Arsenal vs Manchester United has thrown up some fascinating battles over the years, and Saturday’s encounter should be no different. While the fire and blood rivalry of Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane is long gone, there are enough players in both squads to provide intriguing match-ups.
The personal battles should be helped by the significance of this match. While Jose Mourinho likes to set up his side defensively in big away games, on Saturday, he may not have a choice but to attack – second-placed United need a win to keep pace with Premier League leaders Manchester City, who are eight points ahead. That should see them play more attacking football – which will also mean Arsene Wenger‘s thrilling attack will have plenty of opportunities of its own.
Here are three key battles that could define the story of Saturday’s clash.
HECTOR BELLERIN VS ANTHONY MARTIAL
Hector Bellerin took the Premier League by storm a couple of seasons ago, but last term, he regressed. There’s arguably no player who’s benefitted more from Wenger’s decision to switch to a back three, which provides Bellerin with plenty of cover as he joins the attack from his wing-back position. Still, the key weakness in that formation is space behind wing-backs, and although Bellerin has the pace to make up for that, he still does tend to get caught out of position from time to time.
Speaking of pace, Anthony Martial running at you is a fearsome prospect for any defender. And pace isn’t even Martial’s calling card – that’s his trickery and skill on the ball, which has left plenty of defenders red-faced this season as the Frenchman has bounced back from a sub-par 2016/17 campaign. He’s running up the count when it comes to goals, assists, and embarrassed defenders.
Bellerin’s pace should help him avoid that fate, but if Martial squares the Spaniard up, anything can happen. The Arsenal right-back’s tackling is inconsistent, and in any case, if Martial can make Dani Carvajal look like a fool, he can do it to Bellerin. This duel could be the one that gives the game its highlight moments.
Bellerin vs Martial is the battle set for the most thrills and spills.
SHKODRAN MUSTAFI VS ROMELU LUKAKU
Arsenal centre-backs aren’t known to be up for physical battles, but on that score Shkodran Mustafi is a breath of fresh air. The Gunners were missing his physicality earlier this season as he was out with injury, but their backline looks a different proposition with the German in it. He also reads the game well, and holds up against pacy attackers. The only knock against him is that he’s prone to the occasional lapses in concentration, although he’s been getting rid of that from his game this season.
Romelu Lukaku would usually have lit up at the prospect of facing Arsenal, getting the chance to bully a defence with his power and pace. But the Belgian has not been in the best of form lately, his first touch and finishing letting him down. Yet even during his slump, his link-up play has been good and his phenomenal work rate has rightly earned the praise of his manager. He’s in the side to score goals, though, and he needs to find those again.
Mustafi and Lukaku should give each other a no-hold-barred battle, with the duo capable of showing both physicality and finesse. Who comes out on top will go a long way to determining which team wins on Saturday.
Mustafi vs Lukaku could be the duel that defines the match.
MESUT OZIL VS PAUL POGBA
Mesut Ozil is alternatively all that is wrong with Arsenal and all that is good about them. At his best, he is a virtuoso – and he’s been at his best lately. What he did on Wednesday against Huddersfield was unbelievable: two assists and a goal in just four minutes to break open the game. On that sort of form, Ozil is unplayable.
Paul Pogba doesn’t play in the same position as Ozil, but he offers much the same impact from midfield. His marauding runs, dribbling skills, and passing ability are crucial to United’s attacking play – just see what happened when Pogba got injured, as the Red Devils dropped eight points during that time and looked insipid in attack. Now that he’s back, United are discovering their mojo again.
If Nemanja Matic is passed fit, he’ll take the primary responsibility for handling Ozil, but Pogba will have his fair share of defensive duties on Ozil regardless of who he has as a partner, given the way Mourinho likes to set up his side in big away games. But it’s the two players’ attacking abilities that give this the potential to be a classic duel.
Ozil vs Pogba could be a classic duel.
