Manchester United vs Arsenal: 3 Things To Watch For

Arsenal travel to Old Trafford where things have not always been peaches and roses. Can Arsenal play their game or will United frustrate like Barca did?

Venue: Old Trafford

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Date: Feb 28 (EST)

The opponent is different every week, but it always seems like the narrative remains the same for the Gunners. An inability to close out games and a Premier League season. However, the worst line attached to the Arsenal name, worse than “Arsenal strive to be in the top four”, is that Arsenal can’t win big games.

If the midweek game against Barcelona wasn’t enough to convince you of that, this weekend’s game might. As Arsenal travel to Old Trafford, it brings back so many memories, mostly bad for us Arsenal supporters. Yet despite all the rumblings and disappointments from the past few games, the theme of the game as implemented by Wenger should revolve around focus.

Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United

1) Arsenal won’t have much space

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Last time Arsenal played United, Ozil picked the red giants apart like it was a low level, poorly trained team. United made the key mistake of starting a more offensive midfield. Their inability to control the tempo of the game resulted in Arsenal constantly threatening to score. Stopping Ozil should always be a high priority for all opponents, yet United never seemed that interested in doing so. Look for a much different game this time around.

As per Squawka.com, over the past five games, Man United averaged 51 defensive actions per game with almost 40% coming from interceptions. That means Arsenal will be playing against a team that intercepts the ball at least 20 times a game while also receiving ten yellow cards and a significant number of fouls to go with it. All that points to a team that is much tougher and physical while defending, all of which means Arsenal will have a tough time scoring this weekend.

2) Arsenal won’t stop Martial

Nothing bothers defenses more than a forward who moves around. Nothing bothers Arsenal more than a forward that moves faster than Per, which includes almost all the strikers in the Premier League. However, Martial is a different animal, albeit still a baby animal, but Martial’s ability to move around the pitch and start his runs from much deeper positions will make it really hard for Arsenal to defend.

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Last time Arsenal faced Martial, the Gunners were lucky not to have conceded to him. As per Squawka.com, Martial has been getting better and since that Arsenal game, has become a more accurate passer, with an average pass accuracy of over 80%, and increased number of defensive actions.

3) Wayne Rooney’s absence is a curse for Arsenal

The absence of Wayne Rooney means Van Gaal will have less decisions to make when selecting his starting eleven. Rooney’s inclusion in the eleven means that there is one spot for either Schneiderlin or Schweinsteiger to occupy. The decision to include Schweinsteiger instead of Schneiderlin last time worked in Arsenal’s favor. But now it is safe to presume, LVG will field a more balanced team and not have to worry about satisfying a star’s need rather than the team’s need.

Next: Serge Gnabry Is In Purgatory

Wayne Rooney is no longer the threat he once was, crazy to think that his absence may mean Arsenal have a higher chance of drawing this fixture.