EPL ~ Manchester United vs Arsenal - Dec 13

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Monday, 13 December 2010

Time: 4:00 am - (Tue) (Live)

Mio Channel 102 / 110

EPL Game 16

Manchester United :

Van der Sar, Brown, Rio, Rafael, Smalling, Vidic, Evans, O'Shea, Fabio, Evra, Park, Carrick, Berbatov, Nani, Scholes, Hernandez, Anderson, Giggs, Rooney, Obertan, Macheda, Bebe.

iceFatboy SG

the start of the defining week in MUFC's calendar.

zocockss SG

easy win for man utd

Rooney9 SG

Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has dismissed Arsenal as a "football training centre" ahead of Monday's meeting at Old Trafford.

Arsenal, currently one point clear of United at the top of the table but having played an extra game, have not won a trophy since the FA Cup success of 2005 as Arsene Wenger has kept faith with his academy players.

The Gunners remain in contention for four trophies this season but Evra, who famously said the 2009 Champions League semi-final between the teams was "11 men against 11 boys", has played down their chances of success.

"For me, Arsenal is a football training centre," he told Canal+. "You watch the match, you enjoy it, but are you going to win a title afterwards? That's what people remember.

"It has been five years since they won anything and, for a big club like Arsenal, that is a crisis.

"We can lose against them on the 13th but, at the end of the day, what is there (for Arsenal)? There is nothing. There are no trophies, there is nothing.

"Our real enemy is Chelsea. We are more concerned with Chelsea's results than those of Arsenal, even if we know Arsenal are a great team who can beat Chelsea, us (United) or anyone."

Wenger is well-known for adhering to his principles of attacking football regardless of the opponent.

"When we play against Arsenal, it is really fun," Evra said. "They are a team that plays football who will not come to Old Trafford with 11 men behind the ball.

"We also play football, but the difference is that we also have strength. Sometimes, they cannot kill off matches. We are more efficient."

United have been handed a boost with the news that Evra has been passed fit to face Arsenal along with Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand.

"Everyone is fit," Sir Alex Ferguson told Key 103 on Friday. "Paul Scholes started training yesterday. It was just light stuff but hopefully he will be available for Monday and Rio should be fit as well.

"Jonny [Evans] and Wes [Brown] have had a bit of a virus that has been going around the place [but] we should have a full squad for Monday."

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Samir Nasri claims Old Trafford has lost its fear factor as Arsenal look to stay top of the Barclays Premier League with victory over title rivals Manchester United on Monday night.

While both managers Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson have attempted to defuse the tension ahead of the showdown, United defender Patrice Evra lit the blue touch paper by branding Arsenal nothing more than a "training centre" and claiming the Gunners were in "crisis" having not won a trophy since 2004, while midfielder Park Ji-sung has raised further question marks about the London club's ability to sustain a title challenge.

Arsenal last won at Old Trafford in September 2006, but Nasri maintains the current United team lack the same aura of recent seasons.

"For me Manchester United is not the same team as before, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Tevez it was a little bit scary to play at Old Trafford," Nasri declared.

"Now I don't think offensively they are the same as before, but still they are a good team and when they are 1-0 up is very hard to beat them.

"We will see, but we are really confident to get a result out of this game."

Arsenal may have struggled for consistency at home, with three Premier League defeats already, but away Wenger's men have won five times - including an impressive 3-0 victory at Manchester City.

"The difference when we play away is that we defend much better. Our discipline and shape is more efficient when we play away," Nasri said.

"I am quite confident because we can play our game and we know we can score at any moment away.

"We have to reproduce this kind of game at home and to be more efficient at home as well."

Nasri took his tally to 12 goals with another well-executed strike in the midweek Champions League win over Partizan Belgrade at Emirates Stadium.

The 23-year-old - who had a spell on the sidelines earlier in the season following knee surgery - believes his absence from the ill-fated World Cup squad proved to be a positive.

"I had a good break this summer for the first time in my life. I had a rest for two months," he said.

"I am used to playing in the Premier League now, I have my mark, I am confident and all my team-mates are confident with me so after that I feel ok."

Wenger believes Nasri's extra summer break allowed him to play with a new-found freedom.

"The French players who were away at the World Cup had to overcome mental heaviness in their heads and on their shoulders because they were not welcome back to France. He never had that handicap," the Arsenal manager said.

"What is good enough for me is that he is playing very well."

Wenger has seen a mental change in the midfielder.

"For a long time when you play football, if you are not convinced you can score goals you accept it somewhere," he said.

"When you get that taste for goals that reinforces you and that is what I believe has changed.

"He knows now that he can score goals in every single game so he doesn't give up that idea during the game."

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With one point between these sides at the top, and Patrice Evra turning up the heat on a rivalry that always threatens to boil over, this should be a feisty affair. Arsenal will probably make the trip to Old Trafford without their captain, Cesc Fábregas, after Arsène Wenger said the Spaniard has only a "small chance" of facing United. They could also have a problem at left-back with Kieran Gibbs out until the new year and Gaël Clichy a doubt. The hosts have slight concerns in defence over Rio Ferdinand and in midfield regarding Paul Scholes.

Venue Old Trafford, Monday 8pm

Tickets Sold out

Last season Manchester Utd 2 Arsenal 1

Referee Howard Webb

This season's matches 13 Y43, R1, 3.38 cards per game

Odds Manchester Utd 10-11 Arsenal 3-1 Draw 5-2

Subs from Amos, Kuszczak, Brown, Giggs, O'Shea, Anderson, Obertan, Smalling, Fábio, Macheda, Bébé, Neville, J Evans, Hernández, Gibson

Doubtful Ferdinand (hamstring), Scholes (groin)

Injured Owen (hamstring, 26 Dec), Hargreaves (hamstring, 12 Jan), Valencia (broken ankle, Feb)

Suspended None

Form guide WWDDWW

Disciplinary record Y24 R0

Leading scorer Berbatov 11

Subs from Szczesny, Eboué, Djourou, Vela, Eastmond, Walcott, Fábregas, Rosicky, Denílson, Bendtner

Doubtful Clichy (illness), Djourou (thigh), Fábregas (hamstring)

Injured Almunia (elbow, 18 Dec), Gibbs (ankle, 1 Jan), Diaby (ankle, 18 Dec), Frimpong (knee, May), Vermaelen (achilles, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide WWLWWL

Disciplinary record Y30 R4

Leading scorer Nasri 8

• United have won nine of their past 10 meetings with Arsenal in all competitions, scoring 22 goals and conceding just five times

• Arsenal have had at least five players booked in each of their past three league visits to Old Trafford

• 10 of Dimitar Berbatov's 11 top flight goals this season have been scored with Wayne Rooney on the pitch

• The last time Arsenal lost a Premier League game with Howard Webb as the referee was at Old Trafford in April 2008 – they have won six of nine matches officiated by him since then

COME SUCK MY COCK SG

MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 ARSENAL

Rock^Star SG

wah dun sia suay man u fans la...u this xee geena. Have u checked ur undies for any wet discharge yet?

Rooney9 SG

Park scored the only goal in the 41st min.a rather scrappy affair so far. arsenal goalie is coping well with the crossing and shooting, but his kicking remains dodgy.

Rooney9 SG

Rooney could have make it 2-0, but he misses the pk, blast over the crossbar.

I wonder if this will come back to haunt united if arsenal does score or worse, win this match.

Rooney9 SG

heng eh, united tong until the end of the whistle. 3 points and top of the pack.a deserved winner, should have been 3 or even 4 nil if united is more clinical in front of goal.

I-like-flings(m) SG

good win.. sleep liao...

Rooney9 SG

Rooney zigzack pk taking, is a bit baffling.

CKeer SG

I thought United ought to win with so many more attempts and the hunger to win was so much more than Arsenal's, who has seemed to be affected by Evra's trash talks.

Evra really raised his game after all the talking to prove that his theory was right.

Van Der Sar wasn't troubled at all, all night, but i felt that his mistake for palming the ball straight at Chamakh might be costly if not for Vidic resolute defending.

Rooney missed a soft penalty which i personally feel that shouldn't be awarded cos Clichy was using his hands to cushion his fall and Nani struck the ball to his hands instead, and Rooney still hasn't scored from an open play this season.

Couple of missed chances to put the game beyond doubt but overall an entertaining match. Is this the required momentum to push United all the way for the title come May?

Rooney9 SG

Rooney should be subbed out. the choice of giggs is a baffling one by fergie though, but then I suppose old heads has experiences in this kind of matches, so that will be a calming effect on the pitch.

CKeer SG

I don't think Rooney should be subbed out because he's so good as a targetman upfront as compared to either Berbatov or Chicharito, although he did not perform up to scratch today but his layoff to teammates are top notch, recall the pass to Anderson?

I thought Anderson was doing great, box-to-box dynamo.

I thought Carrick ought to be subbed out though and Giggs really calmed the players down when they were desperately defending in the 70-80th minute, hitting awkward long ball forward to Rooney but no one else to receive his layoff. Giggs chose to play short one-two passes with great effect as Arsenal players by then are frustrated, kicking out at United players, especially Evra.

Rock^Star SG

I think united were quite lucky. Yes overall they were defensively sound but there were times when arsenal were allowed space to shoot. Had the person behind the crosses been xavi, had the person shooting been villa, it could have been a different story.

And carrick as usual, his invisbility very visible....his long balls were not of his usual standard. Then there's fletcher....who in my opinion today, is still the good, above average player but falling short when it comes to world class.

If tonight's opponent had been barca or real, they might not have survived. There are lots to reflect on. Rafael must be singled out for praise though, got a feeling he will nail down that right back slot.

zocoss SG

United's Anderson at last looks like £25m player, Nani is stating his case for footballer of the year, but Arsenal need a goalkeeper

Daniel Taylor at Old Trafford

Perhaps there will come a time when Wojciech Szczesny's presence in goal will not fill Arsenal's supporters with a sense of foreboding. The Pole, to give him his due, is entitled to feel he could do little about Park Ji-sung's goal and, overall, he handled his first league start without showing too many nerves. It is a strange set of circumstances, however, that Wenger is trying to win the title without a goalkeeper on his books who inspires confidence. The shoot‑on‑sight policy operated by United's front players in the opening stages, in particular Nani, showed they were encouraged to find a relative novice (albeit one with three Poland caps) between the posts.

F.raon.I.R SG

Very very pleased with the result and performance amid all those thrash talk by evra.Glad that he need not eat his own words.So the boys have yet to grown up to be men..agaiN?>....

Should be 3-0 to united.If not for nani and rooney's over confidence in shooting,shots high and wide.The defence was absolutely flawless.I bet either Rio or Vidic would have bagged the MOM.Maybe some1 could fit in this piece of info.

Anderson was competent.I hope this is his season like what has happened so far for our dear Nani.With his combative play,physical presence and daring to play and pass attitude,this could be his best season yet in a red jersey.

COME SUCK MY COCK SG

fuck u nigger