Can Man U And Arsenal Stay In It?

Can Man U And Arsenal Stay In It?

November 22, 2014 • Blog, Sports

Written by: Alexander Dodd

This season has not been especially kind to Arsenal and Manchester United fans as the midpoint soon approaches. After 11 games, the Gunners and Red Devils currently sit sixth and seventh in the standings with a merely respectable 17 and 16 points respectively. Saturday’s game represents a key point in the season for both sides as they fight to stay within distance of the league’s top teams.

The slow starts of both clubs is simply explained through injuries. Man United has an injury list of 12 men including notable star Radamel Falcao and three starting defenders. As well, Arsenal has coped with their own injury challenges this year as they will be without star midfielder Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott this weekend.

Despite the reasonable defence of injuries, both squads and managers cannot escape the ire of fan bases accustom to annually high expectations. Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger has been rumoured to be out the door for what seems like forever with names like Bayern Munich’s Pep Guardiola and Borussia Dortmund’s Juergen Klopp recently arising as possible successors.

Similarily, Manchester United’s Louis van Gaal is facing scrutiny over his most notable offseason move - the £16M sale of current Gunner Danny Welbeck. With Falcao sidelined, fans are questioning the transaction as shortsighted amidst their current struggle with injuries. With Welbeck returning from injury on Saturday, it’s hard to imagine he won’t try his hardest to reinforce these sentiments.

Arsenal and Man United now find themselves similarly having to ‘weather the storm’ until their squads regain health so they may remain competitive in the standings and their managers can retain their jobs.

Alexander is a recent history graduate from the University of Alberta. He was a member of the 2006 National Canadian Club Soccer Champion Runner-Up and 2008 National Canadian Club Soccer Champion teams. He expanded his fandom of Bayern Munich after living in Germany during their 2013 Champions League victory.