United with point to prove

Are we on track for an Arsenal v Man United final?

For fans of the Premier League that would be the dream Europa League final… and the way things transpired we’re on track for a super final between Arsenal and Manchester United.

Of course, Roma and Villareal will do everything in their powers to stop that from happening, and we’ve got two excellent semi final matches to look ahead to this Thursday.

Europa Cup outright odds

Manchester United are heavy favourites at 11/10 or 2.1

Arsenal 11/4 or 3.75

Villareal 17/4 or 5.25

Roma 13/2 or 7.5

They attacked off the pitch, now it’s time for United to dominate it

Manchester United seemed to have clicked into gear a couple of months ago and have built good momentum at the right time. A string of good results saw them even push City in the Premier League and this type of form is ideal for a cup run too. Remember, last season they reached three semi finals. They made it to the FA Cup Quarter Finals this season and the EFL Cup semi finals again, so this is a hurdle they need to overcome.

The Super League protests led to fans uniting behind club skipper Harry Maguire and the likes of Luke Shaw, Bruno Fernandes and Saint Marcus Rashford. You now feel the players will do everything to pay their fans’ loyalty back after football’s black weekend. 

It might have been the kick the players needed and the players and fans showed true grit and character in last weekend’s protests. Now it’s onto the green where the players need to do all their talking. This is afterall, a European cup semi final… which comes at the right time given the circumstances. United is a club built on European heritage. From the Busby Babes, who died while on European duty, to Sir Alex Ferguson’s unique Treble winners in 1999, this club loves European nights. It is a huge pity Old Trafford will be empty as Roma visit, as yes, United also have fond European memories playing Roma. The Red Devils ripped Roma apart 7-1 in 2006 in one of the club’s biggest ever wins.

We’re not suggesting that Thursday night will provide us with eight goals but we do think United will go through to the final unscathed. Roma weren’t brilliant against a poor Ajax side in the Quarter Finals and have looked disjointed as a team throughout the domestic campaign too. The Europa League is their only saving grace. They are seventh in the Serie A and without a win in three as the pressure continues to mount on manager Paolo Fonseca.

United are reaching a pivotal point on their journey. Players like Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and David de Gea need a trophy to kick on their careers. You can’t go too long without silverware as it does eat you from the inside, as Harry Kane is finding out. United need to be gutsy, greedy and selfish. They must bully Roma from the first minute, and they can’t let their visitors settle into the game as Ajax did to their own demise. Attack, attack and then attack some more. The fan base demands it, the players showed their spirit off the pitch, now they must go and claim their place in the fan’s hearts forever.

Will it be “same old Arsenal?”

Oh Arsenal. Where to even begin. A total lack of composure week in week out, a gaping hole where a leader should be, no style, no character and importantly no platform. The comparisons between Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Arteta surface each week as people think it’s brilliant that Arteta won the FA Cup last season and this year’s community shield. Yet, United are second, Arsenal are ninth, nowhere near the European spots. As Manchester United are building on a platform, Arsenal are yet to even build their own platform. Fans thought the FA Cup would provide that base, but as Solskjaer said, trophies are a good way of papering the cracks. 

Against anyone, Arsenal look beatable. They wanted to be a Super Club but realistically won’t even be playing in Europe next season. It’s sad, it’s lame, and thankfully dead in the water. Tearing into Arsenal isn’t fun. This is a team that were once The Invincibles under Wenger. European Champions League finalists in 2006. The first player to enter the Premier League hall of fame alongside Alan Shearer was their very own Thierry Henry. But now, Arsenal are in the doldrums. 

A trophy won’t save them. A cup final might demoralize them further. A defeat to Villareal would embarrass them, and could. 

Both these sides have now not won in their last two games. It’s going to be a sluggish affair of two teams who might match each other’s weaknesses. A tame draw in the first leg would give us an exciting second leg and we’re going for Arsenal 1-1 Villarreal priced at 27/5

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