Arsenal vs Manchester United. At Old Trafford. I don’t care what anyone says, this is still a big game,  I still couldn’t sleep last night thinking about it.

Both teams are quite a bit away from their peak. I remember some of the great games of the past. Henry, peak-Cristiano, Paddy, Pires, Freddie, O’Shea, Scholes, Beckham, Van Nistelrooy… MARTIN KEOWN. I remember away day glory, being there with my Arsenal familia when we won the league at Old Trafford. I remember Mark Overmars scoring THAT goal to clinch our first Premier League. I also remember getting destroyed there by a score I shan’t mention. How about that Thierry goal? So much wow.

Things are different these days, but I think both clubs are probably starting to make decisions that will make them better in the long run.

Ralf Rangnick is now confirmed as their coach. He’s a legend of the game. When you’re around people who’ve worked with him, they speak about him in glowing terms. Organised, specific in his asks, and visionary. He’s the real deal. A proper doer. He could give them everything they’ve lacked in their rudderless post-Fergie system. He’ll make United aggressive, hard-working, and extremely direct. He’ll need transfer windows to bring his style to life, but make no mistake, he’s a threat to the Premier League. Deeply connected the best managers and players in the game… with so many receipts when it comes to talent ID. Imagine him with a real budget?

The big question he’ll have to answer is: Does his method work with a team of egos? Does it work with more money? Does it work under the pressure of short-term thinking?

None of that matters today. Michael Carrick is in charge, Ralf will not be choosing players, it’s a bit like Everton for Arteta’s first game.

So what is Carrick going to do?

Well, he shut up shop against Chelsea and walked away from Stamford Bridge with a point. It wasn’t the most glam of points, but it was more than most expected he’d do.

Would he dare play low-sauce football at Old Trafford in likely his last game in charge of United? Doubt it. He’ll go guns blazing. It’ll be a big ego move. Ego surely must have been considered by Arteta. Which side would you prefer to play? The low block merchants or the ‘let’s have some fun’ crew unleashed against Liverpool? The latter for me.

United has been in disarray all season. Carrick isn’t giving them structure in 2 weeks. Though he will send them out fighting for their futures… which is a dangerous motivator for players unsure of what the new guy is going to bring to the party. A lack of structure in the Premier League will cost you a league title, not doubt, but it doesn’t make you incapable of beastly victories.

What does this game mean for Arsenal? Quite a lot. Let’s get this straight before a ball is kicked. A bad result doesn’t end our season. But a good result? Well, it could be a huge boost for confidence and it’ll certainly raise belief levels to heights we haven’t seen under Arteta.

The job this month is to stay in the mixer for top 4. United is a game most of us expect to drop points. Anything above 1 point would be HUGE.

There are a few knocks in the system. Bukayo Saka isn’t as injured as we thought, he’s in contention, but Arteta is probably VERY cognizant of that time he brought Thomas Partey back early against United and lost him early. There’s no Xhaka. There’s the temptation of Kieran Tierney. There’s question marks over Odegaard after a bland Newcastle outing. There’s Gabriel Martinelli who scored a scorcher.

Hopefully, there’s a surprise in the system.

Our back 5 is going to be incredibly important. They need to be sharp. Cristiano doesn’t need 10 chances to bury us, even at 36. Sancho can be lethal on his day. There are about 7 United players that can be game-winners if they fancy it. But let’s be real… they haven’t fancied it too often. They haven’t been coached well.

They are there for the taking if we can muster the bravery to show up and play at Old Trafford.

We lost against Liverpool because we let them happen to us.

We drew against Brighton because we allowed them to dictate play.

Every game we’ve been poor in, we’ve not been brave.

Is the youngest starting 11 in the league ready to make a statement in a BIG away game?

I think so.

Let’s see what happens.

OTHER RESULTS:

Chelsea scrapped past Watford

Leicester drew

Brighton and West Ham drew

Everton lost again

Most things went for us. Would be lovely to capitalise again.

We’ll be On The Whistle after the game. Johnny and Matt are IN. We have new webcams so we look sexy. Tune in and ask a question. We’ll love you deeply for it.