Darren Fletcher is confident Manchester United can finish off a
Champions League success over Arsenal by ‘getting in their faces’
on Tuesday.
The Gunners failed to get their famous passing game going in the
first leg at Old Trafford as United hustled them out of their
stride.
Arsene Wenger has promised “a different Arsenal” for the second
leg at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday where they need to overturn
a 1-0 deficit, but Fletcher believes more of the same from United
will be enough.
He said: “Our game plan in the first leg was to get about them
and press them and do it at a high tempo and then try and break
with the quality attacking players that we’ve got.
“It seemed to work. Arsenal are a great passing side and if you
stand off them, they will pass anyone to death.
“So it was important that we got at them, got in their faces and
played at a tempo similar to what we did in the FA Cup here last
season [when United beat Arsenal 4-0], before then breaking and
creating chances like we did.
“We need more of the same in the second leg.”
The Scotland international played alongside Anderson and Michael
Carrick in a three-man central-midfield formation, and it worked so
well it would be a huge surprise if Sir Alex Ferguson did not stick
to his winning formula at the Emirates.
Fletcher also believes the onus will be on Arsenal to come out
an attack.
He added: “The pressure is on Arsenal now, they are at home and
will have to come out and win the match.
“It will be a difficult match, but with the attacking quality we
have got – whatever team the manager picks – we have enough quality
to score that away goal.”
United will also feel confidence from the fact they have scored
at the Emirates in their three previous visits, even if Arsenal did
win 2-1 in the Premier League earlier this season.
Under the away-goal rule, even a similar result on Tuesday would
be enough to see United through to the final in Rome to face
Barcelona or Chelsea.
Carrick, who created the goal in the first leg for John O’Shea,
said United would approach the match with confidence.
“They will come out and be a real threat in the second leg but
we are confident we can create enough chances to score again and
hopefully that will make it even more difficult for them,” he
said.