Manchester United have won just one of the last eight meetings against Arsenal – a 3-2 home victory last season. However, Arsenal have lost 17 league matches away to United, more than against any other opponent.
Apropos of nothing: Brighton are a club United aspire to be like. Their coach has relative longevity, the team play brilliantly, they have an identity and the club has a connection with the fanbase. Graham Potter is doing a brilliant job there and deserves a brilliant job when his time at Brighton eventually comes to an end.
The manner in which United lost at the Amex in May was a disgrace but there is no disgrace in losing to Brighton the team. It’s all about the collective. They recruit well, they sell well and the coach develops players. Billy Gilmour has made a fine move.
Arsenal have one of the cringiest sets of supporters going in England. There are not many fanbases with chants to the tune of Spandau Ballet and Status Quo but they revel in it. The Saliba entry is another one nobody should abide by.
Worryingly, United supporters are imitating some of those songs (the Phil Jones one and the Casemiro and Fernandes one), which goes against everything that makes their away support the best in the land.
There’s been a lot of noise coming from the away end for a good 10 or 15 minutes now, there certainly feels like a renewed sense of optimism around the club. Arteta and Arsenal have done what Ten Hag and United are just starting, in terms of refreshing a squad and shipping out some high earners who don’t fit with the new ethos.
It does feel like only one of these clubs – at most – can get in the top four this season, which makes it a fairly key fixture already. United can burst the Arsenal bubble and silence those away fans and if they achieve that it will give them real confidence they can get into the top four this season.
— Chirag Godara (@iChiragg) September 4, 2022