We do not know for certain whether Arsenal will be able to call on the services of the England striker Danny Welbeck on Saturday yet, after the 23-year old picked up a slight hamstring problem on international duty. Arsene Wenger did not mention him in his latest injury update on Arsenal/com, but I am sure that he will start if fit, as he has been doing well as our new centre forward and will be desperate to face his former club.
But the good news on the injury front is that we now have Olivier Giroud available again, after the France international made a quicker than expected recovery from his Tibia injury picked up earlier in the season. So if Welbeck is not fit enough, then the big man will probably come straight in as a like for like replacement.
However, even if Welbeck is fit to start, I would not be surprised to see Wenger bring Giroud back into the starting XI anyway, especially as United look like having to field a mish mash of academy players and midfielders in theur back four. Arsenal already have pace and skill in the attacking line up, so adding the power and link up play of Giroud would give them all sorts of problems to deal with.
If Giroud does start, though, it means that Welbeck will either have to move out to the left or Wenger will have to play them as a pairing in a 4-4-2 formation. A lot of people like this idea and it would certainly cause United problems at the back, but it would also mean that we risk handing them an advantage in the midfield battle. And with the likes of Rooney and Di Maria in their team, United could exploit that. And where would that leave our star man Alexis Sanchez? On the wing again?
So what would you do Gooners?