Unai Emery says the world will be tuning in on Monday evening when Arsenal resume their rivalry with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The two clubs may have fallen down English football’s pecking order since their heyday in the nineties and noughties, but the Spaniard maintains that when they go head-to-head it’s still a game that turns heads.
“It’s an amazing moment, an amazing match between these two teams in the past, the present and the future,” said Emery ahead of the clash.
“Each match when I watched in Spain, Arsenal v Manchester United, Manchester United v Arsenal, was a special moment.
“I think Monday at eight o’clock, all around the world, if someone wants to watch a football match, it’s this one.
“We really want to play matches where we can do something important. We are preparing well. The players are wishing to play the next match – we know it’s a very big opportunity for us to get three points.”
The Gunners head north needing a win to get back into the top four while United, who have serious injury problems up front, are looking to revive their fortunes after a miserable defeat to West Ham last time out.
While they survived a midweek scare against Rochdale in the Carabao Cup – they won on penalties after matters ended 1-1 after 90 minutes – the pressure has been cranked up on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Asked about the man in the other dugout, Emery said: “Solskjaer has experience, he was a player at Manchester United, he knows the club perfectly.
“He knows the high competition, the high level and he has now very good players. His challenge is also to achieve the consistency and performances that will get them in the top four.
“We are going to fight on Monday the first time of this season and it’s how we can respond, us and them.”
We certainly have our work cut out. Arsenal have an abysmal record at Old Trafford with the Red Devils unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League home matches against us since Emmanuel Adebayor scored in a 1-0 defeat in September 2006.
well you better get the decisions right this then…
time*
No Pogba, a 17 year old upfront, only two wins in their last 11, our striker has 6 in 6. It’s just too good to be true and I can’t help feeling we’re gonna royally fuck it right up.
No one is sure Pogba won’t play yet. Only a doubt.
It is setup perfectly for a classic Arsenal Cluster. BUT Arsenal is due a really really good performance and I wont mind the 5am wakeup to watch the game live IF the lads can whip some sorry MANURE butt.
It sickens me the amount of results they’ve had against us over the years. Utter shite players; the likes of fletcher, neville, o shea, brown, park, anderson, fellaini have all routinely walked over us and yet they wouldn’t get anywhere near an Arsenal XI. Wenger used to take the game to them and yet they would somehow find a way. For once can we please dear god just slap these entitled nob ends once and for all.
Remember when SAF played 8 defenders and we still lost 2-0 I think? Sometimes we just fuck up really.
As sure as my names is RoyalT we will not fuck it up. This time
Yup. Get that decision right! Play Ozil
Because what is needed away from home is someone who needs to be accommodated defensively, but doesn’t do enough with the ball.
I have nothing against the guy personally. However, his fandom doesn’t make much sense in the face of what should be undeniable evidence.
I don’t know why the blog likes adding words that tend to be negative in these sort of articles after our players and coaches spoke well and confidently about matches and performances. it’s almost like jinxing it to be honest.
We started Rashford’s career last time, who’s it gonna be tomorrow?
That’s a fun sweepstake.. that young jesse lingard needs a boost doesn’t he.
Well don’t worry mate, we don’t play with a midfield these days and we have two of the most impulsive defenders in the league. Help yourself
Obviously Greenwood.
How about ending Ole’s future?
Honestly…….
Where’s welbz when you need him
Sadly, history, since May, foretells that Emery will, once again, get some aspect of preparation, team selection, or match strategy very wrong.
Unless it’s Eintracht. Or Mighty Forest. Or the players ignore him.
I don’t agree ofcourse but made me laugh out loud. 10 points to Gryffindor!
Upvoted.
(You did identify the House correctly. ??♂️)
There isn’t a better time to be playing United. They look devoid of confidence and leaders. We need a sensible approach to this game. That means not playing a midfield 3 of Xhaka, Guendouzi and Torreira. I’d have Torreira at the base, with Willock and Guendouzi interchanging. Problem area for us is going to at right back. I don’t fancy Chambers against the speedy James, but I dont see any alternative. I’d like Tierney at left back, but I think he’ll stick with Kola for now. Front 3 would be Auba, Pepe and Saka.
you can dream my friend.
i also remember it was good time to play them last season. drew
and the season before that, drew.
Na, we lost to a last minute Fellaini header
Also beat them when it was a bad time to play them according to most people
In midfield I think you’re spot on. We need to set up to prevent them from getting space to attack at speed on the middle. But there is no chance xhaka doesn’t play after getting named captain… That’s a bad balance for this game.
If xhaka has to play i’d argue guendouzi actually has to be dropped just for balance. Him a xhaka are too similar and offer barely anything defensively at all. Xhaka – torreira actually worked at times last season. Put either cebellos, willock or even ozil infront and take it from there.
Time to throw young Joe into the Old Trafford spotlight. It has to happen sooner or later, and this could be a better time than most.
Best play your best team then…
I want to see ozil. He ripped maguire a new one when he came with leicester.
This will be the second time in three seasons Arsenal will go to Old Trafford with a better team – at least on paper. The last time, we contrived to lose 3 – 2 to a United led by an 18 year old Rashford! I would have been more optimistic about tomorrow if Emery had shown in the two games we’ve played against the top 6 that he is willing to go for a win. Make no mistake, Man U is there for the taking. But he’ll more likely pick a team that reflects his fears, and we’ll huff and… Read more »
No more individual mistakes. Every damn time when we visit OT, someone just gotta fk things up and we either lost or draw. Hoping for a better all round performance and a win. Over to you, Unai.
Hopefully we’re not gonna let Greenwood look like prime Messi and kickstart his career as we did with Rashford…
we’re totaly gonna do just that, aren’t we?
Yep.
Well we already made Grealish look like Messi for Villa’s 2nd goal.. So definitely we are gonna do that
Well, in fairness, it’s either that or Parma vs Torino
Two teams we beat en-route to winning the 1994 Cup Winners Cup.
Just don’t leave anything in the dressing room, give it all on the pitch
Wanna see Willock and Saka play and rip United a new one
Team I’d like to see..
Leno
Chambers Papa Holding Tierney
Torreira Xhaka
Pepe Ozil Nelson
Auba
Unlikely though, sadly.
*cough* Xhaka
You obviously forget that Xhaka and Torreira have a good partnership in midfield.
Same for me, but swap Guendouzi for Xhaka, Dani for Ozil, and Saka for Nelson. Why not go with who is in form? Even if Ceballos has had a little dip I can see him being comfortable in big games and could produce a few great moments to turn it. Same can be said of Ozil, and he’s scored at Old Trafford in the past, but not the way he’s been going.
I think you have to give Xhaka a chance now, having been given the armband properly. He’ll have something to prove. Him and Torreira made a good partnership the few times they played last year. As for Ozil, I know he’s not everyones cup of tea anymore (especially Emery) but I think he’s looked decent when he’s played this season, and in the proper system is still a potent attacking threat. Ceballos has looked a bit lost since the Burnley game. Nelson is a better defender (and for me more intelligent/experienced) than Saka but I don’t mind either to be… Read more »
That’s not to say I’m a massive Xhaka fan tbh, I’d prefer to see Guendouzi or Willock start ahead of him, but it is what it is.
Screw that. Everyone form Notts Forest should keep their place.
Why Özil? He doesn’t show up in big games.
Looks pretty close to what he’ll pick, actually… switch out Nelson for Saka, Ozil for Guendouzi, 4-3-3, looks about right. I’d de really surprised if he started Ozil.
Not what I would pick, mind. I’d like to see a midfield 3 of LT as DM, MG as holding and Ceballos as attacking.
Torn about Ozil, he’s mercurial. Played well v Forest, but does he feel like defending? He has a worldie in him, but he’s unreliable.
Would love to see Martinelli get a sub. Saka and Nelson have both earned a start. Good problem to have!
As always, it’s about our PLAN and ATTITUDE, which the formation tells. Do we go to OT make history, or go to play it safe?
I remember an fa cup tie at old Trafford years ago in similar circumstances. Think they had Rafael and Fabio Silva and Phil Neville/Fletcher in midfield and we got thrashed. If we just set up properly and protect the full backs we will win, simple as that. Which makes it all the more infuriating that there’s a 90 per cent chance we won’t and will lose
Every time we play a messed up team it seems we hand them the points. The way the story is told about it being the best time to play this or that team as they have injuries/ bad manager/worse run in their history etc is the time my heart sinks. Just for once can we please just beat these twats, after all the nasty games between us just slap them while there in a bad place and struggling.
You know David Luiz, Sokratis and Xhaka will all start, for reasons no sane man can really articulate. You know there’s at least one penalty and/or error leading to goal in there. You know Emery is going to try some weird tactical approach that plays to none of our strengths. He’ll probably have us setup to play on the counter, which in Emery terms means blast long balls at Pepe and Auba and hope they can do something useful. It’ll be a dire 90 mins of football from two teams who more often than not look like they’ve no idea… Read more »
‘Draw written all over this one.’
Upvoted simply for the optimism!
This is spot on. Hope you’re wrong though!
Your forgot the 3-man goal kicks, with the initial 3-meter pass.
I think it would be better if only one of Guendouzi and Xhaka start. And it has to be Guendouzi for me and I think for a lot of people now. So that would mean Xhaka on the bench despite his captaincy and midfield consisting of Guendouzi, Torreira and Willock/Ceballos/Özil (Yes Özil isn´t best defensively but I would prefer to see him in more advanced number 10 position than Xhaka in deep playmaker position). Both Xhaka and Guendouzi need suitable, defensively switched on players around them in midfield (also defensively stronger back four will help). Guendouzi is already showing good… Read more »
Many people will be watching to see how we set up for this one, if it’s another cowardly, defensive shit-show then Emery will lose all credibility. There’s no reason why we can’t win this, we need to play the game not the reputation, and hopefully we have a few players like Chambers who will just do what the game requires and to hell with the coach.
“There’s no reason why we can’t win this.”
You must be to this Arsenal @ the swamp in the league thing.
Unai… Put out our best, balanced side. Give them clear instructions. Play Torreira as a DM, not CAM! Play Tierney and Holding. Play Ozil, to unlock their shocking defence. 3-2 win for us, I feel.
The team everyone wants to see; Leno, Chambers, Holding, Luiz, Tierney, Torreira, Guendouzi, Willock, Saka, Pepe, Aubameyang.
The team Emery will play; Leno, Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Luiz, Kolasanic, Xhaka, Torreira, Guendouzi, Ceballos, Pepe, Aubameyang.
If Emery plays with no wingers again I swear to god…
That’s the side for me right now as well.
Not exactly… I’ll be watching on Tuesday morning.
5am for me pal!
We need to fck them, we need to fck them hard. No pissing about, just pure orgy. 1:4 ft Arsenal will do. But if we resort to worst of ourselves for reasons unknown to humankind #EmeryOut must go after game. Just do it!
Yes the world be watching and who ever blinks first will be under greater pressure to deliver 4th spot or its the curtains. Emery shd stop tinkering with his defence so that its more settled. If not it would be a repeat of the Watford game with 30 shots at goal.He shd marshal his defence to restrict the opposition from unleashing 30 shots at goal. Take a leaf from Sheff utd or Everton.Every blade or blue was full of running ,harassing or denying space. Furthermore the gunner attack is predictable and slow .This is a recipe for q uick counter… Read more »
Agree with mentalist.For all the possession and pressure,Wenger still lost.
Why?With 8 defenders and little space a quick breakthrough and it will be 3-0 to Mu.
Emery better be more cautious with his attack.
Pogba maybe unavailable but you never know the enemy.This could be fake news to lull the gunners.
So pls be careful and paln with that guy in the mu lineup
Mason greenwood to score and arsenal to make him the new saviour!
I hope we’ve finally got that spark to win every game, especially at home. That’s the one thing Manu have, the desire, especially against Arsenal. That same desire we have against spuds, must be transferred to ALL other teams, then Arsenal will be good.