Manchester United v Arsenal - Kick Off 12:45 - SSHD2

MagicMarker

Robin van Persie takes centre stage on Saturday as the former Arsenal captain comes up against his old employers for the first time in a Manchester United shirt.

The Holland international, who spent seven years with the Gunners before departing in a £24million deal this summer, has made an immediate impact at Old Trafford.

Van Persie already has seven goals to his name from just nine Premier League outings to demonstrate why Sir Alex Ferguson was so delighted to land his signature despite competition from Manchester City, while he has won more points (nine) for his team with his goals than any other Premier League player this season.

The striker's priceless ability to turn a game to his team's advantage will be sorely missed by the supporters who once idolised him, and even though Arsene Wenger has called for respect from the visiting fans on Saturday, the vitriol is likely to pour down from the away section.

Arsenal also need to banish the demons of last season's Premier League visit to Old Trafford, when they suffered an 8-2 humiliation in what ranks as one of Wenger's darkest days in a distinguished career.

The North London club are currently six points adrift of United in the standings and while it would be foolish to write off their title ambitions in November, a nine-point gap would be a significant deficit to bridge.

Victory for Ferguson's men, meanwhile, would put them top of the standings for the first time this season as Chelsea - who were beaten 3-2 by the Red Devils at Stamford Bridge last weekend - are not in action until later in the day when they travel to Swansea.

Team News

Manchester United have no fresh injuries following their two dramatic matches against Chelsea over the past week.

Defender Chris Smalling continues to make good progress in training in his recovery from a broken metatarsal, but the game at Old Trafford will come too soon.

Fellow centre-back Phil Jones (knee) is also not quite ready, while another defender, Nemanja Vidic (knee), and midfielder Shinji Kagawa (knee) remain sidelined.

Sir Alex Ferguson made a host of changes for the midweek defeat and will bring back his big guns for the Premier League encounter.

Arsenal will revert to a more recognised team after changing their entire starting XI for the astonishing midweek Capital One Cup success at Reading.

England midfielder Jack Wilshere and full-back Bacary Sagna are in contention, but forward Theo Walcott - whose hat-trick helped the Gunners comeback from 4-0 down to win 7-5 - may be back on the bench after playing all 120 minutes at the Madejski Stadium.

Midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (hip) faces a fitness test, but winger Gervinho (ankle) will be out for around three weeks, while defender Kieran Gibbs (thigh), first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (ankle), midfielder Abou Diaby (thigh) and Czech winger Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) all continue their rehabilitation.

Can wait for this!!! Early kick off too, nice! :cool: I'd like to see Utd line up as follows...

De Gea
Rafael Rio Evans Evra
Carrick Anderson
Valencia Rooney Young
v.Persie

shano_88

Hoping Arsenal line up like this:

Mannone
Jenkinson Mertasacker Vermaelen Sagna
Arteta Wilshere
Walcott Cazorla Podolski
Grioud

I expect Ramsey will probably get the nod ahead of Walcott though. I really hope Santos is left out as he is a defensive liabilty.

Id take a draw right now!

Cantona's Collars

More of this please.

Paully D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFkYRXlwQxA

killwill

Shano is Diaby not in with a shout for this game?

killwill

Paully D wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFkYRXlwQxA

God I miss Roy Keane

yabadabado

Hopefully Ando starts ,he was immense on wednesday.

---

De Gea
Rafael--Rio- -Evans --Evra--
---Carrick --Anderson--
Valencia--Rooney--Young--

---

v.Persie

---

shano_88

killwill wrote: »

Shano is Diaby not in with a shout for this game?

Unfortunately not. He could have caused trouble vs Uniteds midfield.

Drexel

Goina make a bold prediction and say Arsenal will have most of the ball and UTD will hit them on the counter!!!

Arsenal are so predictable that Utd don't even need a game plan cause they will just do the same as last year. And the year before.....oh...and the year before that and so on.


I'm just hoping Arsenal put up a good fight and run Utd close.

Goina say 3-1 Utd

peabutler

jonny666 wrote: »

Goina make a bold prediction and say Arsenal will have most of the ball and UTD will hit them on the counter!!!

Arsenal are so predictable that Utd don't even need a game plan cause they will just do the same as last year. And the year before.....oh...and the year before that and so on.


I'm just hoping Arsenal put up a good fight and run Utd close.

Goina say 3-1 Utd

Oh yeah when we beat ye 1-0 thanks to a Rambo goal, that was fun.

Mr.Crinklewood

United to win 3-2 is 16/1

dahat

Mr.Crinklewood wrote: »

United to win 3-2 is 16/1

Terrible odds,fancy a 4-2 myself.

Van Persie 6/5 to score anytime is a cracking bet

The_Kew_Tour

Going be bold and say 4-2 United.

Copper_pipe

4-1 United

Drexel

peabutler wrote: »

Oh yeah when we beat ye 1-0 thanks to a Rambo goal, that was fun.

Ah you know what I mean. Utd have arsenals number

cson

We'll be beaten.

Anderson will nullify Cazorla now that he's after coming back into form (Ando).

So long as Van Quisling doesn't score and gets a good kicking I'll be happy out.

Rayne Wooney

4-2 United with Van Persie scoring 2 or more

Drexel

cson wrote: »

We'll be beaten.

Anderson will nullify Cazorla now that he's after coming back into form (Ando).

So long as Van Quisling doesn't score and gets a good kicking I'll be happy out.

It's very worrying how easy it seems to be to keep cazorla quiet. We are lacking a spark when he is taking out of the game

IncognitoMan

I think united 4-2 as well. Gonna put €2 on that at 50/1. United look to have had the beating of arsenal and the last few weeks they have looked poor. If it wasnt for the fact united seem to be letting every team score a couple I think this could be a real rout. Cue 0-1 arsenal win

AdamD

cson wrote: »

We'll be beaten.

Anderson will nullify Cazorla now that he's after coming back into form (Ando).

So long as Van Quisling doesn't score and gets a good kicking I'll be happy out.

I agree that we will probably lose but I highly highly doubt that Anderson will be the one to nullify Cazorla, I don't think he has the ability and perhaps more importantly fitness to do that.

robby^5

Arsenal 3-2, Mertsesacker MOTM.

Morzadec

jonny666 wrote: »

Goina make a bold prediction and say Arsenal will have most of the ball and UTD will hit them on the counter!!!

Arsenal are so predictable that Utd don't even need a game plan cause they will just do the same as last year. And the year before.....oh...and the year before that and so on.


I'm just hoping Arsenal put up a good fight and run Utd close.

Goina say 3-1 Utd

Not too bold a prediction to suggest Arsenal will have most of the ball.

They have the highest average possession in the league and a superior midfield to United.

However, I'd be surprised if they pull off a result. United have such a potent front line and there are perhaps question marks over Mannone in goal.

Giroud looks decent but not consistent enough to really be classed as a top striker. He'll need to be on fire tomorrow to give Arsenal a chance in feel.

Arsenal should have spells, and I'm not expecting it to all go United's way, but with United's fire-power and playing at home it's difficult to bet against them.

3-1 United

Drexel

Morzadec wrote: »

Not too bold a prediction to suggest Arsenal will have most of the ball.

They have the highest average possession in the league and a superior midfield to United.

However, I'd be surprised if they pull off a result. United have such a potent front line and there are perhaps question marks over Mannone in goal.

Giroud looks decent but not consistent enough to really be classed as a top striker. He'll need to be on fire tomorrow to give Arsenal a chance in feel.

Arsenal should have spells, and I'm not expecting it to all go United's way, but with United's fire-power and playing at home it's difficult to bet against them.

3-1 United

The bold prediction was a joke! I would have included one of these :pac: but I was on the phone.

You are right about mannone tho. He is a liability really.

I don't know will Giroud start. Think wenger might surprise us and give Walcott a shot up top. He seemed to be hinting at it during the week. I hope he doesn't tho. Walcott is muck and I wouldn't be too upset with him leaving

Rayne Wooney

jonny666 wrote: »

The bold prediction was a joke! I would have included one of these :pac: but I was on the phone.

You are right about mannone tho. He is a liability really.

I don't know will Giroud start. Think wenger might surprise us and give Walcott a shot up top. He seemed to be hinting at it during the week. I hope he doesn't tho. Walcott is muck and I wouldn't be too upset with him leaving

I think Walcott should get a run of games up front. He's been talking himself up about it over the last few years anyway, saying he wanted to be the new Henry. If he doesn't do the business after 4 or 5 games drop him again

yabadabado

AdamD wrote: »

I agree that we will probably lose but I highly highly doubt that Anderson will be the one to nullify Cazorla, I don't think he has the ability and perhaps more importantly fitness to do that.

He lasted 80 minutes wednesday night and was excellent .I would have no doubts he would be able to handle cazorla.

Winston Payne

Carrick-Fletcher-Anderson in the middle tomorrow I hope. The reunion tour.

MaroonAndGreen

United will surely score 2 or 3 sand I reckon thatl be enough for the win.

So pressure on Chelsea away to Swansea

RikkFlair

Van Persie to score the only goal and not celebrate at all at all

keano_afc

Not expecting much, hate our games at OT. A draw would be brilliant, but we'll have the majority of possession and concede to the only shots on target United will have.

2-0 to the home team.

Kylo Ren

Van Persie hat trick with a United win.

Paully D

Paully D wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFkYRXlwQxA

If Bergkamp was always on the bench for a team they'd never underperform.


Today is going to be annoying because Arsenal have some great players in defence but Fergie has been like the character in Little Britain in the Wheelchair. Anyway I'm sure it'll be a fun match.

Will I Amnt

J. Marston

I'm confident about this, which worries me.

Maximus Alexander

I don't have a good feeling about this one. Arsenal could have a stormer and really capitalise on United's make-shift defence.

I'm also not sure how much RVP's heart will be in it.

eagle eye

Arsenal have not conceded more than one goal in a Premier League game this season. I'd say 2-1 to United or maybe 2-2.

United have been weak in central midfield but Arsenal are weak in the final third. Arsenal are stronger at the back than I can remember for quite some time but United have been ridiculously brilliant in the final third. Something has to give, I'd be shocked if this finished 0-0.

MUSEIST

eagle eye wrote: »

Arsenal have not conceded more than one goal in a Premier League game this season. I'd say 2-1 to United or maybe 2-2.

United have been weak in central midfield but Arsenal are weak in the final third. Arsenal are stronger at the back than I can remember for quite some time but United have been ridiculously brilliant in the final third. Something has to give, I'd be shocked if this finished 0-0.

Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea

emergingstar

Arsenal not been giving much hope here i like it as the game draws closer im quietly confident of a result

efb

Man Und 3-1 Arsenal

Sgt Pepper 64

Easy win for Utd.

Selling RVP to a major domestic rival just shows how much Wenger has lost the plot, lacks ambition and doesnt really believe in his team to mount a serious challenge and is more interested in balancing the books than winning things

Fergie would never done the same and now sour grapes for the rest of us as RVP single handly drags Utd towards another title, well done Wenger - good move!

Maximus Alexander

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

Easy win for Utd.

Selling RVP to a major domestic rival just shows how much Wenger has lost the plot, lacks ambition and doesnt really believe in his team to mount a serious challenge and is more interested in balancing the books than winning things

Fergie would never done the same and now sour grapes for the rest of us as RVP single handly drags Utd towards another title, well done Wenger - good move!

At least you admit it's sour grapes

I must remind you though, your lads are top of the table.

klose

Can't wait to see pirs Morgan go full retard on twitter when rvp scores!


Assuming he does...

Maximus Alexander

whippedcream wrote: »

Can't wait to see pirs Morgan go full retard on twitter when rvp scores!


Assuming he does...

I've a mate who had a complete melt down on Facebook when RVP signed for United. It lasted about two weeks, he'd post some vitriol pretty much every day.

I can't wait to see what he does if RVP scores today.

Blatter

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

I don't have a good feeling about this one. Arsenal could have a stormer and really capitalise on United's make-shift defence.

I'm also not sure how much RVP's heart will be in it.

What's makeshift about de Gea, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans and Rafael?

That was the back 5 for most of the time after Christmas last season, and did pretty well. Kept a string of clean sheets. The more they play with each other this season, the better they'll get. The only one I'd be worried about is Evra, who will always be targeted as the weak link.

Maximus Alexander

Blatter wrote: »

What's makeshift about de Gea, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans and Rafael?

That was the back 5 for most of the time after Christmas last season, and did pretty well. Kept a string of clean sheets. The more they play with each other this season, the better they'll get. The only one I'd be worried about is Evra, who will always be targeted as the weak link.

You're right I suppose, makeshift is the wrong word. They have been conceding a hell of a lot though, so I'll change that to "shaky".

Evra has gone down the tubes, and even though he's been pretty solid this season, I still can't shake the feeling that Evans is liable to unleash a howler at any moment.

Rio is not the player he was, and Rafael I can't fault.

I suppose I'd just like to have Vidic and Smalling in there instead of Rio and Evans.

doc_17

Utd should win this today. Really can't see Arsenal handling RVP and Rooney.

Blatter

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

You're right I suppose, makeshift is the wrong word. They have been conceding a hell of a lot though, so I'll change that to "shaky".

Evra has gone down the tubes, and even though he's been pretty solid this season, I still can't shake the feeling that Evans is liable to unleash a howler at any moment.

Rio is not the player he was, and Rafael I can't fault.

I suppose I'd just like to have Vidic and Smalling in there instead of Rio and Evans.

I think you're being a bit harsh on Rio. I think he's generally fine once he's not left exposed. Evans has been excellent for around 12 months now in fairness. The frequency of his mistakes has decreased dramatically.

Pepe LeFrits

United to win on the tie-break.

Maximus Alexander

Blatter wrote: »

I think you're being a bit harsh on Rio. I think he's generally fine once he's not left exposed. Evans has been excellent for around 12 months now in fairness. The frequency of his mistakes has decreased dramatically.

I completely agree about Evans, as I said I just can't shake the feeling. It's probably completely unjustified. If he keeps up that form for the rest of the season I'm sure I'll trust him more.

As for Rio, I'm not saying he's bad. He hasn't lost it Evra style, he's just not as fantastic as he was.

Sgt Pepper 64

I think Arsenal are pretty toothless in attack anyway. Unless he plays Walcott upfront for his pace. Just cant see them even scoring

(is anyone else having click out of this thread and then back into post?)

Sgt Pepper 64

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

Easy win for Utd.

Selling RVP to a major domestic rival just shows how much Wenger has lost the plot, lacks ambition and doesnt really believe in his team to mount a serious challenge and is more interested in balancing the books than winning things

Fergie would never done the same and now sour grapes for the rest of us as RVP single handly drags Utd towards another title, well done Wenger - good move!

Fergie would've left someone on who didn't want to play then let him go for free? Doesn't sound that smart.


I have a feeling today could show up Arsenal's toothlessness and wekness in defence. If United want/need to score 3 or 4 I think the opportunity will be there.