Matches between Arsenal and Manchester United are rarely disappointing and don’t need much in the way of introduction.
The Gunners will be playing host to the Red Devil on Sunday, a match many analysts expect would likely be a further attestation to cement Ole’s job after the departure of erstwhile coach, Jose Mourihno from Old Trafford.
However, Rio Ferdinand has warned Manchester United will “destroy” Arsenal again when the two sides clash next Sunday.
The Red Devils climbed into the top four after Romelu Lukaku’s double helped them to a 3-2 win over Southampton at Old Trafford on Saturday.
It meant they leapfrogged the Gunners into fourth place after Unai Emery’s side surrendered a 1-0 lead at Wembley to draw 1-1 with Tottenham in the north London derby.
Aaron Ramsey had fired Arsenal in front on his final appearance against Spurs, but Harry Kane levelled from the penalty spot in the second half before Hugo Lloris saved Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s last-gasp spot-kick.
The two sides each face European fixtures in midweek before facing each other at the Emirates in a six-pointer next Sunday.
United ran out 3-1 winners at the same venue in the FA Cup in January – and Ferdinand believes a similar result will be on the cards next week.
“United will go fourth today,” predicted Ferdinand prior to the Red Devils’ win over Southampton following Arsenal’s draw against Spurs.
“But then Arsenal will play them on Sunday and that will all change,” said former Gunners defender Martin Keown as the two rowed on BT Sport.
United remain unbeaten in domestic competition since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer succeeded Jose Mourinho in December.
Their only defeat came in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash against Paris Saint-Germain as the French champions ran out 2-0 winners at Old Trafford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be looking to continue the best-ever start by a United boss when we visit the Emirates Stadium; a good omen is that we won in north London just a fortnight ago when beating Tottenham 1-0 at Wembley Stadium.
If the Norwegian can make it eight wins from his first eight games, it would give us even more confidence heading into further tough assignments – including Paris St-Germain in the Champions League and Liverpool in the Premier League.
With the possibility of a burdensome replay if the game finishes in a draw, and the shared determination to go all the way in the competition, Solskjaer and his opposite number Unai Emery will undoubtedly be going all out for a victory.
There’s one man every United fan is raving about at the moment – and rightly so.
Marcus Rashford is currently in the best form of his burgeoning career so far. Seven goals in his last 10 games, a Man of the Match displays on his 150th Reds appearances last time out against Brighton, netting in four successive league games for the first time – we could reel off so many stats which back up the 21-year-old’s irrepressible run of late.
With memories of his brace against Arsenal on his Premier League debut in February 2016 to spur him on, he’ll no doubt have the Gunners in his sights again in his bid to add to the five goals he’s scored in the FA Cup to date.
Torreira will miss three Arsenal games as a result of his dismissal, including next Sunday’s mouth-watering clash against Manchester United at the Emirates.
As the Gunners don’t have a game the following week due to Wolves playing in the FA Cup, as well as the fact that the ban doesn’t include European games, his suspension will stretch into April.
