JAKARTA - Arsenal's hot duel against Manchester United in the 23rd week of the English League not only determines the fate of the two giants, but also has the potential to benefit the rival teams at the top. If the Red Devils are able to stop the leader of the standings, the competition for the title of champion this season is sure to be wide open again.
The match at the Emirates Stadium, North London, Sunday, January 25, was an important test for Arsenal who are leading the standings. The Gunners are ambitious to keep a safe distance, while Manchester United comes with high confidence after an impressive victory over Manchester City in the derby.
The pressure is actually greater on the home side. Arsenal previously slipped after being held to a goalless draw by Nottingham Forest. The result made their lead fail to widen and gave the opportunity for competitors to continue to stick.
On the other hand, MU's performance has shown an upward graph since being handled by Michael Carrick. They scored in 11 consecutive matches in all competitions, making the away match to the Emirates a real threat to Arsenal's back line.
Indirectly, Manchester United has the potential to be the "decider" of the title race. Their victory will trigger a domino effect at the top, especially for Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Liverpool who are waiting for a gap to close.
Based on the provisional standings, Arsenal is leading with 52 points, followed by Manchester City with 45 points, Aston Villa with 44 points, Liverpool with 43 points, and Manchester United with 37 points.
If MU wins, Arsenal remains at 52 and fails to get away. City has the opportunity to cut the gap to four points, while Villa and Liverpool can close within one to two wins. MU itself rises to 40 points and gets closer to the Champions League zone.
If the match ends in a draw, Arsenal will increase to 53 points. The addition is not yet safe because competitors can still reduce the distance. MU only climbed to 38 points, making the top five competition tight without significant changes.
However, if Arsenal wins, the distance with the competitors has the potential to widen. An additional three points brings them to 55 points and can be 10 points or more ahead of Manchester City. This scenario gives Mikel Arteta's team more breathing room, while keeping MU stuck in the middle of the table.
With that count, Manchester United's victory is the most profitable scenario for Arsenal's rival teams. The result will keep the title race alive until the final weeks of the season.
This means that this match is not just a classic big match between two big English clubs, but a match that can determine the direction of the competition as a whole.
The estimated line-up:
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Casemiro; Diallo, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo.
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