Could Rice and Partey be the key to success against United?
Tonight, we get set to face off against Manchester United at Old Trafford in what is another must win for Arsenal and a massive game for us season wise. City won against Fulham last night and we cannot afford to step a foot wrong and need to walk away with all three points. United have been in poor form recently but they always seem to know how to show up against us at their home, so we cannot underestimate them.
United have struggled most in the middle of the pitch and with several of their players missing, Declan Rice and Thomas Partey might be our key to success. Partey has been missing due to injury for most of the season but since coming back, he’s looked good and really hit the ground running.
Rice has been incredible all season, consistently putting everything he has into a game and has made a huge price tag look cheap. Without Rice, I don’t think we would have been as good as we have been, he makes the midfield more fluid, creates spaces for his teammates to get into and he himself knows exactly where the back of the net is.
This all obviously depends on who Arteta decides to play in the midfield, but for me, I think he must go with Rice and Partey. With Partey playing a deeper CDM role, it will give both Rice and Odegaard freedom to punish United’s open midfield. Partey also acts as that first barrier before the defence and gives us an extra level of security if United do manage to get through on the counterattack.
With the pace of our wingers, I think we will be able to stretch United wide from the middle and with both Rice and Partey, you get two players who can spot passes that not many other players can, and I think combined with our attacking force, we’re going to cut United open like a knife through butter.
Of course, we can’t underestimate United at home, they have a deep history of winning games they have been tipped not to, but Arsenal and Arteta need to keep composed and just keep doing what we’ve been doing all season, we can’t let the pressure get to our heads and if we can just play like we have been, we should sail through tonight.
What’s your thoughts Gooners?
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