Big Matches Insight News

The Emirates Stadium is the scene for undoubtedly the BIGGEST match of the EPL season so far, with Arsenal looking to extend their advantage at the summit to 6 points and City on a quest to leapfrog the Gunners on goal difference.

Because of scheduling quirks, this is the first meeting between these sides in the league this season. City’s comfortable 3-1 win over Aston Villa has made the mood even more tense. Although the Gunners have a game in hand, this feels like a sliding doors moment in the title race.

What are the major talking points ahead of kick-off?

VAR controversy shrouds the Arsenal mood

“Human error” meant offside lines weren’t drawn on Ivan Toney's equaliser for Brentford in the 1-1 draw at Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Whether or not Arsenal would have definitely won the game if that goal had been chalked off is impossible to prove, but it certainly adds a layer of frustration for Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal fans and players alike. The Bees certainly had their chances aside from that, mostly through goalscorer and ever-present danger Toney.

Toney bossed Saliba in the air

21-year-old William Saliba has looked imperious for the most part in an Arsenal jersey, but he had a tough time of it against the excellent Toney at the weekend. The Brentford man won 12 of his 13 aerial duels against Arsenal, according to Opta. That’s the most aerial duels won by any EPL player in a match all season.

Could that be something Pep Guardiola looks at and tries to replicate via Erling Haaland? The Norwegian was withdrawn at half time in City’s win against the Villans and the severity of his issue isn’t yet known. If he isn’t available, it’s anybody’s guess how Guardiola might line up his side in attack. In his absence, City don’t possess an aerially dominant attacker.

Arteta to shuffle the pack?

Arsenal’s consistency in team selection has taken them to the summit of the EPL but now his side looks a bit short of variety. After a defeat to Everton at Goodison and a 1-1 draw with Brentford, it might be time to make changes. The man knocking on the door the loudest is January signing Leandro Trossard, scorer of the Arsenal goal against Brentford off the bench. Gabriel Martinelli’s place in the starting 11 may be in jeopardy.

Emirates Stadium has been a fortress

The Gunners have won 8 out of 10 home matches in the EPL this term, drawing the other 2 against Newcastle and Brentford. City have won exactly half of their 10 EPL matches on the road, drawing 2 and losing 3, making them only the sixth-best away team at this stage of the campaign. They’ve also lost their last 2 league encounters on the road.

City won this corresponding fixture 2-1 last season thanks to a stoppage-time Rodri goal. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring in that game and he is Arsenal’s most prolific player this season, with 15 direct goal contributions in the EPL (7 goals, 8 assists).

City hold overwhelming H2H advantage

Arsenal are a much improved team but Pep Guardiola’s side have truly relished their battles with the Gunners in recent years. The Citizens have won their last 10 EPL matches against the Londoners and that has to count for something, at least on a psychological level. The last time City failed to beat Arsenal in the league was in a 2-2 draw in April 2017.

Back to basics in defence for Guardiola?

Guardiola has tinkered plenty with his backline in 2023, leaving both Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte out of his side for extended periods, but both were back in the starting 11 vs Aston Villa. Dias, Laporte and the vastly-experienced Kyle Walker will likely form a back 3 at Emirates Stadium in City’s BIGGEST game of the season so far. Guardiola isn’t afraid to put square pegs in round holes, though, so a few surprise selections are not out of the question.

Student vs master

As you know well, Mikel Arteta served as Guardiola’s assistant at Man City from July 2016 to December 2019. There is a great deal of mutual respect between 40-year-old Arteta and 52-year-old Guardiola. Battles between these 2 tacticians will always be fascinating, not only for the opportunity to examine their highly analytical approaches to the game, but because they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses so well.

Whichever manager finds that rare chink in the armour of the opposition and exploits it might be the one smiling late on Wednesday night. City, however, remain the only EPL side that Arteta has still failed to beat as a manager. Wednesday would be a good time to change that.

Guardiola has presided over 250 EPL matches, winning 184 of them, the most wins by any EPL manager after 250 matches in the top-flight.

It really is crunch time for the league leaders and the champions they wish to dethrone. The BIGGEST EPL match of the season so far should deliver the goods.

Barcelona vs Man Utd

Europa League play-off 1st leg

On Thursday, the outstanding tie of this season’s Europa League play-off round sees Barcelona take on Man Utd at Camp Nou. Both are on course for a Champions League return next season, but right now the priority will be going all the way in this competition. Before they think about the trophy, however, they must first book a place in the round of 16

Previous meetings

These grand old clubs have met a total of 13 times, with the last 10 all coming in the Champions League, most notably in the finals in 2009 and 2011. Barça have won each of the last 4 meetings; the last side Man Utd lost 5 consecutive matches against was Liverpool between 2000 and 2002.

How we got here

Barça failed to progress from a tough Champions League group containing Bayern Munich and Inter. They only won 2 of their group games and conceded 12 times in 6 games, but it must also be said that they’ve improved significantly as a unit since the turn of the year.

Ironically, it was a home defeat against Spanish opponents, Real Sociedad, on matchday 1 of the Europa League group stage that cost United dear. They followed that with 5 consecutive wins but that wasn’t enough to top the group and seal an automatic place in the round of 16, so now they have to try and get there via the play-off route.

In Barcelona, they’ve arguably also drawn the most accomplished side available. You have to beat the best to be the best though, as the saying goes.

Both sides are in fine domestic form

Barça are flying in LaLiga, 11 points clear of Real Madrid at the summit, although the champions have a game in hand on Wednesday. Xavi’s team have won 6 LaLiga games on the trot in 2023, conceding just 1 goal in the league all year to date. In 21 league matches all season, they’ve only shipped 7 goals. It would be a huge surprise if they didn’t glide to the Spanish title.

United have clawed themselves back into the EPL title race mainly owing to their scintillating form at Old Trafford. Ahead of Arsenal and Man City’s midweek match, they’re just 2 points adrift of second-placed City. They dropped points in a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace and then lost away to Arsenal, but have steadied the ship with 2 consecutive wins on the road since across all competitions, both accompanied by clean sheets. This is probably their BIGGEST away test all season though.

Team news

Barça boss Xavi will likely have to do without Ousmane Dembélé for the 1st leg, so ex-Leeds man Raphinha may start on the right side of their attack.

Sergio Busquets is a doubt too. In-form Frenkie De Jong may therefore anchor the midfield alongside 20-year-old sensation Pedri and there could also be a start for Ivorian dynamo Franck Kessié, who played 89 minutes away to Villarreal in LaLiga at the weekend. Kessié was outstanding when AC Milan claimed a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in the Europa League round of 16 in March 2021.

United midfield general Casemiro must sit out 1 more EPL game to finish his domestic suspension, but he’s available here and that’s a huge boost for Erik ten Hag. He should slot right back into the side to partner Fred or loanee Marcel Sabitzer at the base of the engine room.

Christian Eriksen, Antony, Anthony Martial, Donny van de Beek and Scott McTominay are all ruled out for the visitors. Jadon Sancho is back though and adds much-needed depth in wide areas.

Crunch time for ETH

The improvements that United have made under their new boss are obvious and at home they’re become a formidable force. However, February is when things really start to matter and they’re on the road or neutral ground for a few of their BIGGEST assignments this season.

The Red Devils battle Barça here and at Old Trafford for a place in the Europa League round of 16 with a home EPL meeting with in-form Leicester in between, followed by the EFL Cup final against Newcastle at Wembley. It’s pretty much make or break now.

With 8 European Cup successes between them down the years, Barcelona vs Man Utd is one of the glitziest ties in Europa League history. We should be in for 2 high-quality legs of football.