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Before I even begin with my piece tonight, let’s take a moment & delve into what’s in store for the Gunners over the next two weeks. Manchester United – Home. Chelsea – Away & Liverpool – Home. I have been following the game for some 8 & a half seasons now, and never before in my rather recent memory has any team faced such a daunting run-in of games. Not to forget the stalemate against Aston Villa two days back. By the end of it all, clarity will be restored as to whether they are fighting for the title for the first time in 5 seasons, or it’s back to ensuring a routine top-4 finish. Any which way, it’s gonna be a roller-coaster ride & We@11G are here to guide you through all this.

~So let’s get it started in here..~ <BEP anyone!?>

Let’s analyze the clash against United in detail first up..

Arsenal vs Manchester United

Over the past decade & more, if there has been one fixture in the league which has never failed to ignite passion amongst the die-hard’s & entice the neutrals with equanimity, then it has to be the ‘Gunners vs Red Devils’ showdown. We have seen Arsenal winning the title@OT in ’01, the 0 – 0 draw which saw Van Nistelrooy literally being hacked by the likes of Keown et al, Ruud van Nistelrooy & Co., in turn, destroy the Gunners at Highbury by a flattering score line of 4 – 2, Rooney’s dive which helped United kill Arsenal’s 49 game unbeaten run & the subsequent ‘Pizza-gate’ controversy, whose instigator, to this day remains, elusive! Sources claim it was Cesc who had the privilege to hurl ‘that’ slice of pizza@Sir Alex. Whoever he was, we say ‘Bravo’! Another game worth remembering was the one in which King Henry, with almost the last kick (in his case, head!) of the match, helped Arsenal register a famous victory against their old nemesis. And I can go on & on & on with this one..

Getting back to present times, this fixture has become of paramount concern all over again. Despite Arsenal always remaining a top-4 team through the noughties, it would be foolish to suggest their duels over the past 4 seasons were anything but mere formalities in terms of the overall league table. Agreed the venom & the ferocity were never lost, but something was missing. That ‘something’ is back. Arsenal, like United, is very much in the thick of things as far as the title race is concerned. We were hugely unlucky to have not won, let alone drawn, the game at Old Trafford tie earlier this season. And that effort came without our talismatic captain Fabregas, who picked up an injury just ahead of the game. This time, another charismatic figure will fail to wear the famous ‘red & white’s’. You got it, I am referring to the Dutchman Robin van Persie. His absence, Eduardo’s unavailability, & Vela’s indifferent form, means Arsene will have to thrust the attacking role to the ‘just-arrived’ Bendtner. Again, a physical presence that he is, his technical abilities in tight spaces has much room for improvement.

In the mid-field, despite Rosicky & Nasri’s presence, their slowly getting back to full-flight means, the play-making role will mainly be shouldered on Fabregas. Song & Eboue are back from their respective duties away in the African Cup of Nations, & the former can expect a start in this much-awaited encounter. Theo Walcott makes an interesting case for himself, despite his precarious talent, he has yet not realized his full potential. Something the Professor will have to think about. But let’s not underestimate him, because he has in him to surprise on the big stage. So keeping the fingers crossed with that one.

And finally our defence. We all know how much of Arsenal’s title credentials this term has to do with the dominant pairing of Gallas & Vermaelen right at the back. They have been omni-present & very sound in sorting out our defensive vows. Not since Sol left the club, could we boast of having a tight backline. And how things turn, surely there’s someone writing the script for each one of us. While Vermaelen picked a slight niggle againt Villa, it’s ‘the’ Sol Campbell who is tipped to replace him in his second Arsenal homecoming. His duel with the current hot-shot Wayne Rooney, will be one to watch out for. They have a history between them, & it would make for a telling story if Campbell can out-smart his former English team-mate. Wenger reckons he will be up for the challenge but his team-mates will have to rise to the occasion alongside the veteran. None more than the ‘Russian Assassin’ in Arshavin. United faithful would remember his thunderbolt early this season, & ask anyone who hails from the Kop, they’ll bloody remember him alright! This man has the aura about him to do the unthinkable, come with the unimagined & en route leave the goal-keeper with no option but to pick the ball from his own net.

If Andrey & Cesc have a  solid game, & likes of Song, Diaby or Denilson can do their duties well, given Arsenal’s home advantage, one should expect the Gunners to knick this one by a goal or two.

Arsenal 2 - Manchester United 1

C’mon You Arsenal, Do Us Proud. Go Gunners. Whoop Whoop..

Read On:

What If..AW Out, SAF In!?

What If..Rooney Had Not Dived??

AW & SAF - From Rivalry To Chivalry..