Arsenal host Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on December 2 in one of the most anticipated matches of the season given the previous intensity of the rivalry between the two clubs.
Overall, the two giants have squared off 184 times with Arsenal clinching 62 victories against United’s 78. 44 of those meetings have ended as draws. Since 2012, the sides have faced off 10 times. The Gunners have won two matches while United have four victories under their belt.
Injuries is one of the setbacks that a manager has to deal with and Arsenal FC boss Arsene Wenger will have to be at his tactical best to oversee this period heading into the often fixture-packed festive season.
Part of Wenger’s growing concern will be the ability to match up to the ‘big boys’ of the Premier League having already tasted defeat at the hands of Liverpool and Manchester City. This match will provide a good platform for his side to stake their claim in the quest for a league title that has eluded them for the last 14 seasons.
With the January transfer window being just over a month away, there is a possibility of losing unsettled star Mesut Ozil who has yet to sign a new contract. Ironically, Ozil could be on his way to United with Wenger being notorious over the years for selling players to domestic rivals.
On paper, United are the stronger side having shown flashes that they can just be as ruthless from the first up to the dying minutes of a match. The Red Devils have recorded at least five-four goal wins this season in the Premier League which is a testament of their prowess up front. Furthermore, their attacking threat has been epitomised by a good return on their average of about 14 shots per game.
Arsenal on the other hand has equally impressive statistics of 1.8 goals per game, 57.2% possession and 16 shots per game. Regardless of what the two managers think of this match, fans will be involved through gaming and social media battles and taking chance on the outcome of the match.
Bookmarkers’ platform such as Boylesports often add onto the hype but all in all it is the two sets of fans that bring about the raw emotion and create the electrifying atmosphere out of a match of such a magnitude. Boylesports betting information page gives you all the latest betting info you need. Bookies have set an Arsenal win at 17/10 while United is tipped 13/8. The odds have been placed at 12/5 for a draw.
Arsenal’s possession against United’s physicality
When it comes down to tactics, Arsenal has maintained their traditional style of play that involves a lot of possession and the search for penetrative passes in the opposition half. United and then the manager’s charges commonly referred to as Mourinho’s giants, fancy imposing their physical presence in matches.
Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku, Chris Smalling, Nemanja Matic and Marouane Fellaini are all 6 ft. 3 and above. They could all start in fixture. Naturally, such tall players could offer serious threat especially on set pieces and retrieving possession.
Wenger’s teams have at most instances bossed possession in this fixture. Last season, that dominance paid off in their 2-0 success at home. Part of that success was built on using the towering frame of striker Danny Welbeck to keep United central defenders at bay.
This time around, Arsenal has some fire power in the shape of Alexandre Lacazette who has been nothing short of clinical. The Frenchman has netted six times in 10 league appearances and could provide the match needed potency on the offensive end.
The 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in November gave an indication that the Gunners can step up even in big match situations. The Emirates’ faithful will be in full swing to rally the team against United and a win will lift some pressure off Wenger who has faced numerous calls to resign.
Mourinho has dismissed the importance of these high profile big matches at this stage of the season and sees them as only three points. However, the danger of letting Manchester City slip away in the title race should give him something to think about.
Given the recent history and competitive nature of the Premier League, this could be a closely fought encounter coupled with a low scoring result.
