United v. Arsenal - Match Preview


Set to Start

By Chris O'Brien
September 21 2003

Roy Keane has passed a late fitness test and looks set to start in Saturday's clash with Arsenal. The visitors come to Old Trafford desperate to prove a point following a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Inter Milan on Wednesday, and losing their 100% Premiership record against Portsmouth last weekend. Match Report

Manchester United v. Arsenal - Preview
Chelsea's extravagance spending on the transfer market has had many doubting whether the top two in the Premiership will follow it's familiar suit this season, but Saturday's clash with Arsenal is still being hailed as a "Championship pace-setter" by the media.

However, Arsenal's recent form has hardly shown them has championship material. After a lucky 1-1 with Portsmouth thanks to a contentious penalty decision in favour of the Gunners, Arsenal were humiliated on Wednesday night with a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Inter Milan. United enter the game on a different run of results after convincing victories over Charlton Athletic and Panathanikos last week, but this is the sort of fixture where the form book can be tossed out of the window!

Having said that, Arsenal are a point above United after having a good start to the season, and getting anything from the game tomorrow would give them a "psychological edge" over the Champions. Still, so far the only excellent Arsenal performance that sticks in the memory is their 3-0 demolition of Middlesbrough, and hopefully we won't see one tomorrow!

Arsenal have a big point to prove tomorrow, and will be hungry for revenge after losing the Charity Shield on penalties to United back in August. Arsene Wenger has only one major doubt for the clash, with his centre-back Sol Campbell yet to decide whether to play on Saturday following the death of his father. Martin Keown has been left on stand-by.

Wenger also faces a difficult decision over who he will pick to partner Thierry Henry up-front. Sylvain Wiltord, who could make his 100th Premier League appearance tomorrow, has received heavy criticism for his efforts in Inter Milan's mauling of the Londoners, and veteran Denis Bergkamp could be given the chance to start. Kanu may well be named amongst the substitutes , but it is highly unlikely that he will start the game.

United have a few more problems ahead of the game, but it now looks like Roy Keane will start after passing a late fitness test. The Irish international was an unused substitute in United's 5-0 hammering of the Greeks mid-week, and is return will be a massive boost to Sir Alex Ferguson, for the type of game that Roy Keane was born to play in! Keane is likely to replace Quinton Fortune, although his performance against Panathanikos will have kept him in contention.

Nicky Butt looks set to continue in midfield in the absence of Paul Scholes, alongside new signing Eric Djemba-Djemba. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and John O'Shea both face late fitness tests, and are United's biggest new doubts for the fixture.

The last league meeting between the sides was the memorable 2-2 draw at Highbury towards the end of last season. In the game that many believe won United the title, Sol Campbell was controversially sent off for elbowing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Arsenal supporters blame his suspension for their slipping form which gave the Red Devils their 8th Premiership crown.

One to Watch - Denis Bergkamp
Should Arsene Wenger opt to start Bergkamp alongside Henry, the Dutch striker will be desperate to prove a point. In what could be his last season in professional football, Bergkamp will not want to spend most of it watching from the bench,

ManUtdWeb Prediction - Manchester United 0-0 Arsenal
These games are rarely one-sided (although the 6-1 of a few seasons ago spring to mind!), and after woeful performances last week from Arsenal, I just get that feeling the bookies will be wrong, and they will leave Old Trafford with at least a point.

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