The Red Devils Vs The Gunners

Manchester United Vs Arsenal

Historic Rivalry:

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The contest between these two giants had always been expected to be competitive. But, in recent times the encounter between these two teams has not been up to the mark. The clash between these two teams has indeed been memorable back in the days when Arsene Wenger signed up for the Gunners in 1996. The Red Devils under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson boasted with quality players such as David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Roy Keane, and the list goes on. Meanwhile, Arsenal under the leadership of the Professor boasted players who collectively went on to be known as the Invincibles.

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These two behemoths were always the title contenders every season due to the fierce and intense rivalry between these teams. Whenever Arsenal and Manchester United battled, it was like a fistfight between them. The contest between these two teams was also famous for the rivalry between the club captains Roy Keane and Patrick Viera. Generally, we have seen players fighting during the match, but in this case, it was very different. These two captains were normally in a bust-up inside the tunnel before the whistle blew.

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In spite of these two captains demonstrating leadership qualities, they were also known for their violent clashes and outbursts. But, most of the fans would remember the clash between the captains was inside the tunnel when Arsenal were set to hosts the Red Devils at Highbury. It began when both the teams were heading towards the field when Viera shouted Neville's name stating that 'you are not going to kick our players tonight on this pitch'. Keane turned back and tried to confront the Gunners captain only for the referee to intervene. But, the Red Devils captain did not hold back his words as he continued to say something to Viera.

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Even though these two captains have been involved in classic clashes, there is no doubt that these two players are adored by fans and pundits. Today, Manchester United and Arsenal fans are still disappointed that players like Roy Keane and Patrick Viera are not there in today's generation. Now both teams have indeed have had disappointing campaigns. Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer's tactics have been called into question and many fans have signed a petition to sack the Norwegian after a disastrous start to his campaign and many pundits blaming him to have control over his players. Meanwhile, Arsenal have placed their trust in their former midfielder Mikel Arteta since they sacked Unai Emery.

Pre-match thoughts and summary:

Solsjkaer made three changes to his side that were victorious against the Hornets last time out. Williams and Young were replaced by Wan-Bissaka and Shaw. The other alteration was made as Lingard replaced Perreira in the front. Arteta made four changes to his side that lost to the Blues. Kolasinac and Sokratis were in ahead of Saka and Chambers respectively as the latter was ruled out due to the knee injury he sustained. Xhaka came in for midfield ahead of Guendouzi and Nelson was dropped in favor of Nicolas Pepe.

The match began in the host's favor as they started strong. The Red Devils sat back at tried to Arsenal at bay. Ole's men have been relying on counter-attacks against big teams. Eventually, Gunners broke the deadlock in the early minutes of the game. The visitors were left stunned. The hosts eventually doubled their lead before the end of the first half. In spite of the Red Devils trying to fight back in the second half, The hosts stood their ground. The Gunners claimed all 3 points after an excellent display and this victory meant a lot for Arteta as he won his 1st game as a manager. On the other hand, Ole was once again a target of criticism which we have seen very often this campaign. Now let us discuss the talking points.

Talking points from the encounter:

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1. The Gunner domination:

Ever since the whistle blew, it was the hosts who were piling pressure on the Red Devils. It was Arsenal who were dominating the opponents. Arsenal began attacking in the beginning with repeated passing from Ozil as well as Nicolas Pepe running around the whole place. Within the 8th minute of the game, the hosts broke the deadlock when Kolasinac sprinted into the visitor's box before squaring a pass only for Lindelof to touch it before the ball rolled towards Pepe to beat De Gea. 

The visitors escaped a scare in the 38th minute when Lacazette struck the ball towards the goal only for it to hit the post and go away. The Gunners doubled their lead in the 42nd minute when Pepe's corner was flicked on the near post by Lacazette forcing De Gea to palm it away only for Sokratis score and increase their advantage. 

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2. Alexander Lacazette's work rate:

The Frenchman played a pivotal role in this match in spite of him not scoring any goal. He was all over the field by making important runs. The former Lyon striker switched for the Gunners in 2017 and has been an important player on several occasions. His pairing with Aubameyang has been interesting to see as both seem to combine well. 

Lacazette's role in this match proved to be very vital. He was involved not only in setting up the 1st goal but even after scoring he made several important runs. After the Gunners, doubled their lead he did not sit back. He also contributed in the second half before the final whistle blew. Honestly, I felt that Lacazette was the best player in this whole game.

Image Source: metro.co.uk

3. Ole's post-match reaction:

The Red Devil's start to campaign seemed to be accelerating after they humiliated the Blue in the opening fixture. Since then, United's campaign has turned into a nightmare after horrendous display against the lower teams. Pundits and fans have noticed the Norwegian's lack of presence in the touchline. 

Normally we see managers like Klopp and Guardiola yelling at their players in the touchline. But, we rarely see the former Molde manager in the touchline. Most of the time he is sitting on the bench. What started as a fairytale has turned into a disaster. The Red Devils have become a laughing stock under his tutelage. 

He has been criticized for not having control over his players. He has also been scrutinized for not showing disappointment in a post-match conference after loosing. Many critics are saying that the Norwegian has no clue what he is doing.

 His post-match conference after losing to Arsenal made headlines when he was seen smiling during the interview. He was blasted for smiling in spite of losing the match. Ex-players began to question his management style. Will the Red Devils stick with the former Molde man or will they sack him?

What are your thoughts on his post-match press conference?

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Post-match thoughts:

This win meant a lot for the Gunners and Arteta as he claimed his first victory against their old rivals. Arsenal were better than their opponents overall as they held their ground. Nicolas Pepe gave an early lead to the hosts when he capitalized on the opportunity. Sokratis doubled the Gunner's advantage before the half-time. The performance of Sokratis and David Luiz was praised by critics and pundits as both the center-backs made good clearances. Will Arteta turn around the Gunners fortune or will they appoint an experienced manager?

Author,

Zaid