Are Auba’s shooting boots at United?
Hits or misses? Aubameyang leads Arsenal against Rashford’s United. PHOTO | AFP
What you need to know:
- Early war drums. Arsenal travel to bitter rivals Manchester United at the time the two struggling giants face dire and indifferent start to the season. Will Aubameyang find his missing shooting boots or will it be a Rashford show?
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his seventh Premier League goal of last season in a 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. It was September 30 and the seventh game of the campaign.
That goal kept Arsenal in fourth on 12pts but left United 10th on nine points. Tomorrow, Arsenal arrive at Old Trafford probably lower than their current 11th place (nine points) and their host, 15th place on the log with seven points, could be even worse.
But there is a different vibe about the match. Despite failing to win their opening three games of a league campaign for the first time since the 1972-73 season, beating PSG in Paris and thumping RS Leipzig at home in the Champions League has the Red Devils almost euphoric.
To make it even sweeter, Marcus Rashford’s 16-minutes hat trick against the Germans midweek has fans optimistic of this home encounter.
United are known to come good from any situation against Arsenal. The team that ended the Gunners invincibility 16 years ago continues to end own bad runs or Arsenal’s good ones whenever they meet.
And the matter of the winless home run in the league for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team should be a motivation when they face off.
But to continue United’s home misery in the league, Mikel Arteta will want Aubameyang to find the shooting boots he misplaced while signing a contract extension mid-September.
The Gabonese, 31, has been a shadow of himself since signing a bumper $430,000 a week three-year deal but if there is anywhere else the Gunners would hope he finds the boots, it is at Old Trafford or Tottenham Stadium.
Old Trafford has come first and the Arsenal skipper has nowhere to hide at a time both teams are without major injury concerns.
English Premier League
TODAY LIVE ON DStv 223
Sheffield Utd vs Man City 3.30pm
Burnley vs. Chelsea 6pm
Liverpool vs. West Ham 8.30pm
Sunday
Aston Villa vs. S’thampton 3pm
Man Utd vs. Arsenal 7.30pm
