Manchester United won 4-2 at Watford this Tuesday and are now in a good position. They have won three consecutive Premier League matches, Paul Pogba is back from injury and Zlatan Ibrahimovic will hopefully put pressure on the ‘sleepy’ Romelu Lukaku.
With the matches against Newcastle and the Hornets behind them, the two upcoming Premier League matches could prove crucial for Manchester United’s season. They will play Arsenal in London and league leaders Manchester City at Old Trafford. Win both and the title race is wide open with six months to go. Lose them and the Citizens will have an easy job of keeping a double-digit lead.
Can Manchester United Actually Win The Title?
This question will not be answered after the matches against Gunners and city rivals. However, they could give us a strong view on is that a reality at all. With Man City being eight points ahead of United and playing shambolic West Ham this weekend, the leaders could improve their lead if a strong Arsenal side appears at the Emirates.
However, that is not always the case. Arsene Wenger is known for having poor results against Jose Mourinho teams. Alexandre Lacazette will not play due to groin injury, either. But then again, Manchester United are still to beat a top six side away from home since Mourinho’s arrival last summer.
The match against Man City will be hyped up as the match of the season. If United beat them, it could really point the failings of Pep Guardiola’s team to the forefront, while giving Mourinho and his players great confidence in pushing for a title. It is all still far-fetched, but it could have a huge influence on how the season pans out.
Can Manchester City Keep Going?
Guardiola’s team will play West Ham this weekend and everything else than a ‘Hammering’ will be a surprise. City will hope United lose points against Arsenal in order to extend their lead ahead of the Manchester Derby. Yet, the derby itself could also be a match of the season for the Citizens.
If they beat West Ham, they will equal Chelsea’s and Arsenal’s record of 13 consecutive Premier League wins in a single season. Therefore, in order to break it they will have to win at Old Trafford. Manchester United could have great pleasure from ending their run, similarly to how they ended Arsenal’s 49-game unbeaten run in 2004.
Can Arsenal Fight For Something More Than Fourth Place?
Arsenal will be hoping to prove everyone wrong about them by beating Man United on Saturday. It will be a big task for Wenger’s team, but they need to show everyone a win against Tottenham was not an exception. They need to show they can fight for the third place and comfortably reaching the Champions League.
If Manchester United get a win from Emirates, everything could collapse once again. Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil would get a confirmation they should leave the club as soon as possible.
The matches against Arsenal and Manchester City will not lead to any particular team winning a title in December. However, they could set us for a more interesting season and a chaotic title race. Yet, Manchester United must prove they are good enough for such a scenario.
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