FRED MUST FOLLOW HIS DE BRUYNE BLUEPRINT TO KEEP ODEGAARD QUIET
ArsenAl against Manchester United is a classic Premier league clash but it has been a scrap between two sides battling for a european spot in recent times. This weekend, the fixture is back where it belongs — a box- office showdown that will have real repercussions on the title race.
erik ten Hag deserves huge credit for the way he’s turned United around and brought them into title contention. They finished with 58 points last season, their lowest total since 1990, but Ten Hag has tactically improved his new signings and the players he inherited.
The Dutchman rested Fred and started Casemiro against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, with each of them one booking from a suspension. Casemiro’s late yellow card and Michael
Olise’s stoppage-time equaliser was a devastating double blow to United’s title bid.
Casemiro has been pivotal to United as a deep- lying midfielder. His partnership with Fred gives the side much greater defensive stability. That was evident last weekend, with Fred outstanding in his man-marking of Manchester City’s most creative player, Kevin De Bruyne.
Arsenal represent a similar problem to City, as both Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola play 4-3-3. With Casemiro suspended, Ten Hag has been left with a tactical dilemma — including whether or not to ask Fred to man-mark Arsenal’s most creative player, Martin Odegaard.
Out of possession, United pressed high up the pitch against City. When they weren’t able to win possession that way, their
players withdrew to form a midpitch block. such was their defensive organisation, city were forced to go sideways and backwards.
Guardiola responded by moving full backs Kyle Walker and Joao cancelo into midfield for the second half. that helped create an overload on the right, which saw Fred drawn out to deal with riyad Mahrez. it was then that the unshackled de Bruyne was able to have an influence, crossing for Jack Grealish to score.
a huge strength of United’s is their ability to counter attack. they only had 29.4 per cent possession in the Manchester derby but are clinical on the break. they can fly forward at breathtaking speed, using the passing of Bruno Fernandes and christian eriksen and the running of antony and Marcus rashford.
even if arsenal dominate possession, they cannot switch off. arsenaL have been this season’s stand- out team. their progress and development has been astonishing, and they need to play with the same superiority they showed against tottenham.
arteta’s team look like they are dictating play to their opponents. United will be tested to the limit.
a key part of arsenal’s play is their inverted wingers Bukayo saka and Gabriel Martinelli, who drive inside on to their favoured feet. the passes played into them are always with that in mind, forcing them inside.
Odegaard and Granit Xhaka love driving forward into the space that saka and Martinelli vacate, while thomas Partey sits deep to give extra security in front of the outstanding William saliba and Gabriel.
it is 19 years since arsenal won the Premier League, and 10 since United won it. they’ve both had major rebuilds since losing iconic managers arsene Wenger and sir alex Ferguson.
But there will be a renewed electricity at the emirates, with both sets of supporters hopeful this could finally be the season their impressive new boss returns their club to former glories.