Arsenal vs United : My Preview

This matchup was meant to fill me with enthusiasm. As a matter of fact, when this season's fixture was released I circled this particular fixture as United's first real test of the season. But, considering how the first three games have gone I'm no longer enthusiastic about the outcome, just the performance.

As far as the outcome is concerned, it looks straightforward already. Arsenal, or let me say Arteta, has been richly criticized this season. His decision to get innovative with his right back position has raised eyebrows. With the way they played last season they are regarded as favourites to win any EPL match they will play that doesn't have Man City as the opposition.

Though results haven't been as dominant Arsenal haven't really looked out of sorts like they are made to be. Admittedly, they've had three battling performances against oppositions they were expected to put to the sword, but a quick look at the results of their rivals is more revealing. City were a couple of minutes away from leaving Sheffield United with a solitary point.

Newcastle United - Eddie Howe's blood and thunder, hyper aggressive team - somehow managed to lose on home soil despite having a goal and a man advantage for over half of the game. As for Arsenal's next opponent, United, the less said about their results the better. They've so far made the seemingly impossible scenarios come to life by making the likes of Cunha and Bissouma look like world class players. In fact, what this United team cannot do does not exist.

Regarding the criticism against Arteta's tactical tinkering, let's not forget he played Zinchenko in an hybrid role last season to wonderful effects. When I saw Partey at right back my assumption was that he wanted to recreate that role on the right side since Zinchenko was injured. The Ukrainian's return from injury should see the Partey experiment properly iced.

The elephant in the room, Havertz? He either plays from the central striker position or joins the substitutes. Declan Rice can comfortably play the role Xhaka played last season. Partey is an excellent holding midfielder and shouldn't be played anywhere else. A midfield pairing of Partey and Rice with Zinchenko checking in to cause the overload will not only dominate matches but will also go toe-to-toe with any opposition that tries to employ the proverbial physical tactics against the regularly flaky Arsenal.

As for United, the less said the better. Mason Mount was touted to be an upgrade. Asides the extra runnings around, I do NOT see him as an upgrade on Eriksen. His acquisition has seen Ten Hag throw caution to the wind, presumably instructing him and Fernandes to charge at oppositions and try to win the ball back in the opposition territory. In terms of direct results, United have won possession in the opposition territory more than most teams already this season. However, it has been counterproductive.

Without a reasonable central striker making the right moves upfront, the possessions won in opposition territory have been underutilized. And when the opposition bypasses the press, a somewhat slow Casemiro is left to fend for himself against charging midfielders. The result has produced two largely uninspiring performances. Against Forest, United were more measured. Eriksen played his part like he did all of last season when I thought his performances were underrated because of the nostalgia towards his health issues.

In conclusion, Arsenal will record another win against United. As hard as it is for me to admit, every metric points to another win for them. United's bad habit of playing in phases is already in full swing. Against an Arsenal side that will have their feet on United's neck for the most part of the game, it will be a miracle if United leaves North London with a point, not to talk of three. Arsenal are not as bad as they're made to look; United right now are the perfect sum of their parts.Three games into the season, Ten Hag and his boys have managed to kill all expectations.

Source