REELING from embarrassing weekend results in the Premier League, Arsenal and Manchester United will each be determined to restore credibility when they meet at the Emirates Stadium Thursday morning.
While Arsenal ceded first place to Chelsea after being blown away in a 5-1 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday, United could only record a 2-2 draw at home to Fulham, who had started the game at the foot of the table.
Arsenalâs capitulation ended a run of 10 games without defeat in all competitions, but manager Arsene Wenger can at least console himself that it left his side only a point off the summit.
Silver linings are not quite as easy to find for United, who trail fourth-place Liverpool by nine points and therefore seem destined to miss out on a place in next seasonâs Champions League.
The defending champions dominated Sundayâs game against Fulham at Old Trafford, enjoying 75 percent of possession and sending no fewer than 81 crosses into the visitorsâ box.
They would have prevailed had it not been for a 94th-minute equaliser scored by Fulhamâs Darren Bent, but record signing Juan Mata says his side must develop a keener cutting edge.
âIt seems that luck is not on our side, but I donât like to give excuses,â the former Chelsea midfielder wrote on his personal blog yesterday.
âWe have to get better and improve our shooting accuracy, because we got many times to the box and could have scored more than two goals.
âIâm sure we will make it, but there are less and less games to play so the sooner the better.â
Michael Carrick, who scored Unitedâs second goal, said the result was âhard to explainâ, but he warned he and his teammates were desperate to take their frustrations out on Arsenal.
âWeâll be ready,â said the England midfielder.
âItâs one of those seasons – setback after setback. We have to believe with performances, things are going to change.
âThereâs no better place to do that than at Arsenal. We still believe we can go there and get the result we want.â
Wengerâs side currently find themselves amid a daunting run of games, with Sundayâs FA Cup tie at home to Liverpool followed by the home leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against reigning champions Bayern Munich.
Midfielder Mikel Arteta has urged his side to channel the frustration from Saturdayâs result at Anfield, telling his teammates: âWe have to react.
âWe know we need to improve and face those games in a different manner because after 18 minutes we were 4-0 down and it was like a car crash.
âThe manager was really upset at halftime because it wasnât good enough for this football club. It was the angriest I have seen him.â
Arsenal must once again do without holding midfielder Mathieu Flamini due to suspension, while Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Abou Diaby and January loan signing Kim Kallstrom remain unavailable due to injury.
