Match Preview- United vs Arsenal. Judgement Day for Us?

Arsene Wengar’s Arsenal are in town this Sunday for a game which could define the rest of the season for United. The North London side come into the game sitting on top of the league, eight points ahead of united, playing some nice football, and on the back of an impressive away win against Borussia Dortmund.

The knifes are already out ahead of Sunday’s game, with the press sure to bring up Moyes’s continued poor record against the leagues so-called ‘big’ sides. In all honesty though, it’s about time the Scotsman put that record right. In fairness to Moyes however, that record mainly consists from his time at Everton, and what manager does have a good record against the big teams when in charge of a team outside the top four?

I could now bring up the actual statistics and facts about Moyes’s record, but to be frank, I don’t care. All I ask for this Sunday, is some positivity. United are on an eight game unbeaten run and should go into this game with every bit of confidence. If Moyes is to change that record, playing positive against the big sides at home is the only answer. When the team is read out by Alan Keegan on Sunday, all I wish for is to hear the names of Janazaj, Kagawa, van Persie and Rooney. The rest will sort itself out.

The fact is; this game could actually define the rest of our season and just exactly what ambition the manager and the squad have. If we set out negatively with the tried and tested Ashley Young and Ryan Giggs (still a great player but not for the big games I’m afraid) for example, and go on to lose the game, the title race could be all but over. To add some extra pressure, a negative set up and even a draw would be pretty dire in the context of things, and would again reiterate our ambition and the tone for the rest of the season. As per normal, United fans will be prepared to fail as long as we have prepared to win. Looking at it with a sensible head on though, it isn’t all about a positive attacking performance; the underlying fact is that it is a game United cannot afford to lose the game.

The dream scenario Sunday is that Moyes sets up to go out and attack Arsenal, United put in a performance to be proud of and win the game to move just five points behind Wengar’s side. Now that would set the right tone for the rest of the season. This would extend United’s unbeaten run, take a lot of pressure of Moyes and that stupid record and put United back into the frame to regain the title. Perhaps most importantly however, it would send a message to the rest of the league. In general, Sunday is a game of mixed scenarios. United must not lose. A negative performance resulting in a draw would keep the critics on Moyes’s back and set the tone for the rest of the season. A positive performance and a draw would be reasonably accepted by the fans and throughout the media. A positive performance and a win and things are looking very rosy. Finally, a negative performance and a win… well we’ll take it

 With all this taken into account, it is judgement day on Sunday. Each scenario sets a different tone for the rest of the season, and in the bigger context of things, dictates the likelihood of United challenging to defend their trophy. The manager still doesn’t seem to know his best team yet, but Sunday’s outcome may finally give him the answer. To summarise, I believe most united fans will be happy as long as Moyes sets the team out positively on Sunday and United do not lose the game. The most important thing we can do is get behind the boys on Sunday and get Old Trafford rocking for the biggest game of the season so far.