Manc Derby draw to complete great weekend for Arsenal?

Just like last weekend when Arsenal were gifted two goals to give us a much needed Premier League win in Sunderland, the Gunners won again yesterday against one of the league’s struggling sides Burnley. And while Arsenal were still far from our best, we got the much needed points, kept another clean sheet and built on the improving morale and form.

And just like last weekend, results elsewhere were pretty favourable for Arsenal and we find ourselves back in the top four. West Ham could only manage a draw with Stoke and Swansea City drew with Everton, while Liverpool’s poor start carried on as they lost 1-0 to Newcastle United.

The top two Chelsea and Southampton managed narrow wins, unfortunately, so they stay nine and five points ahead of Arsenal respectively, but we have moved level on points with the current EPL champions Man City, who face a tough local derby with Man United later. And even tough a United win would not take them above us, it would put them just a point behind, so I think that a draw in that derby would be perfect for us.

We don’t want United keeping too close to Arsenal, especially as they will be coming to the Emirates towards the end of the month. Also, our Champions League opponents on Tuesday could only manage a scoreless draw in Belgium yesterday so we can expect to beat them again at the Emirates.

I have said that luck seems to be on the Gunners’ side at the minute and we need to make the most of it while we can. Walcott and Ramsey coming back and the results going in our favour should mean another very good weekend for Arsenal.

Tags Anderlecht Man City United

36 Comments

  1. Starting to worry about United’s progress.. At the start of the season their defence was so weak it didn’t look like they’d worry us. Now our defence is in an even worse state with injuries.

    1. The only fans that thought United would be as disappointing as last season are deluded..

      You don’t have Falcao, Rvp, Rooney, Di maria, etc and you are no threat.. We have Welbeck, Giroud, Sanchez, Walcott etc..

      Look at their midfield, Mata, Fellaini, Blind… We have Arteta, Ozil, Ramsey…

      1. Tell me more about their defence. I am definitely interested.

        We will beat them fair and square. Don’t worry bro. Oh also, Welbeck let alone Sanchez will out score Falcao and RvP in the goals department.

        Manchester United will get relegated.
        😉

        1. Coc*y doesn’t make your team that you support more superior.

          We can’t even beat them when they were at the lowest form. Our players give them to much respect whereas they not much better.

          This season will we win that we shall see.

      2. Are u trying to say mata is better than ozil? Blind better than Ramsey? Fellaini better than Arteta? Wow

        1. RVP, Falcao, Rooney…

          These players guarantee goals….

          as for firepower we are definitely no match…..

          Midfield we are probably have the edge…..but they are not far behind

          Defence we have the edge too but lack consistency!!!

          it could be a high scoring game if we play Utd…

          1. I’m inclined to agree with you except for the fact that Van Persie and Rooney each have 3 and Falcao has 1… which is not even close to any of the PL top scorers right now. Sanchez has been far better (7) and Walcott was a goal every 2 matches before his injury (5 goals and 5 assists in 9 starts), even Welbeck has two goals in 7 and that’s at a new club (like Falcao).

            We probably won’t beat them though; they are our massive bogey team.

        2. @june.. I compare Mata and Ozil because they have disappointed so far at their new clubs..

          Blind compared to Arteta/Flamini because they are the DMs..

          Fellaini compared to Ramsey this season so far, our Ramsey has not been any better..

          You guys only ever look back back in the past, we are talking about this season, not what happened last or 4 seasons ago.. What a player did a few seasons ago means nothing if he can’t replicate it in the current season.

          Torres, Negredo, Michu, Mata, Cazorla, Ozil, Ramsey (so far this season).. etc..

          1. Then you are simply nitpicking, Sanchez has been way better than any striker at Man United. Falcao has one goal so far, not exactly great. They have yet to play 5 of the top 7 other sides and yet they are still mid-table. They even drew 0-0 against Burnley and I believe every single Arsenal fan on here was saying how bad Arsenal must be if we don’t beat them by 3 goals.

            You say you are comparing this season only but then why are you praising their talent at all, they have been awful as a team; they are like a better QPR, all these good players on paper but few performances to back it up. We’ll see how their recovery is really shaping up once they play City, Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Southampton by new year.

  2. No, we need a City win, unless you want Chelsea to walk away with the league. Southampton is likely to drop down at some point leaving City as Chelsea’s main rival. We’ve simply lost too many points to be considered as challengers, at least for now.

    1. @Twig

      I am 100% with you on that one. I do not want to see ManU go on some kind of winning streak. I prefer to see Man City win the league instead of Mourinhoe.

    2. Can’t write anyone off too early. Remember when City won their first title in 2012? They were 12 points behind United with few games remaining, but they still pulled it off.

  3. OT completely but this cut and paste may interest a few. I see some on here try to project their wider gripes with AFC in general and AW in particular by trying to see things that aren’t there – ie Alexis being unhappy. Also see people offering mock pity to AS for coming to AFC in attempting to make a wider point. The view from Chile suggests a re-think for the doomsdayers.

    “Chilean football experts have told IBTimes UK Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez is enjoying life more than ever at the Emirates Stadium as the Gunners are providing him with the chance to grow into a leader he never got at Barcelona.

    With Lionel Messi and Neymar overshadowing him at the Nou Camp, the 25-year-old Chilean international decided to make a £32m move to north London this summer. Sanchez has wasted little time endearing himself to Arsenal supporters, scoring eight goals in 15 appearances, including a crucial strike against Besiktas which secured qualification for the group stages of the Champions League.

    But following an unconvincing victory over Anderlecht in the Champions League in October, reports emerged suggesting Sanchez was frustrated with the wavering performance levels of his teammates, with some even suggesting a problem with Mesut Ozil had developed.

    IBTimes UK has spoken to the experts from La Tercera and El Mercurio, the two most prestigious newspapers in the player’s homeland who have debunked those rumours. What they have had to say will be music to Arsenal fan’s ears. All agree Sanchez has never been happier than he is playing football in north London.

    El Mercurio journalist Rodrigo Fuentealba, who has followed Sanchez’s development since his impressive performances in the Under-20 World Cup in 2007, said: “He has fit Arsenal like a glove. At Barcelona he lived in the shadow of Messi and Neymar. In London, he is the leader. He is very happy there.”

    Matias Parker Castro, who writes for La Tercera, added: “Alexis made ​​the best decision of his career by joining Arsenal. Maybe he will not win as many titles as at Barcelona ​​but he will get the leadership role he expected.

    “He is happy because he feels he is one of the leading figures in the team. He has much more freedom to move and at the same time he has now the bravery and the personality to dribble at rivals without fear.”

    Another Chilean expert in international football, Luis Rivera Talpen, added: “Alexis is living a dream at Arsenal. He plays in the best league in the world, at a powerful club and he has the opportunity to become the leader of the team, while at Barcelona he couldn’t.

    “There (at Barcelona), even though he was the second top scorer of the team, he was always overshadowed by Messi and Neymar.

    “He has become a new, different player since his move. He is also proving that with Chile. During the last international break he had no problem taking responsibility with Arturo Vidal, Chile’s other leader.”

    When asked of rumours of friction between Sanchez and other members of the Arsenal squad, the experts were unaware of any troubles on that matter.

    “He has a strong personality but is not a controversial guy. He is very committed to the team. His reference point is Cristiano Ronaldo. He is a winner. He is not going to cause any trouble in the dressing room,” Fuentealba continued.

    Castro added: “Alexis always expects the rest to work as hard as they can. He doesn’t tolerate failure and he is uncomfortable when the team doesn’t get good results.”

    Luis Rivera Talpen said: “Since he was a kid, Alexis has proved he has a strong personality to face the complications of a life away from the luxuries and to build a career full of successes.”

    Speaking about Sanchez’s favoured position in the team, Fuentealba said: “What he likes is scoring goals. The closer he plays from the goal the better. At Barcelona he wasn’t happy because he had to play on the right side but Wenger’s formation is not as fixed and he has more freedom.”

    Castro disagrees, however. “The best position for him is playing on the right side but with freedom to move up front.”

    Rivera said: “He shouldn’t have a fix position but the freedom to move around. He is more powerful than most of the South American stars and can run and dribble past opponents without problem.”

    “I still believe he can be too individualistic, but I am sure with Arsene Wenger he will learn to be more generous and also more effective.”

  4. @Twig

    I am 100% with you on that one. I do not want to see ManU go on some kind of winning streak. I prefer to see Man City win the league instead of Mourinhoe.

  5. @jonestown.
    Whoah! What? Is this an article inside another article? *just kidding*

    Nice effort to clear the air (or I should say, educate). This is kinda eye-opening and reassuring.
    My best part from the qoutes is:

    “He has a strong personality but is not a controversial guy. He is very committed to the team. His reference point is Cristiano Ronaldo. He is a winner. He is not going to cause any trouble in the dressing room,”
    Fuentealba continued.
    Castro added: “Alexis always expects the rest to work as hard as they can He doesn’t tolerate failure…”.

    Alexis has no reason to regret his move to AFC. Here, he has infact the freedom to become the next C. Ronaldo. However, it is reasonable to think that he may have been frustrated with the lackadaisical attitude of some of his teammates.

    1. …and as a results, some of them teammates may have felt intimidated.
      It’s so great to have a personality like Sanchez in the club. He inspires everybody (even the fans and supporters) to push for excellence.

  6. WARNING!!!

    Alexis Sanchez is a serial rapist.
    Anyone found on the same football pitch as him with the wrong kit on will be sodomized repeatedly

    COYG!
    Alexis for Club Chairman

  7. City win please they are the only ones who can stop chelsea winning the pl this year also I despise man u and rubber face vangall! Not to mention rvp!

      1. Never say never. We have to see how we do after Christmas and we also need Chelsea to drop form. The more important thing is the reinforcement of players in Jan. Lets up our performance than we talk about trophy.

  8. @rvp. Exactly think it was meant to be ozil but he’s too timid and doesn’t have the character. Sanchez is like a pit bull that been starved and then let out of a cage, a beast, what an athlete!

  9. Hate to break it to you, but Smalling is available for the match against us because two yellows followed by a red is a
    1 match ban. And I think Rojo will be available also because there more than 20 days between the match with Man u.

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