When Unai Emery has got it wrong this season his side have fallen very flat. However, there was absolutely no sign of him getting it wrong yesterday as the Gunners recorded a professional 2-0 win over Manchester United, and it was all down to the fact that Emery got his starting eleven spot on in the crunch match.
#ARSMUN TEAM NEWS
changes to Thursday’s #UEL lineup…
Leno, Maitland-Niles, Kolasinac, Ramsey, Lacazette
Cech, Mustafi, Torreira, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) 10 March 2019
Emery made four changes from the side he put out against Tottenham in the North London derby last week as he left out Shkodran Mustafi, Alex Iwobi, Matteo Guendouzi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. In place of the quartet, the Spaniard drafted in Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Mesut Ozil, Sead Kolasinac and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and the Gunners could not have been happier with the changes.
Whilst Emery took a gamble in dropping his two wide men and best ball carriers in Alex Iwobi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the added emphasis on using a counter-attack with the attacking trio of Alexander Lacazette, Auba and Ozil came off. Emery’s side were always in control of the tie and never looked like letting their early lead slip away, and the credit simply has to go to the manager for his tactical setup.
You can read the Gunners’ thoughts on their lineup here:
WHAT A LINEUP!!!
— Mads Dolvik (@MainManNiles) March 10, 2019
Oohhh Ramsey,Ozil,Auba & Lacazette!!Man United getting beats today yes!!! #UTA #COYG pic.twitter.com/6r6o31AJHo
— Jody (@AFC_Gal) 10 March 2019
WHAT A TEAM
— Λ Ι (@IwobiBaller) 10 March 2019
https://twitter.com/The_AFC_BLOG/status/1104766502501261314
That’s heaven
— Jake Oliviero (@JakeOliviero) March 10, 2019
https://twitter.com/PeoplesArsenal/status/1104766417285599232
I love @UnaiEmery_ because of this …he has simply put a lineup that if we die we die like real men…. if they counter we counter….
— Gooner Is Enough For Now (@RosickyJr) March 10, 2019
Emery throwing in the big names
— HoldAMedi (@_HoldAMedi) March 10, 2019
Yeeeeeeees! Best line-up ever. Thank you for playing Özil as a #10. We are winning this. #COYG
— PLO (@thegiftedpen) March 10, 2019
The Gunners had complete faith in getting a win as soon as they saw their team lineup, and as they all predicted, their side didn’t disappoint.
