Premiership
Old Trafford
Sunday, 13 April; KO: 16:00 BST
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Premiership Table:
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Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand will face Arsenal despite needing three stitches in his foot.
Patrice Evra could return after a knock while Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are both expected to start after being on the bench against Roma.
Arsenal team news to follow later.
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BIG-MATCH FACTS
Manchester United need 13 points from the five remaining matches to retain their Premier League title.
If they beat title rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 26 April, just 10 points would be required to achieve
back-to-back titles for the fifth time in the Premier League era.
United go into this clash thrilled to have qualified for the Champions League semi-finals,
while Arsenal are smarting from Tuesday's defeat to Liverpool which ended
their Champions League dreams, and leaves the Premier League as their only remaining
hope of avoiding a third successive trophy-less season.
This is a must-win game for Arsenal, who would close the gap to three points on United at the summit with victory,
but the Londoners have only managed one win in seven league outings, while United are unbeaten in seven,
and have won the last three at Old Trafford with an aggregate of 9-0.
Sir Alex Ferguson, comes up against his Arsenal opposite number Arsene Wenger for the 36th time.
Of the 35 previous encounters United have won 12, Arsenal 13.
Eight of the 10 other games finished level and two were decided on penalty shoot-outs;
United won the 2003 Community Shield, and Arsenal the 2005 FA Cup final.
Arsenal have proved United's trickiest opponents since Sir Alex took over in November 1986.
The Londoners have won 13 games and amassed 53 points against the Red Devils, more than any other club over that period.
In the Premier League there's nothing to chose between Wenger and Ferguson at eight wins a piece, and seven draws,
but the Scot has the edge on home soil with five wins to three, and three draws.
These clubs are meeting for the first time since United totally dominated in a
4-0 win FA Cup fifth round win
at Old Trafford on 16 February.
But Arsenal go to the Theatre of Dreams in search of back-to-back victories, having won last season's corresponding fixture.
However United are hunting a 50th home league victory over the North London giants.
CLUB FORM:
Club stats
Fixtures
1. Lost one of 13 (all competitions).
2. Won 10 and lost one of 13.
3. Secured 24 victories, dropped 22 points, scored 70 goals, at one every 42 minutes on average,
and conceded 17, at one every 175 minutes (two hours 55 minutes); the best in all four categories.
4. Registered the joint fewest draws (five).
5. Kept more clean sheets than any other club; their 20 shut-outs, is one ahead of Chelsea.
The pair conceded in the 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough at the Riverside last Sunday, were the only goals they've shipped in six matches.
6. Opened the scoring in an unmatched 27 games (won 23, and lost just one of them);
and allowed the opposition to score first in five matches - that's fewer occasions than any other club.
7. Scored 16 goals in the last 10 minutes; more than any other club.
8. On the longest current run since a goalless draw of 32 matches;
and the longest since failing to score of 19 matches.
9. Lost two of 33 home league games, and just one of the last 13; 1-2 to Manchester City on 10 February.
They were the only home points dropped from a last possible 48 (15 wins in 16).
Also hold a 100% home record against London clubs, having beaten Tottenham, Chelsea and Fulham without conceding a single goal.
10. The league run-in is:-
Quote:
Blackburn (a)
Chelsea (a)
West Ham (h)
Wigan (a) |
Club stats
Fixtures
1. Won two of 12, and lost two of 11 (all competitions).
2. Avoided defeat in 16 of 17. Also, lost fewer matches this season than any other club (two), and failed to score in fewer (two).
Missed the target in one of the last 14; the goalless draw at Wigan on 9 March.
3. The 2-3 victory over Bolton at the Reebok on 29 March is their only win in the seven since 11 February.
4. The 1-2 reverse to Chelsea on 23 March is their only defeat in 17.
5. Scored 63 goals; only Manchester United have been more prolific (70). Also, netted 24 in the last 15 minutes; more than any other club.
6. Won one, drawn three and lost one of their four fixtures against fellow 'Big Four' clubs this term.
7. Unbeaten in 14 against North-West clubs; won nine and drawn five since the 4-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on 31 March 2007.
8. Beaten Fulham (h), Tottenham (a), Aston Villa (a), Everton (a) and Bolton (a) from losing positions;
picked up an unmatched 21 points from games in which they were trailing.
9. Lost on their travels to just two clubs; Middlesbrough and Chelsea.
10. The league run-in is:-
Quote:
Reading (h)
Derby (a)
Everton (h)
Sunderland (a) |
KEY PLAYER NOTES
Cristiano RONALDO
is Manchester United's top scorer with 37 goals.
The Portuguese is also United's leading Premier League marksman with 27 from 27 starts,
and is leading the race for the Barclays Golden Boot.
Between them,
RONALDO,
Carlos TEVEZ
and
Wayne ROONEY
have scored 71 of Manchester United's 98 goals this season in all competitions (72%),
and 50 of their 70 (71%) in the Premier League.
If selected:-
Oliveira ANDERSON will be playing on his 20th birthday.
Tom HEATON would be keeping goal on his 22nd birthday.
If on the field from the outset:-
Chris EAGLES will be making his 50th club league start (Manchester United, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday).
Long term injury, Gary NEVILLE will be making his 350th Premier League start for Manchester United.
Emmanuel ADEBAYOR
is
Arsenal's top scorer with 25 goals, and leading marksman in the Premier League with 19.
If on the field from the outset:-
Gilberto SILVA will be making his 150th Premier League start for Arsenal.
Suspended:-
Vassiriki DIABY (two matches)
HEAD TO HEAD
Arsenal did the double over the Red Devils last season, but ended the campaign 21 points behind them.
21 of the 30 league titles and FA Cups staged since the Premier League started have won by one or other of these clubs (United 13, Arsenal eight).
Arsenal are unbeaten in three Premier League games against United, failing to win any of the previous eight meetings.
Home and away
League (inc PL): Man Utd 71 wins, Arsenal 65, Draws 41
Prem: Man Utd 12 wins, Arsenal 9, Draws 10
at Man Utd only
League (inc PL): Man Utd 49 wins, Arsenal 15, Draws 24
Prem: Man Utd 8 wins, Arsenal 3, Draws 4
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LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Man Utd vs Arsenal
0 (0) - 1 (0)
17 September 2006 - Ref: Graham Poll
Arsenal scorer:
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Adebayor 86
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THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE
Arsenal vs Man Utd
2 (0) - 2 (1)
3 November 2007 - Ref: Howard Webb
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Arsenal scorers:
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Fabregas 48
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Gallas 90
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Manchester United scorers:
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Gallas 45 og
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Ronaldo 82
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REFEREE:
Howard Webb (Yorkshire)
[
本帖最后由 卡里克 于 2008-4-14 07:50 编辑 ]
