Manchester united vs Arsenal Preview

F.A cup Quarter Final

Arsenal travel to Old trafford after a terrible week for them, crashing out of the champo by a glistening performance from F.C Barcelona. Manchester United have also had an abysmal week as they were well beaten by a rejuvinated Liverpool side. However both Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson will definitely want to forget about the past by defeating their title rivals in the F.A cup quarterfinal showdown.

Both teams are without key players as Arsenal are without talismanic midfielder Cesc Fabregas and under-par goalkeeper Wojciech Szcezsny. Manchester United will have to work without their playmaker Nani and injury-hit defender Rio Ferdinand. Other than that, both managers have a strong side and will walk into the theatre of dreams to surely produce a scintillating battle between free flow with fluid passing and quick counter attacking play ( not a battle between Rooney's elbow and the Arsenal defence).

Manchster United have indeed got the upper-hand against Arsenal with a crisis situation now looming for Wenger's team with only one senior goalkeeper in Manuel Almunia and you can't help but feel sorry for him as out of the 4 goalkeepers he has,"Spill the beans"  Almunia is the one he must now rely on. However, Arsenal have won the F.A cup 10 times and they are not a team to be ruled out completely, well unless their playing Barcelona in the Nou camp.

Key battles

Dimitar Berbatov vs Laurent Koscielny

Berbatov has been the most prolific striker in the premier league this season after scoring 19 goals in which in undoubtedly his best season with Manchester United. His deadly finish and quick turn of pace would surely trouble Koscielny who is at the moment a walking time bomb (well he is french). His blunder cost Arsenal the Carling cup and even though he was solid against F.C Barcelona, he seemed rather depleted and definitely did not have the character we have sometimes seen from him which an experienced striker like Berbatov can take advantage of.

Jack Wilshere vs Michael Carrick

What can be said about this teen sensation that hasn't already been said? His moves, his vision, his voice? No were not talking about Justin bieber, its of course Jack wilshere who has already been dubbed as " the prodigy of England". His slick style and passing makes him one of the best young players in the planet whose own father is questioning whether jacks real dad was spanish or not. Michael Carrick on the other hand is now being hated by his own fans as his lack of confidence and match time has definitely taken part in his horrendous display against Liverpool where he just let them walk right through him and if he does do that again tomorrow and not hold onto Jack Wilshere, he may if possible be hated more than he is now.

Robin Van Persie vs Nemanja Vidic

Van persie may still be reeling from a questionable decision made by the ref at the Camp Nou but he definitely has the character to get passed that and show everyone in Old trafford that he is the best in the premier league. His finesse and control has helped him see to a rich form of late but if there's one man in the Premier League that can stop that, It's Vidic. The serbian centre-back is regarded as one of the best defenders in the world dominating strikers using his strength and well-controlled aggression. He is without a doubt, the best person to contain and isolate Van Persie and with him on form, Manchester United can see their way through.

Possible line ups

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy, Song, Diaby, Nasri, Wilshere, Rosicky, Van Persie

Manchester United: Van Der Sar, Rafael, Smalling, Vidic, Evra, Giggs, Carrick, Fletcher, Scholes, Rooney, Berbatov

My Predictions
I think that Manchester United want it more and will work more as a team and with the home advantage you can visualise them seeing the game through. I'll go for a comfortable 2-0 win here with Berbatov scoring early on and Hernandez doing what he does best, scoring in the last 10 minutes.

By K-Dot (AKA Hanif Kabir)