Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has said he does not want to see his Arsenal counterpart, Arsene Wenger, sacked from his role.
So Arsene Wenger has been sticking to his new formation since Arsenal's bad run of 5 defeats in 8 games and it seemed to have given the team some new confidence until last weeks devastating defeat to Tottenham, but it is highly likely that Wenger will continue with the same setup this afternoon.
Second half goals from Granit Xhaka and a Danny Welbeck header sealed a satisfying win against the Old Trafford side who clearly have prioritised the UEFA Cup over the Premier League as the best way to qualify for next season's Champions League.
UEFA Champions League football is the goal whether it comes through the league or a UEFA Europa League win, meaning the club are in the middle of their most important part of the season.
Mourinho added: "It is all on the Europa League".
Matteo Darmian, Ander Herrera and Henrikh Mkhitaryan were the only players to keep their places from United's win in Vigo.
Gary Neville has told Manchester United fans that Axel Tuanzebe's performance was one big positive for them to take from their 2-0 loss to Arsenal at The Emirates on Sunday.
Antonio Conte won't see out three-year Chelsea deal claim football panel
It would take a remarkable Chelsea collapse for them not to win the title from here. "Then, if you are happy or unhappy, I don't care".
Under these circumstances, Manchester United will have to settle for a draw if opportunity presents itself and won't take too many chances upfront.
Usually a centre-half, Tuanzebe will fill in at right-back in a much-changed defensive unit, with Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and David De Gea all fresh after not featuring in Vigo on Thursday.
His blind pass from wide on the Arsenal right rolled straight into the path of Rooney, but Cech raced from his line to produce a sprawling block. It will hurt United and Mourinho to lose to Arsenal, but it is a pain that is probably sensible to suffer.
But United should have led on 32 minutes when Rob Holding's unsafe pass back into his own area was seized upon by Rooney as Laurent Koscielny hesitated, only for Cech to block.
Man United just could not respond in the period that followed, and Arsenal scored a second less than three minutes later when Welbeck headed a brilliant Oxlade-Chamberlain cross past De Gea with help from the underside of the crossbar.
Mourinho turned to Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford from his bench but it was Rooney again testing Cech with a low free-kick.
Comments