United’s home advantage makes them definite favourites, and Wenger won’t want to see his team beaten at full strength

A few weeks ago, I said that the sloppy performance at home to Birmingham meant that Arsenal would have to win at Old Trafford if they were going to win the league. Manchester United’s poor derby display at home to City at the weekend means that may no longer be the case.

What is certain is that Arsenal go into Saturday’s 5th round FA Cup tie at Old Trafford in high spirits, although in a slightly curious position too. Arsene Wenger and his men are now genuinely favourites for the title but the Frenchman will be keen to ensure that Saturday’s game does not effect the title run-in in any way at all. The situation is further complicated by the visit of AC Milan in a crucial Champions League match just a few days later.

In recent years United seemed to have stumbled upon the best way to play Arsenal; they went 8 league games unbeaten against the Londoners between 2002-3 and 2005-6, despite being clearly the weaker side for 2 of those years. Their successes were in part down to tactics that could described as unexpansive, and occasionally overly aggressive, but although Sir Alex Ferguson can and will employ spoiling tactics from time to time, the purist in him longed to outplay Wenger’s team.

Last season, with Arsenal well off the pace, Ferguson let his guard down. Out went the stifling tactics and United essentially challenged Arsenal to a couple of open games of football. They lost both.

At the Emirates earlier this season United were again more cautious and came away with a well-deserved draw. It will be fascinating to see how much respect Ferguson pays Arsenal on Saturday.

United’s home advantage makes them definite favourites, and Wenger won’t want to see his team beaten at full strength, bearing in mind the psychological implications such a defeat might bring; especially with the league fixture at Old Trafford to come. I’d expect Wenger to rest a few players for Milan on Wednesday (Adebayor very possibly being one), which will also give his team a ready-made excuse if they suffer defeat. Moreover the psychological implications of a win, if Arsenal aren’t at full strength, could be massive.

It should be an excellent game whether or not either or both of the teams are short of a star or two. In fact, if both managers were to leave out a couple of stars the match might be less tense an affair, with just the FA Cup at stake, and the fight for the league put to bed for a day.

In 2002-3 Arsenal knocked Utd out of the Cup at Old Trafford, with Thierry Henry sitting on the bench. At the time they were top of the league and a second successive Double looked on the cards, but they picked up only 15 points from the final 9 games and United pipped them to the post. The FA Cup felt like a mere consolation prize. As sweet as a win on Saturday would be, Wenger would accept defeat (as well as he ever does) so long as Arsenal do bring home the Premiership trophy.

Let the mind games commence.