Arsenal V Manchester United Betting: Sunday, 31st January (Sky Sports 1)

 

Arsenal V Manchester United

 

Sunday, 31^st January – 16:00 GMT (Sky Sports 1)

 

 

Arsenal

 

League Position: 3rd

Recent Form: WDWWD 

 

A fixture which will really test the resolve of Arsenal and will give us a quick assessment on how The Gunners will fare in this race for the title. Arsenal’s last encounter with a ‘Top Four’ team was that emphatic home defeat with Chelsea, losing 3-0 at The Emirates. At the time, mainly because of the manner in which Arsenal lost that day, most punters and pundits alike were writing Arsenal completely off in the title race and who could blame them after what was an abysmal display. However, they’ve replied magnificently and have since not fallen to a single league defeat, going ten games unbeaten and jumping right back into the title equation.  

 

The positive factor for Arsenal fans is that their record at home of late is strong, with four wins from their last five home fixtures. However, there are now a few negatives, with one being their recent setback away at Villa Park in which they were held by an Aston Villa side which pushed them closed for the best part of the last season for a Champions League berth, drawing 0-0 at Villa Park last Wednesday. It was a game where either side could have won as both had chances to win the game, but neither had that cutting edge in the final third of the pitch and the draw was a fair result come the end.

  

However, it was Arsene Wenger who was more disgruntled with the result as he bemoaned Martin O’Neill’s ‘Route 1 & Physical’ style of play in that encounter and claimed Villa got their tactics spot on as Villa didn’t allow his own players to play their own breed of football. To be honest, we felt Arsenal’s players showed a lack of immaturity as they didn’t adapt quickly enough to Villa’s aggressive style on the night, and by that we mean Villa’s obsessive closing down. It was also a poor act on Wenger’s part as you can’t expect to play in the same manner for each and every game, and that the need for a mix-up in style and tactics is always needed in the Premiership.

  

Our next rant, although this one is smaller, is Arsenal’s poor start in their previous home encounter with Bolton Wanderers. The Gunners were sluggish out of the blocks in their home fixture with Bolton and quickly found themselves two goals down with less than 20 minutes on the clock. They made such a sloppy start that it was beyond belief to see Bolton go two up within minutes, and if they started in the same fashion on Sunday, they would almost certainly be punished. They did, however, pull off a stunning comeback when they eventually ran out comfortable 4-2 winners, but their lacklustre start to the game did concern us and does leave them exposed as the Red Devils come to town.

 

 

Arsenal’s home record: 9-1-1.  

 

The Emirates has brought about a huge chunk of Arsenal’s points this season, with nine of their fifteen league wins coming at home. They’ve also suffered just the one home defeat all season, although that was in their first home encounter against one of the so called ‘Big Four’ this season, losing 3-0 as Arsenal put in one of their poorest displays of the campaign.

  

Goals For: 34 Goals Against: 11 

 

As you can see, Arsenal have been prolific in front of goal at The Emirates but have been equally as impressive at the back, conceding just eleven goals in eleven home games. They are averaging over 3 goals a game at home this season and have only once failed to find the opposing goal; that in their solitary home defeat thus far to Chelsea. 

 

Top Goalscorer: Cesc Fabregas – 11 League Goals

 

The Spaniard has been the driving success behind this recent Arsenal surge and has often been their saviour in games Arsenal look destined to drop points in. On current form, Fabregas would be up their in the top three of the worlds best players as his slick interchanging, superb vision when on the ball and sleek finishing is just too hot to handle for some sides. With Arsene Wenger suffering plenty of attacking injuries, Eduardo being his most recent injury abseentee, Fabregas has risen to the challenge and has four more league goals than anyone else in the Arsenal squad. An incredible achievement for a midfielder.

  

 

Manchester United

 

League Position: 2nd

Recent Form: WWDWW

  

It’s a Manchester United side buoyed by their Carling Cup semi-final success that heads down to the capital on Sunday in a game they too must win in order to retain some pressure on the league leaders, Chelsea. The Red Devils shown a lot of heart in their 3-1 defeat of Man City on Wednesday night and they’ll require plenty of the same if they are to record another colossal victory at The Emirates and send Arsenal to their first league defeat in ten games.  

 

Sir Alex thought Wayne Rooney put in a ‘World Class’ performance on Wednesday night and we wouldn’t disagree with those comments. The England forward was at the heart of everything good with United’s play and it was fitting that he grabbed United’s third and eventual winner. To be fair, though, United as a team played extremely well and were the better side for most parts. The first half was a drab affair but United really took it to City in the second half, creating plenty of chances and United could of scored four or five with some clinical and composed finishing. However, it was their midfield which impressed me the most, in the second half that is, as they bombed forward when in attack, in numbers, and they had City camped in their own half for most of the second period.

  

If United can replicate their second half display into their match with Arsenal on Sunday then we should be in for a real treat as Arsenal will attack United at every opportunity, and so, ideally, we would like United to do the same. However, the Red Devils haven’t fared at all well in away fixtures with the ‘Top Four’ this season, having lost at both Chelsea & Liverpool, both to NIL. Moreover, United haven’t won at Arsenal since their thrilling 4-2 victory at Highbury back in 2005. They have since failed in their last four attempts to overhaul Arsenal on Gunners territory, drawing twice and losing twice. 

 

United’s form away from home this season hasn’t been the best but they too have a decent unbeaten run under their belts and haven’t lost a league fixture in five games. A run which started shortly after Christmas. However, United have been found wanting on a few away occasions this season and none more so than in their fixtures with Chelsea & Liverpool. At Anfield, United were extremely poor and never threatened the Liverpool goal. They were more lively in their Stamford Bridge encounter, creating a few openings, but their finishing was poor on the day and were punished for their striking arrogance. A defeat at The Emirates would send United to their third ‘Big Four’ defeat of the season and leave them without a point on their travels against the ‘Top Dogs’.

 

Manchester United away record: 6-1-4

 

It’s rare to see so many defeats on the road for the mighty Red Devils but what stands out more was the scoreline in each of their four away defeats. In all four, United failed to score in all of them, losing to NIL with Burnley (1-0), Liverpool (2-0), Chelsea (1-0) and Fulham (3-0). You don’t often associate Man Utd with a blunt attacking line but that has been the case this season, with Wayne Rooney their only bright spark for them in attack. They are, though, unbeaten in their last two away fixtures, having scrambled a draw at Birmingham in their last away encounter and earning a 3-1 victory at Hull City just after Christmas.

 

Goals For: 22 Goals Against: 11

 

United’s away record this term may not look sharp but they still boast an impressive away goal difference of + 11. However, United haven’t kept an away clean sheet since their 4-0 rout of West Ham at Upton Park on 5th December, and have since seen Fulham (3Gls), Hull City (1Gl) and Birmingham City (1Gl) score against them. The positive for them, however, is the form of Wayne Rooney and you would feel a big performance is required from their most expensive and influential player on Sunday.

 

 

Top Goalscorer: Wayne Rooney – 19 League Goals

  

With a staggering 19 league goals for the season, Wayne Rooney is not only Man Utd’s leading goalscorer but he is also leading the way in the Premiership. Five in front of his nearest challenger, Sunderland’s Darren Bent. Without Rooney, United arguably would be a good four of five positions further down the table, such has been his importance to the United cause this season with both his goals and his performances in a United shirt. He has worked his socks off even when others haven’t even bothered to turn up and if he’s not scoring the goals you’ll often see him turn provider. He doesn’t shy away from the action, is always wanting the ball and will take some stopping on Saturday after scoring a staggering four goals in his last outing in the league, slipping four past Hull City.

 

 

Match Verdict: Manchester United to WIN – 3.00 WilliamHill / Interwetten

  

We didn’t want to bottle it on the prediction and opted against sitting on the fence by backing United to overhaul Arsenal at The Emirates. The United camp will be buoyed by their Carling Cup success and the prospect of yet another Carling Cup final in February. However, the difference for us is Wayne Rooney and the scintillating form he is in. He has been deadly in front of goal of late and is in one of his ‘unstoppable’ moods. We fancy Rooney to be in the thick of the action in this contest in what should be a tightly contested fixture. Arsenal’s best chance of winning this game will depend solely on the performance of Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal best player by a country mile this season. However, Arshavin has a knack of scoring in the big games and did scores Arsenal’s first at Old Trafford in a 2-1 loss and their winner at Anfield in a 2-1 win against Liverpool.

  

It’s wide open, but we’d rather cheer on one side than simply play for the draw. Flip a coin if you must as this should be a close affair.

 

 

Match Odds:

 

Arsenal – 2.60 Bet365 or WilliamHill

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Manchester United – 3.00 Interwetten 

 [Update 31 Jan: the odds on Man United have fallen, the best odds available now is 2.85 at Expekt]

 

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Wayne Rooney FGS – 7.00 BetFred