Premier League GOTW: Arsenal vs. Manchester United
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Arsenal will host Manchester United in the Premier League‘s Game of the Week at their Emirates stadium. The hosts sit just one point ahead of their visitors, so both sides will want to win this one to gain the upper hand.
The good news for the home side is that midfielder Mikel Arteta and striker Olivier Giroud will be available. Mesut Ozil will still be out, but Arteta could fill in that role, as he does have a bit of attacking prowess. Giroud may not start over Dany Welbeck, but a decent 15-minute shift to finish the game is possible.
Manchester United will be without starting defensive midfielder Dailey Blind, who is now wearing a brace over his knee after picking up an injury during international duty for the Netherlands; look for Marouane Fellaini to replace Blind in that holding position. Angel di Maria did resume normal training, so he should be starting on the left of the diamond in midfield.
This rivalry used to decide who wins the title and who finishes as the runner-up. Now, both teams are struggling to break into the top-four as other teams are finally coming into their own to add some true competition to the Premier League. This game will be not only for three points, but for bragging rights also, as these teams both have a lot to prove.
Louis van Gaal is a coaching genius, as he had proved during the World Cup after leading the Netherlands into third with a 5-2-1-2. Now, he is sticking with the similar 4-1-2-1-2 diamond, but the new makeover of talent is making it tough to adjust the same way his national players did.
The Premier League is arguably the toughest task van Gaal has been given as a coach, which is why he needs at least the rest of this season to truly understand how to defeat every opponent on any given day to instill dominance. Playing against Arsene Wenger, who has been at the helm of Arsenal since 1996, will be no easy task.
The Frenchman will line his players up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and use key-man Jack Wilshere to direct traffic from the defensive-midfield position with his passing and also attacking mindset. If he plays well, the rest of the team could follow his example to perhaps break down the rather weak defending of Manchester United.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United
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