Patrice #EVAR - latest winners at Betfair

Premier League Tips

Champions League Tips

Football Bet of the Day

Daily Football Tips

Championship Tips

The Daily Acca

Patrice Evra Exclusive: Arsenal have what it takes to win the league but Sunday will be a proper game

Patrice Evra
19 January 2023

Christian Eriksen is a key man for United and can expect a hostile atmosphere at The Emirates

Twitter

Facebook

Patrice Evra is getting ready for 'a proper game' as Arsenal and Manchester United roll back the years in a top of the table clash. Read his thoughts on United's progress and Sunday's massive Premier League clash here...

We've seen how much United have progressed in this recent run

You can only be pleased, especially with the win against City. Looking at where United have come from, when you think about that game against them in October when we got smashed, for them to go one goal down again and come back with a controversial goal and a winner, that's United sticking to Ten Hag's plan.

We can talk about many key players for United, but Rashford delivered again. Fred handled De Bruyne, he was everywhere with him. Wan-Bissaka has come back from the dead.

Overall, what pleases me the most with United is the progress. After the City game, we know we are going in the right direction. I've always believed in Ten Hag, but when I was watching the derby it felt as though Ten Hag had been there for years. He understands the United philosophy.

It was fantastic, but there's still a bit of a lack of consistency because United had the first half and although we scored two, City had the second half. The second half City controlled it.

Ten Hag has sent a strong message with the recent form

Guardiola spoke before the game and said that United are back on track, he knows Ten Hag, he knows the discipline, he can see how the United players are performing. Winning a derby is important for the United fans and players, but it doesn't mean you are going to win the league.

They have sent a strong message to everyone, we are back. They got smashed in October and last weekend they won. The message they are sending is: yes, they can fight for the title, it doesn't mean they will win it.

If you ask the fans if they can challenge Arsenal or City they will say yes. We are showing more consistency in our results and we are showing more fighting spirit. We are showing something that we used to show back in the day.

I don't care if they don't win the title this year. They've already impressed me, what Ten Hag is already doing is impressive. In one year, he's brought back the discipline, he's brought the right transfers in and he's resurrected players like Wan-Bissaka.

Erik Ten Hag close up 1280.jpg

You can see this job suits him. He dealt with all the pressure with the Cristiano Ronaldo case and he's brought United back. Every manager that came after Sir Alex Ferguson failed, but Ten Hag is saying that he is going to succeed and I'm not surprised.

Let's be clear, Rashford interfered with play

Fernandes' goal was offside. I'm not going to say it wasn't just because I'm a United fan and legend. Of course it was offside. Imagine if City scored that and they allowed it. How can the referee allow that, even after they checked it with VAR? I don't know if they allowed it for the league, I don't understand.

The ball was clearly played for Rashford and he was running on to it. Rashford was in the middle of the two defenders and because of that one of them had to close the space, they didn't expect Fernandes to come and take the ball because they were focused on Rashford. You always have to protect inside.

Marcus Rashford head and shoulders 1280.jpg

So, of course, with Rashford's position, no matter if he doesn't touch the ball he interferes, let's be clear. I would be ashamed of myself if I said that goal should stand. We shouldn't be spending so much time on this, we just need explanations as to why this goal has been allowed.

Ten Hag can take credit for improving players

Aaron Wan-Bissaka was a player that was starting to be questioned by United fans and now they love him because he's been so good recently.

I think some players have had issues off the pitch that we haven't been aware about. When you have a manager that goes to them and wants to talk to them, help them and knows how they want to play tactically it helps.

They know how to defend, they know when to attack, they know what position to be in to hurt teams and that is down to Ten Hag. He's playing Luke Shaw centre back, of course when a player performs well you have to give credit to the player. Ten Hag has got him in the right condition, and has put him alongside an experienced defender in Rafael Varane to help him.

He's brought a structure and identity back to United, so we have to give him credit for that.

Arsenal will still fear Man United

Arsenal will be looking at us and saying: "here we go, Manchester United are back."

We all know the history between the two clubs. I used to call them my babies and they're not the babies anymore.

I watched their match against Spurs and I want to give them credit. They looked like a proper team. People talk a lot about their offensive play, but they are disciplined defensively. Saka and Martinelli come back to the defensive line. You could see that they sometimes had five or six at the back.

The White and Saka combination is unbelievable. Saka makes all those runs inside and I hope that United's left back, Malacia is aware of that because I used to do that job and those inside runs are really dangerous.

When Thomas Partey hit that volley against Spurs, the TV almost fell off my wall. He hit it that hard.

Arsenal have what it takes to win the league

Arsenal are complete. The fans don't believe they'll win the league because they are scared. I don't see why they won't win the league. In that Spurs match, I saw a team playing like champions, and that was in a derby.

Of course, United are United and Arsenal have a problem with United. Tottenham are scared of Arsenal, Arsenal are scared of United.

That's always how it's been with the way we used to beat them. Now, this is a big game. I want United to go there and put pressure on them.

Every match we're saying this is a new challenge for Arsenal, if they win this game, if they win that game, and what do they do? They win the games.

Finally, it's going to be like a match from back in the day, we're going to have a proper Arsenal v United game.

Arsenal v Man Utd: Patrice on the key players

Fred or McTominay v Partey

Get the popcorn out because there's going to be fireworks. We don't talk a lot about Partey, and let's not forget Xhaka too in the middle. The way they have matured is amazing. I remember watching them and Partey missed a ball and Xhaka came over to him and encouraged him. In the past when an Arsenal player made a mistake they would look at each other and ask "what are you doing?" Now I see some personality from Xhaka, and he's very supportive.

It's going to be unbelievable. We know how Casemiro has controlled things in midfield for United, but now he's suspended and Fred or McTominay will come in, against Partey and Xhaka, that's going to be a big challenge.

The battle in the middle is going to be amazing, it's going to be strong. They all have quality, they know how to play forward, they know how to defend, they are all physically solid and they're clever tactically. Partey and Xhaka are wow, they're controlling things in the middle for Arsenal and I have to say what a player Odegaard is too.

Rashford, Martial, Fernandes v Martinelli, Nketiah, Saka

I think we're going to see the best from the Arsenal front three in this game. They look more complimentary together. When Gabriel Jesus got injured, I was quite worried, but we're not talking enough about Nketiah. The way this guy is causing problems, he is consistently a pain for defences. He runs all through the game and he is effective. I feel like Saka is playing with the experience of a 30-year-old. He is so dangerous when he comes inside. Martinelli is also a constant threat.

When I compare them to us, Rashford is on fire, I need and expect more goals from Martial and Fernandes is the man who delivers. So, we've got something to hurt them, but something to hurt them at a certain moment in the game. I feel Arsenal can hurt United throughout the game. United will hurt them at the right moment. I feel Arsenal have the advantage because every game that front three are playing well and they are really generous, they come back to defend and they still have the energy to attack.

Varane v Saliba

Both are rocks for their teams. Varane is the past and the present. Saliba is the present and the future.

I was talking to Thierry Henry, and I told him that it's been a long time since I've seen the Arsenal fans excited about a centre back. They've not had many solid players in that position for a while, that was their weakness. Saliba came and the quality of his play, he's fast, he's strong and he's impressive.

I can't compare him to Varane because with Varane we are talking about a World Cup and Champions League winner. That's why I said he is the past but also the present because he's still adding something to United and clearly he can play with anyone alongside him, and he will make them perform.

If Saliba keeps things up, in five or ten years maybe I could call him the new Varane, he's good and he's exciting.

Discover the latest articles

Read past articles

More Patrice Evra