Two of the world's best tacticians will have their third go at each other on Sunday evening. Louis Van Gaal and Arsene Wenger fight for the English Premier League's third spot, while fans and media wonder how they can set each of their sides to win the game. During their previous meetings this season, both managers have adapted to the fair number of absences their teeams have suffered, and this will surely be the case on Sunday. Can Wenger cling to the third spot, or will Van Gaal upset the Gunners one more time? Let's find out which weapons they might use when they meet in this weekend's most interesting matchup.
Manchester United: Van Gaal's defense might be the key
The Dutch manager has been often referred to as a master tactician, and he will try to prove it once more. During his eleven months as Man United's coach, Van Gaal has switched his team as they might need it due to the constant injuries to some of their key players. In fact, when both sides met earlier this season, Van Gaal used a three-men defense, which included Paddy McNair, Chris Smalling and Tyler Blackett. The experiment was succesful, as his side went on to win 2-1 at Emirates Stadium with Smalling being one of the team's most important players. When both sides met back in March, United went back to using four men in the back. Antonio Valencia, Marcos Rojo and Luke Shaw joined Smalling as the Red Devils saw their efforts cancelled by Danny Welbeck's goal.
Moving up on the pitch, Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera are sure bets for Van Gaal, now more than ever after Michael Carrick's injury. With Wayne Rooney out of commission for this game, it seems that Radamel Falcao and Angel Di Maria will have another chance to prove their worth, even if their performances haven't been as great as expected. With a number of options for Van Gaal to use, here's how we think the Dutch tactician will line up his squad.
United's Starting XI: De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Rojo, Blind; Fellaini, Herrera, Mata, Di Maria, Young; Falcao.
Arsenal: Just a few adjustments for a better tuning
Wenger's men put together a great streak after being eliminated from the Champions League, and their French manager might try to keep that going despite their most recent loss. After weeks of experiments, Wenger finally found a formation that could win, score good goals and defend correctly, and he seems like he will not be making a lot of changes unless there are some last-minute injuries.
David Ospina has defended Arsenal's net just fine, and the Colombian is a sure bet to start. In defense, Hector Bellerin, Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Nacho Monreal seem to be Wenger's choices against United's depleted attack. If Le Prof decides to change someone, Mathieu Debuchy could earn a start, although he has been struggling lately with injuries.
Midfield positions are a sure bet for Wenger, with Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla as holding midfielders. With creative duties, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Özil and Arsenal's season MVP Alexis Sanchez will be handed the task of making United's defense struggle, and if things go as planned, Wenger will have his compatriot Olivier Giroud as the front runner. The Frenchman has not been feeling too well lately, and if he ends up not being available, former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck will try to repeat his performance in March, where he scored the game winner for the Gunners.
Arsenal's Starting XI: Ospina; Bellerin, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal; Cazorla, Coquelin; Ramsey, Özil, Sánchez; Giroud.
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