Unai Emery admits that Arsenal face a very tough challenge on Wednesday even if Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United are struggling for form and have injuries to key players.
The Gunners have repeatedly failed to take advantage of the Red Devils travails in the post-Ferguson years, seemingly suffering from a mental block as soon as they take to the pitch.
Since Emmanuel Adebayor sealed a 1-0 win in 2006, we’ve lost eight and drawn three of the last 11 Premier League encounters at Old Trafford.
Looking for his team to build on Sunday’s win against Sp*rs and further consolidate their top four credentials, Emery told his pre-game press conference:
“It’s a new match, a new challenge, a big challenge. It’s away and we need to continue improving our mentality away.
“We know we need to change to get more competitive away. I think the team is doing that, but it’s a new challenge because we’re going to play against Manchester United away, and the challenge is bigger than other matches.
“For us, it’s a very exciting match. The preparation for this match is also a big motivation for us. It gives me a big motivation for Wednesday. If we are stronger now, we need to [show that] on Wednesday.”
He added: “We have the same points as Tottenham but we are travelling to Manchester United on Wednesday and we need to keep our [level of] performance and improve.
“We know – you maybe better than me – that it’s very difficult to win there. I prefer every day to work, thinking about the next matches. At the moment, we have the consistency in our mentality.
“We are calm, we know we need to improve and enjoy each moment, like yesterday. It’s a short moment though, today we are working and thinking about Wednesday.”
Arsenal’s win on Sunday saw us climb above Sp*rs on goal difference but the gap on top two Manchester City and Liverpool is still an intimidating eight and six points respectively. Understandably, Emery has been keen to play down talk of a title challenge.
“At the moment, one thing is clear: some teams have an advantage [over] us. One is very clear, it’s Manchester City. The difference between their points and our points. But also for the goals and conceding goals, there’s a big difference to us.
“Another difference [is] between Liverpool and our moments [which are] not very big, but I think it’s an important difference also. With the performances, with the points, with the goals scored and conceded, we are the same as Chelsea and Tottenham – that’s the reality.
“We want to progress and not think about them, but think about the next match. The Premier League is the first competition for us, but we also have very exciting [prospects] in the Europa League, Carabao Cup and the FA Cup.
“I want us to do one way, to think about the possibility – maybe not this year, because it’s difficult – but [in time], to approach one title here with the team. It’s about progress, improving and our demands.”
Whatever happens on Wednesday, we know Alexis Sanchez won’t get to do an RVP and score against us. The Chilean, who has looked a shadow of his former self, is out for six weeks with a thigh problem.
United will also be without the suspended Ashley Young, Victor Lindelof is injured while there are doubts about Luke Shaw, Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly, Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian.
We have to beat the scums this time round.
Welbeck goal to win the FA cup tie would be a great thing to remember for Arsenal did win away against United that day.
Ah, fond memories of that Welbeck goal.
Agreed. But such have been things with these scums, that one of their kids will have a game of his life.
Hmmm with all those injuries manure remind me of the time we went there with a severely depleted squad and got thrashed – here is hoping we return the favour ?
Would be sweet to get them bigtime on thier home patch, and see what sideline theatrics and bull excuses Moaninho comes up with.
I fancy a one nil to the Arsenal. We don’t want to put Maureen out of a job he’s doing amazing things there.
We should go straight for the throat, United are there for the taking
Then step on it for good measure.
Maureen and Manure really is the true axis of evil. We need more than divine intervention tomorrow, after 12 years of pain Bishop Bernd, Saint Sokratis and Pope Pierre must vanquish this devil in its lair.
Don’t mean to be unnecessary dour, but in the past, them missing a clutch of important players and us going there with our strongest team and on a good run would have resulted in a drab and annoying 1-0 loss on their turf.
Fingers crossed we throw this monkey off our back. Come on you Gunners!
they always turn up to get a result against us at Old Trafford no matter how shit or injury ravaged they are. I’m hoping the Wenger effect won’t be seen on Wednesday. Given that Fergie (initially) and Mourinho openly despised Wenger, I’m hoping the fact that he is no longer in the dugout demotivates Jose and his team some more tomorrow night.
We went there 2-3 seasons ago and they were missing their regular forwards. We got beat by 19 year old Rashford. Hope we don’t provide them with a new teenage hope this time.
And here comes Fellaini on 93rd minutes after being 1-0 down, oh wait, he..
Didn’t OG do this to them a couple of seasons back. A game we perhaps should have lost and he came on and equalised in the last minutes?
Yeah, it was the header from renowned right wing-back Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross in the last few minutes
Agree. It is almost like it is in their DNA and we are the old rival showing up at their door. They will be up for it but I think we will be also. Still hope the tank is full from Sunday.
Yeah, I know from my American sports fandom that an old rival can invigorate an under performing team like few things.
Making our first win since 2006 would be nice, I will be happy with a draw though
Man U are rubbish at the moment and our mentality is great.
Keep at the high level we’ve been going at and we have a great chance of winning.
Mourinho’s resignation speech will be lovely to hear, though would prefer to hear the Man U CEO ‘I’m sacking Mourinho’ speech.
I hope Mourinho stays. He’s got plenty of comedy gold. Man Utd and Maureen deserve each other.
Np, so long as we win.
I know quite a few Utd supporters and if you offered them a 0-5 scoreline tomorrow night and Mourinho getting sacked immediately afterwards then they would bite your hand off.
I want revenge for the 8-2 and 6-1… Gut them.
Yep…i have this very blunt filleting knife which I use for anchovies…
Maybe it’s just me but was more traumatised by the 3-2 loss in 2015-16 than I was by either the 8-2 or the 6-1
I am with you on this. We were so limp that day
Another of Ozil’s disappearing acts if I remember rightly.
I think the secrete is to stop playing well against them, never seems to work out.
We’ll never have a better chance of giving them a game on Wednesday night and given respective form you’d fancy our chances. Problem is, doesn’t matter how shit Utd they always seem to turn up against us as Old Trafford. Our team doesn’t seem to be carrying much baggage from previous Old Trafford no shows. Hopefully, the fact that all of Manchester hates Jose will play into our hands and Mourinho is totally demotivated because he’s not up against Wenger. I just want us to turn up and if we put as much effort in as we did on Sunday… Read more »
I’ve been thinking we are slightly in a similar position Spurs were coming into our game: riding high, possibly leggy from a hard-fought win, going up against an old rival at their house. Let’s not make the same mistake they did: we HAVE to win this one.
Luckily, MU are even leggier than us. CL game on Tuesday, hard-fought draw against the relegating Saints. Hopefully, apart from demotivated, they will also be really tired.
Yes but they played 3 in 8 days with basically the same team. We have been rotated the shit out of. Iwobi, Mhki, Laca and Ramsey have played 45 mins basically. Ozil 0.
Would love to hear the travelling fans singing ‘We want you to stay, we want you to staaaay,
Jose Mourinho, we want you to stay. ‘ with 3 minutes of added time being played and us 2.0 up.
Only 2 up? Fu*k that we’ll be at least 3 up by then. Let’s smash them!
Oh Jose Mourinho what are you going to do?
You say your team’s a bag of shite, but everyone thinks it’s you.
Complete OT: how do we feel about Chambers´new role under Ranieiri? Saw the game against Chelsea, he played at box to box CM position and was actually Fulham´s biggest attacking threat, haha.
He played as a DM for us in the summer. If it works then great
Found his stats against Chelsea:
5 pen area touches
3 goal attempts
3 shots on target
2 shots in the box
1 chance created
Huh, so this must be why we´re parting with Ramsey… right?!!
I watched him and he looked like a fish out of water to be honest. Just doesn’t have the touch or agility required for the centre of midfield. While all his shots were straight at the keeper.. sorry.
They played saturday and we on sunday. Maybe an advantage for them but it´s surely the best opportunity in years to go and beat them.
Please can we rip them apart. Seriously, it’s high time we get revenge. Up the Gunners!!!
I hope we hand them a trashing.
More ammunition to go at those lousy pundits who have not given Emery a sliver of hope because of their inherent bias.
Man Utd are a second half team just like us this season so with both teams giving it their all second half it could turn out to be a draw or perhaps a narrow Fellaini win to them. However if we play like we did on Sunday and Man Utd play the way they have been playing, we will smash them up!
I’d be wary of the height they have.
They may trouble us with route one bully tactics and the usual diving antics.
We must destroy them! I sense victory!
Smelt blood in the water against Spurts too but Unai correct to bring his players down to earth following euphoria of the weekend.
Confidence is great for the team (which as he says you can’t buy in the supermarket) but over confidence is an enemy.
Feel quietly confindent that we will turn up with the necessary hunger and fuck you attitude that is needed to win against that lot.
Let’s hope I’m right.
Hope Emery has enough time to prepare his team accordingly.
Guendouzi coming in may not be a bad thing considering rotation for tired legs. Both Iwobi and Mhki did reasonably well first half. Iwobi needs to improve his finishing and Mhki will have an axe to grind with Moanrinho. They played half the game on the weekend before being subbed so maybe good to start them again particularly Iwobi to protect and support Kolasinac (The two seem to have a good understanding) BUT of course we now also have option to ratchet up the ante with Laca and Auba in a reverse 3 up top supported by Rambo. If we… Read more »
Let’s get Maureen sacked
Maureen must stay at all cost. Utd and him go so well together
If we rip them apart and hand him his P45, it will be a sweet day indeed.
Manchester United are so bad, Southampton fired their coach after they drew against them
I hope there is a strong referee who is not afraid of giving Fellaini a yellow (at least) the first time he smashes his forearm into someone’s face. Yes, I know he is taller and it seems accidental, but there’s lots of tall players to whom this rarely happens. Fellaini, twice every match.
You mean “hand of God” Fellaini? That guy is an absolute train wreck, and seems to always be one play from doing serious harm to other players(even including his own teammates!) Looks like Andre Marriner is the ref. Seems a no non-sense type of guy.
All the good work beating the pale shadows last weekend will be undone if we do not capitalise on it by beating United and let the great pretenders back in again. We must belief we can take Manure to the Trashford dump and hand Moanrinho his P45. That said, the Special case is a wily fox tactically even if he conspires to destroy the dressing room with his unique brand of man management. And I’d be wary of the height United have against us with Fellaini, Matic, Pogba, Lukaku. One positive for us is Mustafi looks indestructable. He looked like… Read more »
We shouldn’t underestimate them! Let’s keep our comments until the m final blow!
The team should stay focused and organized. Otherwise this bus-parking ork-behaving team will bite us in the arse!
COYG!!!
But daddddd 🙁
Thumbs up!
I regularly read the comments on redcafe. The United-Fans are really afraid of us.
Most fans believe that they’ll be humiliated 😀
It’s semi unrelated but I’m in London and unfortunately couldn’t get any tickets to the game – anyone know any good pubs around central/north that will be showing the game and full of other fans?
Keen to see wee little Torreira have a go at Pogba.
Not sure whether Sanchez not playing is a blessing or a shame. Apart from that utter cunt Mourinho he’s one I’d love to see stumble off the pitch with a look of devastation after we’ve mauled them 8-0.
I have faith in Torriera keeping the big orcs at bay.
COYG
In all fairness: We’ll trash them. They have good players, but Mourinho has ruined them as a team. They cannot weather the Aubameyang/Lacazette/Torreira storm.