Arsenal could draw 1-1 with Manchester United on Sunday and Liverpool could draw 0-0 with Chelsea on Saturday.
That would not move the story forward. It would leave the table as is : 1.Man United 2.Chelsea 3.Liverpool 4.Arsenal.
Gallas looks unlikely to play and that is as big a shame as the lack of the suspended Gilberto.They beat Blackburn 2-0 without him but beating United without him is a tall order.
Who will replace Gilberto?
Flamini, clearly, although I wouldn’t do that. The role requires a more strategic player than Flamini because Scholes, Rooney and Ronaldo all operate in that zone. It’s where Arsenal will need to win interceptions, tackles and headers because Scholes, Carrick and Rooney will all be trying to play Larsson in for a shot, and his movement is very cute
Ronaldo has already scored 13 Premiership goals this season. He is on fire. And while Rooney’s shooting has been 2% wide for months now, Wayne is a big game player with a history of doing well against Arsenal
Basically, Fabregas is Arsenal’s best player this season, and Gilberto is their next best, so they will miss the Brazilian, who has scored seven goals.There’s no way Arsene can use the other Brazilian, Baptista, in a starting role.
I’d roll the dice on Sunday. I’d gamble on Djourou in the Gilberto role.He would win the ball without giving away too many free-kicks around the D.
THE ARSENAL style has been evolving beautifully in recent games, just in time for this clash.
The Emirates Stadium needs a big win. It needs big nights and big wins. It has no history yet and none of the 1-1 league draws will be talked about in 2008, let alone in five years time.
So Arsenal need to win a big game at the new stadium.
They’ve had time to settle in now, it’s January, they have talented goalscorers in Rosicky, van Persie and Henry, and they have possession players & playmakers in abundance in Fabregas, Hleb and Rosicky.
Arsenal have a lot of class and their game is more fluid than United’s, although United have more natural width with left back Evra, Giggs and Gary Neville. I doubt if Ronaldo will be crossing many balls on Sunday
IT’S A STRANGE FACT that the top four teams between them have only lost one home game in the Premiership.
That defeat came at Old Trafford : Man United 0 Arsenal 1.
If Arsenal beat United 1-0 again they will be doing Chelsea a huge favour. But that will be the furthest thing from their minds because they need three points and they need the scalp and they want to win a big game in the Emirates to make up for those five disappointing draws. Their home record is not bad, but it’s not good either.
So this particular Arsenal-Man United event is a tasty opportunity because it isn’t just after an international, or in a holiday period, after in a Cup week, or close to a Champions League game.
Arsene will appreciate the luxury of a six-day preparation and will have his boys nicely tuned up to explode with fast-passing moves at 4pm on Sunday.
IT WAS kinda cosy when the rivalry was just Sir Alex and Arsene, but now, while Sir Alex maybe top of the table, he is an underdog again, barking at the billionaires blue monster in the Kings Road. And something in Sir Alex loves being an underdog, as he was at St Mirren, and again at Aberdeen. He loved smacking Rangers and Celtic for eight years, just as Arsene loved beating the big boys when he was at Monaco.
I hope the clash of the titans does not produce two draws.
I hope Arsenal and Liverpool win but if United win, I really hope Chelsea drop points. It could be the beginning of the end down there.
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