The early kick-off at the Emirates last weekend saw the top two sides in the country slug it out for the all important three points and some bragging rights. There have been times in the past when Arsenal v Manchester United affairs have been tight and cagey, but not here.

Even though it wasn’t free flowing football, the kind we are accustomed to seeing from the Gooners and the Red Devils, both teams showed enough intent to go for the win. Admittedly the onus was on the home side to chase the three points and United predictably held back and absorbed the pressure. However, Sir Alex ferguson's men had been in scintillating form, scoring four goals in each of their three previous matches - a feat that looked very difficult to emulate against Arsenal at the Emirates.

United started out in a classic and predictable 4-4-2, a formation where they have been at their destructive best. Arsenal reverted to 4-5-1 with Emanuel Adebayor ploughing a lone burrow up front, a formation that Arsene Wenger has traditionally played against United to stifle their creative midfield and cut off the supply to Wayne Rooney and Co.

'While Hargreaves would be the water carrier, Anderson can push the play forward with his neat passing abilities. I can’t help thinking that this formation might suit Tevez since he drops deep into midfield to pick up the ball and then pushes forward'


For once, United had the personnel to battle the midfield five of Arsenal. Owen Hargreaves, as expected, did some excellent work in protecting the United back four. It's easy to see why Sir Alex coveted him so much; high energy, good work ethic and extremely dependable.

The surprise package was Anderson; a young prospect touted as a good playmaker, attacking midfielder and a long-term replacement for the Ginger Ninja, he was brilliant in defence. His terrier-like tenacity saw him snapping at the heels of the Arsenal midfield and he was composed in knocking the ball around in neat passes.

While I know that this match happened a week ago and the dust has settled since then, my bone of contention for this and similar fixtures is this:

United have traditionally been stifled in midfield against strong teams like AC Milan, Chelsea and Arsenal. Also, they haven’t had the personnel to stem the counter-attack of the opposition, as was evident when the likes of Kaka and Clarence Seedorf attacked on the break against United, to a painfully telling effect.

With Arsenal putting out a five-man midfield, wasn’t this a good opportunity to test the 4-2-3-1 which has been used sparingly, but to devastatingly memorable impact when it has. The back four of Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra would remain unchanged; Hargreaves and Anderson (Michael Carrick if fit) playing the two, essaying the role of Rino Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo; Luis Nani, Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo playing the three with Wayne Rooney up front.

While Hargreaves would be the water carrier, Anderson can push the play forward with his neat passing abilities. I can’t help thinking that this formation might suit Tevez since he drops deep into midfield to pick up the ball and then pushes forward. He is also handy in defence and can track back as and when required.

This would also leave Tevez with a better chance in a one-on-one against Mathieu Flamini as Flamini is also not very tall nor is he the strongest in the air. This was not the case in the match as Tevez got taken out of the game as William Gallas and Kolo Toure were not only pacy but also strong in the air. Importantly, this formation would have been able to keep a better check on Cesc Fabregas’s creative abilities and Aleksandr Hleb’s runs forward as you would have Hargreaves and Anderson man-marking them and disrupting their free-flowing, smooth football.

With Fabregas and Hleb pushing forward, it would pit Emmanuel Eboue, Flamini and Tomas Rosicky against Nani, Tevez and Ronaldo respectively. This would leave Flamini to play the holding midfielder trying to track Tevez’s movements while Rosicky would have to contend with Ronaldo. However, Ronaldo not being the best defensively would allow Rosicky space to push forward with Hleb and cut in from the left. But on the break, which United seem to play at the Emirates, Ronaldo would be devastating going forward and leave Rosicky behind.

It would also allow Evra to make those surging runs forward on the left, knowing that Hargreaves and Anderson are  patrolling and defending the defence. Too often, we have seen Evra pour forward and then be caught hopelessly out of position when the opposition attacks on the counter.

Given the speed of Arsenal’s attacks, this could have cost United dear, more so when Wenger introduced Theo Walcott on the right with the intention of catching Evra off guard. Ultimately, Evra’s brilliant run and Louis Saha’s pinpoint pass resulted in United’s second goal - but Evra’s forward movement can, at times, be a cause for concern.

With Nani and Ronaldo as flying wingers and Tevez playing in the deep hole behind Rooney, this attacking quartet would pose problems for the back four of Arsenal with their movement. Given that this quartet passes on the deck, unlike the hoof-it-and-hope approach adopted by Liverpool, they would be playing to Arsenal’s weakness as the Arsenal defence is strong in the air.

Even if this formation didn’t click, it would be easy to revert to a 4-4-2 with Tevez partnering Rooney upfront and Hargreaves and Anderson making up the engine for United.