Premier League Acca Builder: Man Utd could beat Arsenal

Alex Keble
22 April 2022
5:00 min read

Arsenal may not use their momentum from midweek...

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Alex Keble looks ahead to the weekend games and predicts a surprise result in the early kickoff at the Emirates...

"And with Arsenal pushing forward, dominating the ball without too much penetration, Man Utd could find that a simple tactical strategy wins them surprise points."

Wing-focused Utd counters a threat

Arsenal v Man Utd
Saturday, 12:30
Live on BT Sport 1

After a high-energy 4-2 win over Chelsea in midweek Arsenal are clear favourites and will anticipate taking advantage of the emptiness at the heart of this Manchester United team. The direct running of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe could catch Ralf Rangnick's side in their most tired and flat-footed mood - and yet this very stagnancy is likely to slow Arsenal down.

There won't be the same big open patches of grass that Chelsea left, and United have a habit of grinding their opponents down into stodgy games. What's more, Mikel Arteta's system relies upon the opponent applying high pressure as Arsenal build out from the back, creating space once the Gunners can spin their opponents and burst towards goal. United, in their nervous shell, won't let that happen.

And with Arsenal pushing forward, dominating the ball without too much penetration, Man Utd could find that a simple tactical strategy wins them surprise points. Arsenal are very weak in the full-back positions currently - neither Cedric Soares nor Nuno Tavares are up to it - and United's pacey wingers can win their one-on-ones.

Back Man Utd to win at 3.55/2

Eriksen transitions to create open game

Brentford v Tottenham
Saturday, 17:30
Live on Sky Sports Premier League

Thoma Frank's side have won all five of the matches in which Christian Eriksen has started, and, on what amounts to his trial game for a potential reuniting with Spurs and Antonio Conte, Eriksen can again be influential. It is noteworthy that Brentford's form has been so good they have even moved to a more attacking 4-3-3 formation - which could make this a very entertaining game.

Brentford do not sit deep, even when holding the minority of possession. They will look to confront Spurs aggressively in the central third of the pitch, and as they continue to get used to deploying two centre-backs instead of three it is plausible that the classic Spurs move - Harry Kane drops as Heung-Min Son and Dejan Kulusevski run beyond - will work well. This is made more likely by the fact Brentford lack a midfield destroyer capable of tracking Kane.

In fact, Eriksen tends to be the deepest midfielder these days in order to collect the ball from the centre-backs and play quick forward passes under pressure. It is allowing Brentford to arrive in the final third at speed, assisted by the returning partnership of Bryan Mbeumo and Ivan Toney. On Saturday evening it should have the effect of ensuring an end-to-end contest between two very direct sides.

Back over 2.5 goals at 1.84/5

Bowen v Sarr an important mismatch

Chelsea v West Ham
Sunday, 14:00
Live on Sky Sports Premier League

Injuries to Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen left Chelsea with a chaotic back three for the midweek match against Arsenal and they are both expected to be absent for Sunday's game against West Ham - a strong counter-attacking side who will have drawn up a plan to expose this vulnerability.

The key mismatch is down Chelsea's left, where Malang Sarr was caught horribly out of position on several occasions on Wednesday night. His direct opponent is the in-form Jarrod Bowen, who is notoriously difficult to track because he is capable of finding space behind a faltering centre-back - but also of drifting infield to link with Michail Antonio as he makes penetrative runs.

We know how the overall tactical battle will look. West Ham will happily sit in, looking to frustrate Chelsea from a relatively deep block as Thomas Tuchel's side hold all the possession and territory. It might just leave them particularly exposed to counter-attacks that target Sarr.

Back double chance West Ham/draw at 2.47/5

Klopp's verticality to dismantle midfield

Liverpool v Everton
Sunday, 16:30
Live on Sky Sports Premier League

Everton have had two successive good results, and against both Manchester United and Leicester City it has looked as though Frank Lampard is finally willing to embrace a more defensive setup - a low block; frustration tactics - to grind their way to survival. They held just 37% possession against Leicester after a backs-to-the-wall win versus Man Utd.

But those are two of the least efficient attacking teams in the division right now. Liverpool is a completely different challenge and the sheer heat of their football - surgically cutting through the lines thanks to Thiago Alcantara in particular - should see the Everton midfield go up in flames. Put simply, you cannot expect Fabien Delph and Alex Iwobi to hold their own against Jurgen Klopp's team playing at their best.

If there is any hope, it is in the prospect of Klopp resting a few key players ahead of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid. However, Mohamed Salah is the one player who never seems to get dropped, and his midweek brace should begin a strong goalscoring run.