Arsenal v Man Utd

ten1312 · 01-19-2007, 08:29 AM

Emirates Stadium
Sunday, 21 January
Kick-off: 16.00 GMT

ARSENAL and Manchester United square up to each other for the 200th time in a competitive contest, in what's been billed many times as a "Battle of the Titans" and a title decider, but not this year. While the Red Devils are going all out for their first Premiership crown in four seasons, the Gunners are lagging some 15 points behind and battling to gain one of the two Champions League qualifying spots. They're yet to lose at the Emirates Stadium, and are vying for a 50th home League victory over their old adversaries.

Victory would give Arsenal exactly 800 Premiership points under Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman takes on Sir Alex Ferguson's charges for the 33rd time. Of the 32 previous encounters United have won 11, Arsenal 12 and nine draws. Of those nine draws, United won the 2003 Community Shield on penalties, and Arsenal the 2005 FA Cup final on penalties.

The Gunners ended their longest winless streak of eight matches against a single opponent under Wenger, when they won 1-0 at Old Trafford in September. But the Londoners have not beaten the Red Devils on home turf since a 3-1 triumph on 25 November 2001, when Thierry Henry got a brace and Fredrik Ljungberg the other. Wenger's side are vying for a third Premiership 'double' over United, and first since 2001-02.

MANCHESTER UNITED travel eager to avenge one of only two League defeats this season. The eight times Premiership champions are experiencing their best ever Premier League points haul. Never before have the Red Devils banked as many as 57 points from 23 games. It exceeds by one, the total at this same stage of the title winning campaign of 1993-94. But by the time this game kicks off, United's six point lead at the top of the table will have been reduced to three, if Chelsea beat Liverpool in the Saturday lunchtime fixture at Anfield.

The Old Trafford club have outshone the Gunners in so many ways this season. They have won 18 Premiership matches to the Londoners' 12, lost two to Arsenal's five, dropped just 12 points to the Gunners' 27. These are the two highest scoring clubs in the top division going into this round of matches, but while United have netted 52 goals, Arsenal have managed 43.

United have won one and drawn three of the last four League visits to Arsenal, but this is their first trip to the Emirates Stadium. They are in anger of being 'doubled' for only the eighth time in their Premiership history. Such a fate has befallen United on fewer occasions than any other club since this League began in 1992.

From:reddevilnews

ten1312 · 01-19-2007, 10:45 AM

United win win

Gavmundo · 01-19-2007, 11:02 AM

A win is a tall order. This is going to be the toughest game of the season so far. Arsenal are well on form at the moment but Utd are the one team that could beat them. I expect a draw though. It can go either way but I think the sides will cancel each other out. I believe Arsenal are the most on form team at the moment and are playing devastating football!

penalty_20 · 01-19-2007, 12:16 PM

Arsenal have not yet lost at home so hopefully we can be the first. I believe that we have the potential to beat them and that we are the better team. I can see Chelsea dropping points at Anfield so we definetly need a win here to increase our lead.

Gavmundo · 01-19-2007, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by penalty_20

so we definetly need a win here to increase our lead.

Ahhh in a perfect world. Arsenal already gave us a lesson in football at Old Trafford and this is going to be even tougher! A win is possible but I feel it will be a draw. I can't even contemplate losing!

penalty_20 · 01-19-2007, 12:32 PM

Oh I know. A loss would be devastating. Especially if Chelsea win.

ten1312 · 01-19-2007, 02:01 PM

Arsenal (from): Lehmann, Eboue, Toure, Senderos, Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Flamini, Rosicky, Henry, Van Persie, Almunia, Adebayor, Baptista, Diaby, Djourou, Hoyte, Aliadiere.

Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Larsson, Saha, Solskjaer, Park, Brown, Heinze, O'Shea, Fletcher.

manfan1523 · 01-20-2007, 01:03 AM

im gonna throw 3-0 out there, i think this is gonna be the game that rooney makes his comback. he is gonna shine. plus ronaldo will get 1. dont know why but i feel we are gonna trounce them.

Gavmundo · 01-20-2007, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manfan1523

im gonna throw 3-0 out there, i think this is gonna be the game that rooney makes his comback. he is gonna shine. plus ronaldo will get 1. dont know why but i feel we are gonna trounce them.

er we're at the Emirates so 3-0 would be an Arsenal win

I still see it being a draw but we're the one team that could win at Arsenal at the mo so am ever hopeful. With the Chelsea result it means even a loss will not change our position in relation to Chelsea so even a draw would be a bonus! I'm hoping Fergie pulls out all the stops and go's on the attack!

penalty_20 · 01-21-2007, 02:32 PM

I think we can pull off a win here and it would be awesome to open up a nine point lead on chelsea.

smartsouer · 01-21-2007, 05:38 PM

Goal.............

dupont · 01-21-2007, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smartsouer

Goal.............

Yes Wayne Rooney puts Man Utd one up.

Gavmundo · 01-21-2007, 07:27 PM

For all the good it did us

This result was no surprise as I said it would be a tall order for a Man U win but I did feel we were a little hard done by. We earned a point I think even though Arsenal were probably the best side overall but it's just another example of United's tactic when they go a goal up. They try to hold on and that invites pressure. I was sure we were going to hold out for a draw until Henry's 92nd Min winner. We can't complain about the added time as we were using a lot of timewasting tactics but feel a draw would have been a fair result.

All in all though we're still 6 points clear of Chelsea so it's not cost United anything. Arsenal and Liverpool have clawed a few points back but still don't see either of them being a threat to Man U, they maybe a threat too Chelsea but Man U would have to have a big dip in form and Arsenal and Liverpool wouldn't be able to drop many more points for them to be in with a chance but it should make the final run more interesting.

manfan1523 · 01-21-2007, 11:01 PM

what bloody crap refs. that second goal was all started after a tackle from behind on ronaldo. piece of shit refs. i was right about rooney finding himself though. after the goal you could just see him come back to life.

penalty_20 · 01-22-2007, 03:00 AM

this sucks...at least rooney got a goal and we didnt lose any points to chelsea..