Arsenal icon Ray Parlour has been speaking ahead of the Gunners eagerly-awaited clash with Manchester United at the Emirates on Friday evening. Read on for his in-depth preview of the FA Cup fourth round tie.
Record 13-time winners Arsenal host 12-time champions United in the mouth-watering tie against Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s resurgent Red Devils.
The Gunners will have need to be wary against United as the change in management has revitalised Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford whose progress stalled under previous incumbent, the abrasive Jose Mourinho.
Arsenal icon Parlour, speaking exlusively to the Gazette on behalf of Goals Dagenham Accept No Substitutes campaign, which is helping five-a-side players across the UK burn a collective 250million calories this January, is looking forward to the match.
He said: “It’s a massive game for both sides. They’ve been in indifferent form have Arsenal but I thought they were excellent at the weekend against Chelsea, I think they really played to a tempo in that first 15-20 minutes and Chelsea didn’t know what him them – they didn’t expect it.
“That’s the type of performance you need against Manchester United because their resurgence under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been unbelievable. You probably would’ve expected a bit of a change since Jose [Mourinho] left but to win six in a row.
“The performances are better, the players look like they’re enjoying it so it’s going to be a real tough game on Friday for Arsenal but they just need to play like they did against Spurs earlier in the league and Chelsea at the weekend.
With Hector Bellerin set to miss the next six to nine months after the club confirmed he suffered a ruptured ACL during an innocuous fall in the second half of the 2-0 victory over Chelsea, Ainsley Maitland-Niles is expected to come in with Stephan Lichtsteiner also waiting in the wings.
Bellerin joins former Red Danny Welbeck and Stalybridge-born Rob Holding as long-term absentees while Henrikh Mkhitaryan is expected to return to full training next week.
Parlour added: “With the levels of performance both teams have shown they are capable of it should be a very good game – and Arsenal have a chance of beating Man United.”
Ray was speaking in support of Goals Dagenham “Accept No Substitutes” campaign which is helping five-a-side players across the UK burn a collective 250million calories this January. Goals are creating the ultimate fan experience by bringing recognisable football talent out of retirement to become the five-a-side community’s 10th man.
Goals Dagenham are based at Dagenham Leisure Park, Ripple Road, Dagenham, RM9 6XW.
For more information call 0208 595 7000 or email: dagenham@goalsfootball.co.uk
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