Arsenal vs. Man U
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Kick off: 6:30PM
Two of the Premier League’s top four face off at the Emirates Stadium this evening, as Arsenal play host to rivals Manchester United.
The Red Devils sit four points better off than their opponents after 14 matches, but both sides are essentially playing catch up on leaders Manchester City, who are well clear of the chasing pack.
Heading into the final international break of the year on the back of a 3-1 loss to Man City, even the most ardent of Arsenal supporters conceded that their side’s title hopes were effectively over before a third of the season had been played.
In typical Gunners fashion, though, they have put together a run of victories when it mattered most to usurp North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur into fourth place, while just about retaining some outside hope of ending their top-flight trophy drought.
For that to happen they require the Citizens to hit a serious slump in form, with the pacesetters on course to set a new Premier League record for points won and goals scored at their current rate, though Arsene Wenger will simply be focused on the task at hand.
Three points against one of the two sides between themselves and City – champions Chelsea being the other – is the next target, using their impressive form at the Emirates Stadium to their advantage as they seek a rare win over a fellow top-six club.
The midweek thrashing of Huddersfield Town, when scoring three goals in four second-half minutes to come out on top 5-0, was Arsenal’s 12th-successive victory on home soil, meaning that one more will equal their club record set at Highbury 12 years ago.
Speaking in the build-up to today’s showdown, Wenger claimed that he does not expect opposite number Jose Mourinho to adopt an overly-defensive approach at the Emirates Stadium – or ‘park the bus’, to use a well-trodden phrase.
Mourinho has seen his tactics called into question away to top-six clubs since arriving at United last year, having failed to win any of their six matches in that mini-league against sides directly around them.
Furthermore, the Red Devils have netted just once against the elite sides on their travels – a Wayne Rooney consolation at White Hart Lane six months ago – and were heavily criticised when coming away from Liverpool with a point last month.
Arsenal possible XI: Cech, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal, Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac, Ozil, Welbeck, Sanchez.
Man United possible XI: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Bailly, Young, Herrera, Pogba, Martial, Ibrahimovic, Lukaku.