Loss PL: Manchester United 3 - 1 Arsenal | Sunday, September 4 | KO: 16:30 BST | Sky Sports

Utd vs Arsenal pre-match thread

So the Gooners are firing on all cylinders, leading the table after 3 games and the atmosphere around their club is overwhelmingly positive. Whereas we had two dreadful matches followed by a much needed tonic against the scouse and trending in the right direction.



We've got to play Southampton and Leicester but the game I'm really looking forward to is Arsenal at Old Trafford. I really think that match will set the tone for our season and shape the top 4 fight - also the transfer market will be closed by then as well so no more distractions hopefully.



I think it'll be good to see if Arteta is hype or the real deal but I'm fully confident we can smash them. Plus it's always fun to beat the Gooners in a match that might mean something for a change after a decade.

Arsenal have beaten who they should beat while we lost against who we should beat and beat who we should have lost against.



I'm not convinced by Arteta at all, the hype is pretty hilarious for someone who has won diddly squat.

My brother unfortunately is an Arsenal fan and it’s always a fun fixture when we play them. I’m hoping after the Liverpool game we’ve found our feet and start getting points on the table and smash those Gooners. Hopefully they go back to being Arsenal and have dropped points by then…

Antony will destroy the ‘super-intelligent’ Zinchenko, who is terrible defensively.

What hype is there around Arteta? I think he's done a good job but never seen anybody over hype him. Just reference to it on RedCafe.



They've outplayed us a lot of times in recent years, so it'll be interesting to see if we can assert dominance this time.

Want to beat these ****'s more than any other team



The most arrogant delusional fanbase of all PL teams. By far. Also the most arrogant delusional Manager that Ole has finished above twice but Arteta is the Messiah.

Martinez will pocket Scabby Jesus.

Last year we were AWOL collectively, so I don't recall. We generally beat you when it counts though, so I expect an Arsenal capitulation on Sunday

After Liverpool there’s no one in the league I enjoy United beating more than these lot. Hope we can smash them

Let’s give them a cup final like they always seem to do with us

If Maguire will plsy, we are fecked with all their movement and speed.

If not; we will trash them.

I will not be able to take the media and fan hyperbole if Arsenal play well in this game.

Stop Ødegaard getting the ball and mark Jesus tightly, don't allow him to drop into the hole uncontested.



Apart from that it'll be 1v1 battles with Malacia v Saka and Dalot v Martinelli

The thought of Arsenal being good again really, really bothers me. I think it bothers me more than Liverpool being good again, which I’ll put down to my age and having grown up throughout the Wenger-Ferguson years.



Let’s bring them down to size.

Arsenal winning the league is slightly preferable to another City or Pool win.



My god their fans would be annoying though.

Why are we talking about the Arsenal game before the Leicester game?



We could be back to square one after the game tomorrow. We need to start taking it one game as it comes.

I hope Zinchenko plays. He and Arsenal will be in for a bit of an awakening at some point this season. To me, he lacks the athleticism to play full back for teams where they actually have to compete. I’d rather Antony make his debut against Zinchenko than James Justin, who I think he’s far more likely to struggle against.

Arse has a hell of a team and it is likely they win because they are playing great ball right now and we are still building our identity.



Also it's not Jesus who concerns me most. Martinez will handle him just fine and is actually one of the best CF matchups to take him on in the box. The problem will be Martinelli vs Dalot, that is the matchup that favors them most. When they have possession their left side and how well Dalot can handle it will be a big determiner of who wins this game. Ødegaard is a beast too but I think he will be largely slowed by Case, so this game hinges on that left side when Arse has the ball. Huge game for Dalot and Varane and for us to win that right side requires defensive wins like we had from Malacia vs Liverpool.



I actually expect us to keep it tight for much of the game but it's unlikely we pull it out they just have too much firepower and are playing so well. I just hope it is close and competitive.

Arsenal fans are only a tiny bit less annoying than Liverpool fans, but that’s outweighed by the fact that I know way more arsenal fans. Genuinely can’t stand the thought of them becoming good again.

Will be a tough one for sure, Arsenal have been irrelevant for a while but right now they're a towering behemoth of footballing brilliance.



I just hope we can match them for the first 30 minutes and our players don't become too disheartened when we're forced to give Lego Pep a standing ovation at half time.

 

[Batman]

I've just watched that goal again about 3-4 times and Sambi plays a nothing ball which gifts United possession while all our players are transitioning forward. What an absolute blow, that came after a huge period of dominance.

Yeah I don't want to kill Sambi because it's squad neglect forcing him into action he's not ready for but I don't think we'd have lost if Partey or Elnenny played. That's not to say he's the only reason by any stretch but it was clear as day that the entire setup was tweaked to poor effect to try and cover for him a bit and while he wasn't bad, he did make a backbreaking error that killed the game.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

The good news is that going there and running the game but still losing means we are in now in mid Wenger era mode, which means top four is locked in.

 

[frankgm]

he can forget about the title as well.

My thoughts on the game. Every time l watch Manchester United, l wonder how McTominay stays on the pitch?! He basically judo fouls players, today it was Jesus, yet only gets a yellow?
Seems Gary Neville is obviously aware of this.

Neville to be referred to Attorney General over post

Pundit Gary Neville is to be referred to the Attorney General for a social media post he uploaded during the trial of ex-Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[HollandGooner]

Touches in the penalty area

Gabriel Martinelli: 9
Bukayo Saka: 8
Manchester United: 8
Granit Xhaka: 7
Gabriel Jesus: 7
Martin Ødegaard: 6

Yet if you listen to those Man Utd fans they really think deserved to win because we felt in their counter attacking trap.

Anyways i know we ended up with nothing but our performance should deserve much more out of the game.

 

[frankgm]

Neville to be referred to Attorney General over post

Pundit Gary Neville is to be referred to the Attorney General for a social media post he uploaded during the trial of ex-Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs.

www.bbc.co.uk

Gary Neville, you are going to get done. Karma is a b!tch.

 

[frankgm]

Top of the table. The table doesn’t lie. Chin up both of them Neville, MU, pewl and tiny tots fans. Next Premier League match is against Everton.

 

[MartiSaka]

He should have.
Neither he or Gabriel played well today.
Saliba has some things to work on still and Gabriel just keeps making errors.
Its a bit worrying.

As of right now the defence doesn’t look as solid as Tierney Gabriel White Tomiyasu.

Makes sense given we know Tierney is better defensively than Zinchenko at LB and Tomi is better defensively than White at RB. Gabriel has started the season quite error prone; wouldn't be against seeing Tierney, Saliba, White and Tomiyasu in games we need defensive solidity, but don't think it will happen.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

Our gameplan was fine & as evident by the way we responded to Antony's goal, we didn't allow our heads to drop.

The only thing that infuriates me is the insistence to walk the ball into the bloody net!

By all means, do it when we're at home & 3-4 goals up. Not when we're behind & certainly NOT at Old Trafford where EVERY match has been a battle of wits & muscle.

This misplaced arrogance which is a holdover from the latter Wenger days needs to be buried.

The worst thing of all is that we've got several players in the team who know how to shoot & can do so from a good distance.

Even going 2-1 down, I believed we could come back but then that baffling triple substitution happened & threw everyone off their rhythm

We need to stop being naive away from home. Just grab a point, by all means 3 if the opportunity is favourable, but the naivety must be eliminated.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

Reality check for some people put a hold on the statue for a while.

Bit difficult when some already ordered the marble

 

[krackpot]

Naivete cost of the match.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

We will spank them hydro's wife style at Emirates.

yeah bet she spanks you good and hard

Sometimes I cant even sit afterward.

@Batman Apologies for laying the blame qt your feet. It turns out the above quotes are the reason the universe continues to conspire against & why we can't have nice things

 

[Sapient Hawk]

Their plan:

Let Arsenal have the ball. Watch them play beautiful football. Wait for a mistake. Counter attack.

Get a lead. Give Arsenal the ball and when they overcommit, Counter attack.

Naive.

Has worked like a charm for United (and other tactically savvy clubs)for 16 years & counting.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

Sp**s signed conte and six months later they are in ucl and formidable in the league. After ten years as a arsenal manager arteta will still not achieve what conte has done in six months

 

[SA Gunner]

I wouldnt describe pushing up against a team designed to counter attack as naivety. Arteta and his staff know that this plays exactly into the hands of this United side. It played right into the hands of the Sp**s team last season at their ground as well. So if it was naivety, then we would have learnt from the Sp**s game and not repeated it again at OT, instead sit back and frustrate them to death.

I'd describe what we done as poor game management, and inexperience showing (both from players and management), we took too many risks when we didnt need to.

What the manager and players will learn from this is that control and game management (when to attack, when to slow things down) are very important aspects needed to be an elite team. When we equalised, we needed to slow the game down and tighten our grip on proceedings. We have enough quality to do that, we just need the cool heads.

The next test for this is against Sp**s, there the crowd will be unforgiving if we dont control the game more.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

I wouldnt describe pushing up against a team designed to counter attack as naivety. Arteta and his staff know that this plays exactly into the hands of this United side. It played right into the hands of the Sp**s team last season at their ground as well. So if it was naivety, then we would have learnt from the Sp**s game and not repeated it again at OT, instead sit back and frustrate them to death.

I'd describe what we done as poor game management, and inexperience showing (both from players and management), we took too many risks when we didnt need to.

What the manager and players will learn from this is that control and game management (when to attack, when to slow things down) are very important aspects needed to be an elite team. When we equalised, we needed to slow the game down and tighten our grip on proceedings. We have enough quality to do that, we just need the cool heads.

The next test for this is against Sp**s, there the crowd will be unforgiving if we dont control the game more.

I wasn't bothered by yesterday's result as I never expect anything but a loss at Old Trafford.

But the NLD is a match I can countenance NOTHING but a win, be it home or away.

We wiped the floor with this Kulusevski-less lot last season by applying a smart gameplan & sheer aggresiveness.

This year, we're a much better team & I expect a similar result. I've not been impressed anytime I've seen them play.

 

[avenellroad]

I wouldnt describe pushing up against a team designed to counter attack as naivety. Arteta and his staff know that this plays exactly into the hands of this United side. It played right into the hands of the Sp**s team last season at their ground as well. So if it was naivety, then we would have learnt from the Sp**s game and not repeated it again at OT, instead sit back and frustrate them to death.

I'd describe what we done as poor game management, and inexperience showing (both from players and management), we took too many risks when we didnt need to.

What the manager and players will learn from this is that control and game management (when to attack, when to slow things down) are very important aspects needed to be an elite team. When we equalised, we needed to slow the game down and tighten our grip on proceedings. We have enough quality to do that, we just need the cool heads.

The next test for this is against Sp**s, there the crowd will be unforgiving if we dont control the game more.

The game against Sp**s will be a carbon copy of yesterday. We need to pull the trigger when we get into certain positions.

That’s where teams like Liverpool and City are a level above. They make that level of dominance pay against any team, good or ****.

 

[amigo]

In a way maybe it was better that we lost 3-1 than 2-1. If it'd just been 2-1 we would have been treating it like the City loss at the Emirates as a gallant loss and may not have learnt the lessons. It seems painful but we have to realise that we need to manage big away games better to get results. A couple of years ago we played negative at the Etihad and lost 1-0 and everyone said it was terrible but the fact was that meant we were in the game to the final whistle. That is what you need sometimes. Winning all home games and against smaller teams and drawing away in big games is title winning form. WE DON'T HAVE TO WIN ALL GAMES.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

The game against Sp**s will be a carbon copy of yesterday. We need to pull the trigger when we get into certain positions.

That’s where teams like Liverpool and City are a level above. They make that level of dominance pay against any team, good or ****.

Excellent example.

You need not go far back to know how clinical they are.

Just last season we had them on tje ropes for the good part of an hour, being profligate as usual, when we were sucker-punched twice by Jota & Ferminho and taken entirely out of the game.

 

[freeglennhelder2]

Agree with many here. In every game this season we have not been efficient near the goal. Also yesterday following our deserved equaliser while Man U were indeed on the ropes a bit, we pushed it too much and conceded. Then Arteta doubled down with the subs - it was a bit baffling, perhaps he was thinking of the next game. I think even Man U were shocked they went 2-1 ahead.

Great start to the season and not disheartened in any way.

Rumours of an ESR injury in the warmdown though

 

[GLITCH]

Sp**s signed conte and six months later they are in ucl and formidable in the league. After ten years as a arsenal manager arteta will still not achieve what conte has done in six months

Someone who has poor in-game and man-management skills lasting 10 years would be quite an achievement. A feat which could only be done at Arsenal, of course.