Erik ten Hag has explained that Manchester United’s win against Arsenal earlier this season proves that they are capable of toppling the Gunners even without Casemiro.
The Brazilian midfielder, who has quickly become a fan favorite at Old Trafford, picked up his fifth Premier League booking of the season in the closing stages of Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace, ruling him out of Sunday’s trip to the Emirates Stadium through suspension.
United halted Arsenal’s winning start to the 2022/23 season in September when they ran out 3-1 at Old Trafford.
Casemiro made a ten-minute cameo as a substitute that day, with Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen starting in midfield instead, and that gives The Hag confidence that United have what it takes to win the reverse fixture.
On Arsenal’s rise to the top of the Premier League, The Hag began: “Obviously they’re on a really good run and I think they deserve to be where they are now.
“It’s a really good structure and the way they play is with a really good mentality and a winning attitude as a team. That’s why they’re at the top of the list. They’re on a great run, but it’s up to us to beat that run.” We will do everything for it.
“We played them at this point when you could already see that the manager and the coaching staff have been working on the team for a long time and you can see a really good structure in the team.
“I think they’ve even improved during the first half of the season and there’s a really good spirit in the team too, so we know what to do.
“We have to be really good and we need a really good performance, but if we do that we also have a good chance of getting a good result from that performance.
“Like I said, we beat Arsenal last time without Casemiro, so we have an idea of how to do it.
