The game between Arsenal and Man United was big enough anyway but after seeing Tottenham get beaten by Southampton today it has become even more crucial as there are now just five points between third and sixth.
If Man United win they will go level with Spurs, and if we win we will leapfrog United into fourth, just one point behind our neighbours. But Chelsea, who are currently 6th, are at home to Wolves and could end the day two points behind Spurs with a game in hand. Boy things are getting tight in the race for the Top Four!
The great news for Arsenal is that this is their last game against a Top Six side, whereas Tottenham still have away games to play at both Liverpool and Manchester City, and I wouldn’t fancy much of their chances of winning either of them.
If United beat us today they may end up as favourites for Third place as they have a good run but two crucial home games against Man City and Chelsea, while the Blues also face a very testing trip up to Anfield.
But if we win this today, hopefully we will be gaining confidence to win all our games against the lower level sides while the rest of our Top Four rivals are busy taking points of each other in the remaining games.
COYG!!!!!
Sam P
Defenders have to watch out for their fast players, counter attacks and headings. Their players are too fast for our defenders.
I was talking last week to Ken1945 and OzzieGunner about some idiot who said we’ve got some excellent referees. I’ve just finished watching MOTD and every game had talking points. Tottenham should have had at least two players sent off by referee Kevin Friend. Walker -Peters for the sneaky trip on Armstrong that deprived him of a certain goal scoring chance and Sissoko for clearly headbutting Redmond. Consequently Ian Wright kept quiet along side two ex- Tottenham players which didn’t surprise me. Can you imagine if it was us? Everton should have had the useless Pickford sent off against Newcastle by Manchester official Lee Mason, he’d ‘ave been sent off at Twickenham for that challenge. What on earth does Southgate see in this Pickford? I said months ago, “he’s the worst goalkeeper in the Premier League. Raheem Stirling was two yards offside when breaking the deadlock against Watford where inexperienced referee Paul Tierney decided to invent a new offside law. There we’re countless fouls in the penalty area in the Palace v Brighton game that went unpunished by Craig Pawson. Pity he wasn’t in the same mood a few weeks ago when he refereed us. Herrnandez of West Ham gets let off with worst piece of cheating you’ll see this season with a yellow card. These were absolutely disgraceful decisions, if our team were involved in any of these incidents they’d have been sent off. Today, for the Arsenal v Manchester United game, we have in my opinion, the worst referee in the Premier League in Jonathon Moss, another Manchester official, over weight, out of condition. You wouldn’t think they could get any worse than yesterday’s clowns but they do, believe me. With the thought of watching Moss today trying to keep up with play, well, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry
Sorry but the deflection is too much on this one. As all opposition will tell you, if you’re having a go at the refs you’re not having a go at your own performances. That’s more important than anything else. If footballers and supporters are expecting refereeing decisions to decide the game then maybe the game is not for them.
S, the EPL is a very professional competition, supposedly drawing the best players and managers/coaches in the game and the richest competition regarding sponsorship. It would be expected that the match officials would be similarly highly competent, considering the match fees they are paid.
Managers and players are castigated in the media and by supporters for poor performance, yet officials get off scot free. How often do officials have poor performances and then are reappointed to the next match with no repercussions? How often are match officials relegated to officiate in lower divisions?
The issue is exacerbated when gambling on football is not only legal, but actively encouraged, with large sums of money being wagered on the results.
The fact that no English referees were selected to officiate at the last World Cup says it all.
As Kenny Rolfe has pointed out, poor officiating this weekend has affected many clubs. This is not an issue which impacts only on Arsenal.
Stop this nonsense. What is wrong with football fans? All people do moan about is “The Ref lost us this and that game”.
What is this fake / senstive / victimhood rubbish about “My team gets bad refereeing decision and it must be some sort of conspiracy/ bias against my personal club”. It seems like big chunks of fans from every club have convinced themselves that they are VICTIM of bad refereeing decisions. “Referees hate us, they have a bias against my personal club. The footballing powers have a bias against my favourite club and don’t want my club to do well, hence the bad fixed refereeing decisions”
This is the opinion from different fans from different club.
I say grow up you man and women babies. The world does not revolve around you.
Smh
S and Goonster, I’ve literally just got up, turned on Liverpool v Burnley and immediately seen another atrocious decision to allow Burnley a goal by referee Andre Marriner. I think that just about sums up my point. S, you say the game might not be for me. I wish you’d have told me that 60 years ago, would have certainly saved me a few quid.
English refs are the worst in Europe that is why our national team gets only to the 1/4 finals when we get VAR NEXT SEASON THEN YOU WILL SEE A MUCH BETTER PREMIERE LEAGUE I suppose they are cheating for the last time how can you put a Manchester Ref to referee a game between the macs v ARSENAL .I bet you the results would be finalised by the ref you watch ! Stupid fools