United look to restore winning streak
An unfamiliar looking United side, with several senior players rested, were just seconds away from beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday when they conceded a last minute penalty to leave the match all square at 3-3.
Extra-time produced more thrills and spills before Chelsea won 5-4 to reach the last eight.
“It’s tough to take,” said United veteran Ryan Giggs. “When you score four goals away from home more often than not you win the game.”
“I’m proud of the young players who played, though. There were some great performances.
“They will have learnt a lot and you learn more from losing as well.”
Today’s match will be the first time United striker Robin van Persie will face Arsenal since being sold by the Gunners following the end of last season.
I hope van Persie is treated respectfully: Wenger
Meanwhile, Arsenal have kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 games and conceded five, having been 4-0 behind, in an astonishing 7-5 League Cup win over Reading on Tuesday.
“When you are 4-0 down after 36 minutes you can’t say all is well on that front,” joked the Arsene Wenger when asked about his defence.
Van Persie’s presence in the United line-up will provide Wenger with a painful reminder of the Gunners’ failure to hold onto their biggest stars in recent years.
The Arsenal manager, though, hopes his former player is given a warm reception by the club’s supporters.
“I hope he gets a respectful reception,” said Wenger. “He has played for us for eight years, he has done very well for us.”
City look to hold their nerve
Returning Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta has urged the champions to hold their nerve as they continue their quest for back-to-back Premier League titles away to West Ham today.
While Zabaleta reckons it will be a hotly-contested battle for the league title, he believes City can emerge triumphant once again.
“We are only in November, I think it is too early to say who is going to win the league.
“We have to work very hard. There is a good feeling among the team about defending the title.”
Chelsea hope to avoid controversy
Chelsea, who suffered their first league defeat of the season in an incident-packed clash against United last weekend, will hope for both, three points and a match free of controversy when they travel to Swansea today. The fall-out from the United match saw Chelsea lodge a formal complaint with the FA over allegations referee Mark Clattenburg used inappropriate language against midfielder John Obi Mikel.
The incident came just two weeks after Chelsea captain John Terry started a four-match ban for racially abusing QPR defender in October last year.
“It’s important that we don’t let anything affect us,” said Chelsea centre-back Gary Cahill. “Whatever is going on off the pitch, players relish playing football.”
In other matches, Tottenham will face Wigan and high-flyers Everton will take on Fulham. Elsewhere, Stoke are looking for victory at Norwich as Sunderland take on struggling Aston Villa.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2012.
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