nerves can do funny things and a point against City would secure Europa League qualification at least.
We will know a lot more after the mid week games.
In one scenario most things could be done and dusted, or at least near as damn it. In another scenario there could be lots to play for. Lets hope it’s the later.
NB: If you spot a mistake please forgive me, its all very complicated and I have been celebrating our win.
COYG’s
Despite not getting a second goal today, only Garnacho gave me grief. Don’t get me wrong, I ddn’t think he would score but I was wary of a wayward boot giving away a penalty. Fortunately, the lads were extremely disciplined.
Saka’s injury caused by unsafe slope so close to pitch. HSE plus Council should have it closed and FA and EPL should agree.
Theatre of Dreams? No, it’s not fit for purpose.
I had a look at the footage of the Saka injury. There appears to be an eight-inch vertical drop at the bottom of the sloping ledge.
There was also footage on Twitter of water pouring through the ceiling of the away dressing room after the match.
I was really tense watching us grind out those 3 points . But we did enough and deserved it . Now all we can do is await divine intervention , and them Spuds to have some pride !
Up the Gunners !
These are games we used to lose, then started to tie and now we do get the one-nil to the Arsenal.
We are getting better and better.
Let us all enjoy the ride….