By Bulldog Drummond
I’m having to write this some way in advance of the match, because of my convoluted travel arrangements to the game, but even though there will have been a result on saturday evening after my writing of these notes the general point still applies.
While Arsenal and Manchester United remain one point apart in the league, when we turn to looking at Arsenal at home and Manchester United away a different picture emerges
Here is Arsenal at home; yes Liverpool has a game in hand but we are streets ahead of Chelsea and Man United.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 16 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 53 | 12 | 41 | 45 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 7 | 33 | 38 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 15 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 12 | 23 | 38 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 9 | 19 | 31 |
| 5 | Manchester United | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 28 | 18 | 10 | 29 |
However Manchester United away are no mean slouches
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 32 | 19 | 13 | 33 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 24 | 8 | 16 | 32 |
| 3 | Manchester City | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 26 | 9 | 17 | 29 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 29 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 25 |
| 6 | Crystal Palace | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 25 | 24 | 1 | 20 |
| 7 | Watford | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 23 | 25 | -2 | 20 |
| 8 | Arsenal | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 26 | 27 | -1 | 19 |
But what we can notice is their goal difference is only plus 10 away from home against our plus 23 which gives hope to Arsenal.
This year’s league matches reveal
| Date | Game | Res | Score |
| 01 Jan 2019 | Arsenal v Fulham | W | 4-1 |
| 12 Jan 2019 | West Ham United v Arsenal | L | 1-0 |
| 19 Jan 2019 | Arsenal v Chelsea | W | 2-0 |
| 29 Jan 2019 | Arsenal v Cardiff City | W | 2-1 |
| 03 Feb 2019 | Manchester City v Arsenal | L | 3-1 |
| 09 Feb 2019 | Huddersfield Town v Arsenal | W | 1-2 |
| 24 Feb 2019 | Arsenal v Southampton | W | 2-0 |
| 27 Feb 2019 | Arsenal v AFC Bournemouth | W | 5-1 |
| 02 Mar 2019 | Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal | D | 1-1 |
That is six wins, two defeats and a draw – not a bad run. For Manchester United it has been…
| 02 Jan 2019 | Newcastle United v Manchester United | W | 0-2 |
| 13 Jan 2019 | Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United | W | 0-1 |
| 19 Jan 2019 | Manchester United v Brighton and Hove Albion | W | 2-1 |
| 29 Jan 2019 | Manchester United v Burnley | D | 2-2 |
| 03 Feb 2019 | Leicester City v Manchester United | W | 0-1 |
| 09 Feb 2019 | Fulham v Manchester United | W | 0-3 |
| 24 Feb 2019 | Manchester United v Liverpool | D | 0-0 |
| 27 Feb 2019 | Crystal Palace v Manchester United | W | 1-3 |
| 02 Mar 2019 | Manchester United v Southampton | W | 3-2 |
With just two draws among the wins, their results under the new management has been senstational, and includes a perfect away record in the league – which should be a warning to Arsenal given the recent defeat to them in the cup. Indeed Manchester United’s last two games at Arsenal Stadium have resulted in 3-1 victories.
But against that we are unbeaten in the last 14 home league games winning the last eight.
Moving on to the top six playing each other Arsenal have nine points from eight games against the rest of the top six (two wins, three draws, four defeats) as opposed to six points from all ten such games last season.
As for the teams the Guardian goes with
Leno
Mustafi Sokratis Koscielny
Maitland Niles Guendouzi Xhaka Kolasinac
Mkhitaryan Ramsey
Lacazette
Pain in the Arsenal go with
Leno
Mustafi, Koscielny, Sokratis, Monreal
Xhaka Ramsey Guendouzi
Mkhitaryan Lacazette Iwobi
A draw today Will feel like a win
I didn’t see Mkhi in the training pictures yesterday… was hoping he’d play
I’m a little nervous about the match
Oliver sure had to tilt the pitch to get Chel$ea that tying goal.
Wolves apparently had 14 fouls to 8 of Chel$ea, so Wolves needed 4 yellows to 1 of Chel$ea. There was a single treatment in the game, to a Wolves player.
I would have been happier if Chel$ea would have lost. 🙂
—-
Leno
Sokratis Koscielny Monreal
Maitland_niles Ramsey Xhaka Kolasinac
Ozil
Lacazette Aubameyang
Beach: Cech Elneny, Iwobi, Mustafi, Suarez, Guendouzi, Nketiah
COYG!
Xhaka bomb…. yyyeeeeaaahhhhh
How to go Xhaka, assist to Lacazette
COYG!
Quite a swerve on that ball
What! Lukaku thinks hez Ozil!!!…
Bounce shots….don’t even try.
Ok…not offside there Ozil.
Niles Niles Niles
Come on ARSENAL
Smalling climbing over Kolasinac…no foul!!!
No surprise to see Arsenal get the first card.
COYG!
Controlled by the hand….no foul!!!!
Another treatment to an Arsenal player. Sure, it’s in the laws, that you can kick Arsenal anytime you want to. No problem.
COYG!
The Rashford tackle that injured Xhaka was a red card offence. The tackles from behind that Moss the corrupt allows is sinful.
Lukaku & Pogba use brute force and fall like pussies when touched. Sokratis was booked for an attempted tackle that did not make contact yet Rashford almost destroys Xhaka’s career & gets nothing. In fact there was an advantage to be played that Moss the corrupt ignored.
Lukaku has a whole leg offside but then the Laws for Arsenal say its on side if it is an opportunity for United.
Beglin the commentator is an absolute biased moron.
No yellow for Pogba!!!!
wtf was that Moss – right in front of you and no card!!!
pigmob laughing with their paymasters in the United dugout – shameless corruption.
Such a soft penalty we got…
What an incompetent referee
Hahahahahahah….
Finally we get one.
Never evens out though…
Come on ARSENAL
there is a live match report by the way
@Josif laca one on one with deGea and he uses the inside of the boot & the ball spins away from goal. The outside of the boot (same foot) would have been a goal.
We got another penalty?
How to go putting that spot kick in the net PEA!
COYG!
I see that Arsenal has now required 3 treatments this game. Just another day of kick Arsenal all over the park.
COYG!
That’s called grinding out a result