In the 20th round of the Premier League, Arsenal, aiming for the championship, drew 1:1 away with Brighton, ending their three-game winning streak and missing the opportunity to narrow the gap with league leader Liverpool. Liverpool also drew with Manchester United at home.
In the first leg of the next League Cup semi-final, Arsenal, who had fielded their main lineup, lost 0:2 at home to Newcastle, losing the initiative to advance to the final. The League Cup is like a "chicken rib," which Arsenal may not take seriously, but judging from their recent two games, the problem of lacking a strong striker in the Arsenal squad has been exposed.
The League Cup can be overlooked, but what about the FA Cup?
In the upcoming third round of the FA Cup, Arsenal will host Manchester United.
Match: Arsenal vs Manchester United
Competition: FA Cup Round 3
Match time: January 12, 23:00
With a tight schedule recently and the FA Cup being a single-elimination format, Arsenal is facing the absence of key players, and even if Arteta wants to take it seriously, he may be powerless.
After playing this FA Cup match against Manchester United, Arsenal will continue to play at home, facing two strong opponents, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, in the 21st and 22nd rounds of the Premier League. If Arsenal spends too much energy in the FA Cup match against Manchester United or if any players get injured during the game, they may not be able to win consecutive victories in the Premier League against Tottenham and Villa, which could widen the gap with Liverpool and even be replaced by Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Newcastle, or Manchester City in second place.
In the 20th round of the Premier League, Manchester United drew 2:2 away with league leader Liverpool, boosting their morale, but the current situation is still severe.
With 6 wins, 5 draws, and 9 losses in 20 matches, accumulating 23 points, Manchester United ranks thirteenth in the Premier League table, 23 points behind the league leader Liverpool who have played one less match, 13 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, and 7 points ahead of eighteenth-placed Ipswich. It's tough to compete for a Champions League spot, but relegation is unlikely.
Last season, Manchester United was in a similar situation at the same stage, fighting back in the second half of the season, but ultimately only finished eighth in the Premier League. If we only look at their Premier League performance, Ten Hag might have been sacked long ago. However, Manchester United won the FA Cup by defeating reigning champions Manchester City in the final, securing a Europa League ticket for them as well.
An outstanding performance in a double red derby doesn't mean much. Manchester United currently faces many problems, and by the end of the season, they may not rank higher than last season. Relying solely on league results, they cannot qualify for the Champions League, nor even the lowest-level European competition, the Europa Conference League. Hoping to secure a Champions League spot by winning the Europa League, as Mourinho did in his first season at Manchester United, is unrealistic.
If they successfully defend the FA Cup title, they will at least be able to compete in the Europa League next season.
Arsenal has won 6, drawn 3, and lost 1 in their last 10 matches across all competitions, with 1 draw and 1 loss in their last 2 matches.
Manchester United has won 3, drawn 1, and lost 6 in their last 10 matches across all competitions, with 1 draw and 4 losses in their last 5 matches, drawing with Liverpool in the double red derby to end a four-match losing streak.
In the last 10 encounters between the two sides, Arsenal has the upper hand with 6 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses, including a recent four-match winning streak.
Recently, Arsenal's form has been poor, with key players such as Saka and Nwaneri injured. Although they are playing at home this time, it may be difficult for them to win. On the other hand, Amorim's team will definitely go all out, with a greater chance of advancing.