Manchester United vs Arsenal - Song: We're unbeatable now !
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Man Utd v Arsenal preview
Arsenal fans will discover if their team can truly put up a realistic title challenge when they visit Old Trafford to take on champions Manchester United on Saturday.
The Gunners were thought by many to be the team most susceptible to succumb to the challenge of mega rich Manchester City, with their top four place supposedly in jeopardy this season.
Such a prediction now seems well wide of the mark with Arsene Wenger's men winning all four of their opening games this term, scoring 15 goals in the process.
But Arsenal know the real work begins this weekend when two of the 'big four' meet for the first time this season.
The Red Devils have history for bringing their London rivals back down to earth. Goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney put an end to Arsenal's 49-game unbeaten run in 2004 while United's thumping 4-1 semi-final aggregate win over the Gunners last season ended any hopes Wenger had of lifting the UEFA Champions League.
However the Frenchman will take comfort from the fact that the sting that accompanied many of the two sides' previous encounters down the years has disappeared.
Easy on the eye
Gone are the ferocious personalities such as Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira, instead replaced by the composed and easy on the eye talents of Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Carrick, Cesc Fabregas and Andrey Arshavin.
However the Gunners' influential skipper has been ruled out due to the hamstring injury he picked up in the 4-1 win over Portsmouth last weekend.
Tomas Rosicky has now fully recovered from his long-term hamstring injury but he is expected to miss out at the Theatre of Dreams.
Aaron Ramsey, who could be an option to replace Fabregas, has had a scan on his knee after suffering in the Celtic clash in midweek. Although initial signs are positive the Welshman could still be ruled out.
Theo Walcott will also be assessed ahead of the clash following the back injury that has kept him out of the side so far this season.
Wenger will definitely be without the injured Samir Nasri (broken leg), Johan Djourou (knee) and Lukasz Fabianski (knee).
Meanwhile United will still be without the services of Rio Ferdinand (thigh), Edwin Van der Sar (finger) and Rafael (shoulder).
It should mean that Jonny Evans will continue to partner fit again Nemanja Vidic in defence after the Serbia international came through his first appearance of the season against Wigan unscathed.
Firepower
Van der Sar's injury means that Ben Foster should keep his place given he kept his second clean sheet of the season in a 5-0 win at the DW Stadium last weekend.
The debate rages on whether manager Sir Alex Ferguson has enough firepower at his disposal to cope with the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez but Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen were all on target against the Latics.
United have already used the most players this season, 18, and Ferguson is likely to rotate his squad again on Saturday, in particular his midfield.
Paul Scholes and Darren Fletcher both started at Wigan but Ryan Giggs and Carrick, who missed out completely against Roberto Martinez's men, will be vying for a start as will Anderson, who will be looking to put his reported spat with Ferguson firmly behind him.
Possible starting XIs:
Man Utd: Foster, O'Shea, Evans, Vidic, Evra, Nani, Fletcher, Carrick, Valencia, Berbatov, Rooney.
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Vermaelen, Gallas, Clichy, Song, Diaby, Denilson, Arshavin, Van Persie, Eduardo.
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Teams:
Manchester United (from): Foster, Kuszczak, Neville, O'Shea, De Laet, Brown, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Fabio, Nani, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Tosic, Valencia, Owen, Rooney, Berbatov, Macheda.
Arsenal (from): Almunia, Sagna, Vermaelen, Gallas, Clichy, Song, Ramsey, Denilson, Diaby, Bendtner, Eduardo, Mannone, Van Persie, Eboue, Arshavin, Wilshere, Gibbs, Silvestre, Merida.
football365.
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Wenger: Signing Michael Owen For Arsenal Was A Temptation
Talking to Arsenal TV Online, the French coach revealed, "I must say that Michael Owen is a tempting solution because you know that if he doesn’t start he can come off the bench and score goals.
"For a big club it is always tempting because he has the quality to play in a big club.
"The question mark about Michael Owen was his injury situation and they [Manchester United] gambled on that, but I can understand."
goal.com
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Vidic will be redcarded.Evra will give away a penalty. Man U will score first.Arsenal equalised and eventually win the game 2-1.
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Song, dun tok cock la
Skeali we lost, i need to pay $$ to my fren
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Bryan Robson feels United will have the edge in Saturday's game against Arsenal following the Gunners' midweek Champions League exertions.
As the countdown continues to the first big four clash of the season, the Reds' legend looks ahead to the Old Trafford clash in his new column for the matchday programme, and he's predicting another typcially fierce encounter.
"It's always a great footballing match between United and Arsenal and I don't see this one being any different. I’m sure we’re in for a great game," he says in United Review.
"It'll be a tough, Arsenal have got off to a great start in the league so their confidence will be high.
"But we put five past Wigan last week and I think we have a slight edge because we're at home and because they played Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday."Our lads will be fresher because they've had a free week going into the game. With that in mind, we need to play at a high tempo and put them under plenty of pressure.
"If we play at a really fierce pace then I think we've got a great chance of winning the game." -
PATRICE's "men against boys" remark is still fresh in gunners memory.
EVRA: Referee came up to me and said 'Look I don't know what's going on but since half-time all the Arsenal players seem to be out to injure you. Don't get involved'."
PATRICE EVRA thought Arsenal had taken a contract out on him the last time he played them. The left-back was the target for revenge in May after Manchester United swept aside the Gunners in the Champions League semi-finals.
Evra and Co put on a show to record an impressive 3-1 second-leg victory - 4-1 on aggregate - at The Emirates. That prompted the Frenchman to suggest the Euro tie had been "men against boys".
And that remark was still fresh in the memory when the two rivals met in a goalless draw in the league at Old Trafford just 11 days later.
Evra claims the challenges were so bad even referee Mike Dean warned him to be on his guard as it appeared Arsenal were targeting the United defender.
Now Evra is ready to face the Gunners again this evening. And he said: "What Arsenal did that day was shameful. I was asked if it felt like there was a contract out on me and I had to say 'yes, yes, yes'.
"It's not at all the way in which Arsenal normally handle matches because they usually play really good football and are not overly aggressive - it was a big change. That's why I have to thank the referee. "He came up to me and said 'Look I don't know what's going on but since half-time all the Arsenal players seem to be out to injure you. Don't get involved'."
Cesc Fabregas, crocked for today's clash, was booked for a high lunge on Evra just after the interval. The game's simmering temperature was then inflamed when the United star angrily snubbed Fabregas' gesture to shake hands.
Evra explained: "I particularly didn't like the reaction Fabregas showed in that game when he knew full well we had a Champions League final to play that month. "Yet he put in a bad tackle on me which could easily have robbed me of that final.
"We'll meet again one day, hopefully off the pitch, and I'll be able to let my personality tell him what I think."
Evra refuses to back down from his "men against boys" taunt which sparked all the ill-feeling. He added: "I only said what many other people were thinking given that we beat them home and away and 4-1 on aggregate. "Everybody knows I don't mind winding things up a little bit but all I did was speak the truth in this instance.
Maybe I could have said 'Yes, we have a little bit more experience than this young Arsenal team'. "But I simply like to express myself a little more frankly than that so I said what I thought.
"If people are honest then they'll know that most agreed with my point of view. "I'll always speak honestly but I'm still disappointed in the way all this has ended up.
"I know very well that every time we play Arsenal this row will surface. But I'll deal with it, no problem. That's just football as far as I'm concerned."
Evra has tried, and apparently failed, to persuade French team-mate and Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery to sign for United.
The Premier League champs lost the magic of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid and the aggression of Carlos Tevez in the summer. But, even without that talented trio, Evra is determined to brush off the Gunners' challenge and bag the Premier League title for the fourth season in a row.
The Frenchman knows boss Alex Ferguson's hunger demands more championship silverware in the Old Trafford trophy cabinet. But Evra is also aware he can create his own place in the club's illustrious history.
He said: "I think the difference between us and the other three of the so-called Big Four in England is that we are totally and utterly fixated by our major objective which is to win the title again and again.
"It's easy to win a title but the tough thing is to retain it. "So to lift the Premier League trophy three or four times on the trot is a hugely impressive achievement.
"For players like me, Sir Alex is like a kind of grandfather to us. He's really attached to his players and protects us well. "But he does everything remorselessly well and expects us to follow that example.
"United is my family, it has a massive history and every time I pull on this shirt I feel like I'm carrying that history on my back.
"All the ex-players here are treated like legends when they come and take their seat in the stand and that's how I hope I'll be regarded when I finish at Old Trafford."
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sometimes I feel footballers should do their talking on the field. some of the things they said are disrespectful, goading, belittling etc.
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Jamie Redknapp on Manchester United v Arsenal: all the key areas to look for in the big match
Flying Dutchman: Edwin van der Sar
Don't underestimate how important Edwin van der Sar is to United. It's not only his saves and experience, but his distribution. He's like another outfield player, a sweeper-keeper. You forget how quickly he passes the ball out, either left or right and with both feet.
He will start so many United forward thrusts, sometimes with an instant pass the way he is facing and others when he reverses the ball by opening his body. He is very comfortable with the ball at his feet, like an 11th outfield player.
Ben Foster, who will grow into being an excellent goalkeeper, just seems happy with clearing his lines and sending the ball away from his goal, without the same control on his distribution.
It's not unexpected, because it's hard place to be trying to establish yourself as No 1. This is the sort of game when he will get the chance to show how he is progressing.
CAN UNITED KEEP A CLEAN SHEET?
I fancy Arsenal to score. Rio Ferdinand is a huge loss to the home side, who miss his pace. I can't emphasise enough how often it rescues United and, in particular, helps on the cover with Nemanja Vidic.
Eduardo, maybe later in the game as a substitute, will test that with his movement.
Lone ranger: Wayne Rooney needs help with the goal-scoring duties
MIDFIELD NEED TO HELP ROONEY
Wayne has started the season well. He looks to me like he loves being the main man and is the one player not missing Cristiano Ronaldo. He is rising to the challenge, now his team-mates need to help him too.
United need a midfield player to chip in with 10 goals this season. In fact, make that two midfield players.
Can any of Darren Fletcher, Ryan Giggs, Anderson, Michael Carrick, Antonio Valencia, Park Ji-sung or Nani achieve that? I don't think so. Rooney can't expect to take the load alone.
United haven't settled on a midfield pairing yet and the manager is rotating; not because of the usual reasons, but because they haven't hit their form, they haven't clicked.
How they deal with the Arsenal central midfielders could define the game.
At least Rooney is sparkling and is their most likely match-winner, but they need others to step forward.
Bubbling back: Dimitar Berbatov
GENIUS BERBATOV?
He just showed signs of bubbling back into form in the second half against Wigan. Berbatov must show more of that, more urgency, more damage.
I'm telling you, he is quick, once he opens his legs and accelerates. He looks slow, but he's sharp and bright and now needs to be more of a penalty box spearhead.
Running around a bit more would convince the fans of his desire. He can be the match-winner, but he needs to be on his game.
ARSENALS KEY AREAS
ALEX SONG IN THE ANCHOR ROLE Last season, there were two Arsenal teams. With the ball, they were awesome, without the ball, they were awful.
They didn't have an established holding midfielder and, in a 4-4-2 formation, they were often caught on the break (remember Crisitano Ronaldo's runaway goal in the Champions league semi final, second leg at the Emirates?).
They didn't have enough people wanting to do the dirty work. Song is an underestimated player, but he has been their unsung hero this season - tidy, efficient, he breaks up the play and passes the ball simply.
Unsung hero: Alex Song
Alongside Denilson, they give Arsene Wenger's team a platform to break quickly.
Communication from behind will be critical here, with the central defenders shouting when there is danger around as Wayne Rooney looks to get into that pocket between defence and midfield.
Song will need to have eyes in the back of his head. It's his biggest test.
SCINTILLATING COUNTER ATTACK
We have seen Arsenal break at speed, but not like this. I don't think we have seen another team counter-attacking so smoothly.
United, at their best, could play this way, but Arsenal seem very confident in their tactics.
Perhaps it comes from knowing the door behind them is closed with Song and co, as well as their new central defender Thomas Vermaelen, who looks like he cherishes a clean sheet and loves to defend.
Arsenal haven't had a centre-half like that since Tony Adams and Martin Keown, who were a menace to play against.
Confident: Andrei Arshavin
CAN ARSHAVIN PLAY AWAY?
So far, I've been impressed with the Russian playmaker. He clearly talks a good game, you see that confidence coming through in every interview.
I suspect he thinks he can play at a higher level, such as Barcelona, but for me he still needs to perform more consistently on his travels.
I know he scored four at Liverpool last season, so that may seem crazy, but he tends to drift out of games when Arsenal don't have the ball.
This is a big game for him, especially with Cesc Fabregas absent.
BENDTNER v EVRA
There is a massive height advantage for Arsenal here - 6ft 2in plays 5ft 8in - and if they look to hit diagonal balls from left to right, Bendtner will trouble Evra.
Wenger has shown great faith in him and has readjusted his role in the team.
Bendtner has great faith in himself, but the jury is still out. He needs to be more clinical and consistent.
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It will be interesting to see what formation Fergie puts out, over the years he's preferred to play 4-5-1 against the big sides, especially against Arsenal.
However, this season he's stuck with a 4-4-2 and assured that Rooney will be playing a more central role, whereas past seasons in a 4-5-1, he'd be playing on the left.
I personally hope he goes back to a 4-5-1 though with BBT dropped and Rooney leading the line. I'd rather a cautious game than a game where Arsenal would be stringing passes across Utd's four-man midfield.
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Originally posted by zocoss:
PATRICE's "men against boys" remark is still fresh in gunners memory.
"United is my family, it has a massive history and every time I pull on this shirt I feel like I'm carrying that history on my back.
"All the ex-players here are treated like legends when they come and take their seat in the stand and that's how I hope I'll be regarded when I finish at Old Trafford."
He's already a legend la.
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Berba cannot be drop, he is the only playmaker they have now... He didn't play in their 2nd game and they lost...
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Ah well, then Berba better prepare to get stuck in and help the midfield out.
Pray Utd don't let Arsenal run the midfield.
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im scared of the match later . . . .
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Should be an exciting game.
I suspect tempers will flare to make it highly charged.
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yeah. . .
tad part i awesome. . .
but i fear the worst . . . -
Originally posted by charlize:
Should be an exciting game.
I suspect tempers will flare to make it highly charged.
and Evra will probably be one of the main culprits. Too bad Fabregas isn't available.
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I'm hearing that Berbatov is benched.
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He's gone for a 4-5-1. My prayers have been answered.
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Utd's XI
Foster
O'Shea
Brown
Vidic
Evra
Fletcher
Carrick
Giggs
Valencia
Rooney
Nani
SUBS: Kuszczak, Neville, Owen, Anderson, Berbatov, Park, Scholes.Arsenal's XI
01 Almunia
03 Sagna
05 Vermaelen
10 Gallas
22 Clichy
27 Eboue
02 Diaby
15 Denilson
17 Song Billong
23 Arshavin
11 Van PersieSubs: 24 Mannone, 18 Silvestre, 28 Gibbs, 16 Ramsey, 19 Wilshere, 09 Eduardo, 52 Bendtner
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It's like a 4-5-1 cum 4-3-3, like what Arsenal are playing.
Evans is out, guess he's gone for his surgery.
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Wa very surprised Bendtner's not starting.
Seems like Wenger isn't too confident about Bendtner going up against Evra who'll be bombing up and down the wings.
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Thats the line-up is it?
Brown like not match fit yet leh...
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No choice bah since Evans is out.
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knn bendtner not starting.. he in my team sia.. basket!!