High-flying Man United risk getting Gunned down if Arsenal threat is not dealt with

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  • Whether it’s coming from fans, pundits or the players themselves, the calls for Manchester United to appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as permanent manager have never been louder.

    The former United striker has been a revelation since taking over the reins from Jose Mourinho. Solskjaer swiftly brought joy to Old Trafford over the Christmas season and his appointment has been the gift that keeps on giving.

    The Norwegian has invoked the spirit of former United sides in their pomp. With 14 wins in his first 17 games across all competitions, it’s no wonder Solskjaer is the toast of the town. The fanfare around him reached fever pitch following a remarkable Champions League comeback against the odds, eliminating favourites Paris Saint-Germain with a severely depleted side.

    It’s understandable then if United fans are looking at their fixture with Arsenal on Sunday with ‘Ole goggles’. There’s an air of invincibility about the Red Devils now. They had no right to win in Paris and look forward to a European quarter-finals.

    On the back of that result and with Nemanja Matic, Ander Herrera, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial all back in training, confidence is at an all-time high. The fact that they’ve already enjoyed a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium in the FA Cup will do little to manage expectations nor will Arsenal’s midweek Europa League defeat at Rennes.

    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

    There’s a fine line between confidence and complacency though and keeping United on the right side of it will be as big a challenge as any Solskjaer’s faced.

    For all the passionate celebrations the result against PSG triggered and the rewards that come with making it into the final eight of the Champions League, securing a top four spot remains the priority. Lose against Arsenal and suddenly that becomes a tall order again.

    Granted, defeat would only leave United trailing Unai Emery’s side by two points and the Gunners are always prone to slip-ups but they would have the advantage of a comfortable run-in. Their meeting with United will be Arsenal’s last encounter with a top-six side for the rest of the season while the Mancunians still have the visits of Manchester City and Chelsea to contend with.

    United are bound to face more tests in the Champions League as well while also having FA Cup fixtures to navigate. They will be thrilled with where they are but their campaign is finely poised and a misstep here could prove damaging.

    United have rediscovered some of their old swagger but have relied on positivity, desire and sheer will. The notion that they owe their recent success to scintillating football is a misguided exaggeration. Recent stats depicting the disparity between United’s xG (expected goals) and goals scored confirms that.

    Solskjaer’s reign has delivered 39 goals surpassing their xG of 29.8. Meanwhile, xGA (expected goals against) over the same period is 21.3 but their defence has only conceded 13.

    United may be overachieving in certain departments but this is not to suggest they haven’t been deserving. Even Liverpool and City have overshot their expected goals this season.

    It does however mean that this is no time to get carried away. Arsenal are still a force to be reckoned with and Solskjaer must ensure his troops are as focused as they’ve been to get this far.

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