Arsenal: 4 things we’d like to see vs Manchester United

2. Using Aaron Ramsdale as the Spare Man in Build Up

How will Manchester United approach this game? Not even Arteta is sure.

"He said: “It is very difficult tactically because you don’t know how they are going to prepare the game, the options that they can play, the formation they can [have] so it’s focused more on ourselves, on what we have to do and make sure the team is prepared to go there and beat them.”"

Seeing next to none of the ball away at Chelsea, United chose their moments to press in a way not seen under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: the front two led the press and the full-backs got involved in trying to limit the time Chelsea had on the ball. It wasn’t on show all match, as the majority of the game was spent in a low block, but there was a distinct shift in approach.

At home it’s largely expected that they will attempt more of the high pressing than deep defending. The ‘Manchester United way’ will be demanded.

But this is what Arsenal want. Investing heavily in a goalkeeper who rivals Ederson for his distribution, when the opposition push their defensive line high it gives Aaron Ramsdale the freedom to be expansive and penetrative with his distribution.

He brings variation to the build-up play and against a team who haven’t fine-tuned their team pressing style he will have the openings to throw, kick, slice and chip into men in space. Ramsdale sees the passes others don’t and getting him involved as the spare man in build-up is precisely what Arsenal want.

“Let them come, there is one former Sheffield United goalkeeper yet in Manchester who still draws breath.” – Ramsdale when he auditioned for the part of Gimli in Lord of the Rings. Probably.

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