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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Arsenal will travel to Old Trafford on Monday to face Manchester United in a match that could have huge implications for the race to finish in the top four.
Harry Maguire and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are two men who could have a decisive say.
On the chalkboard
The Gunners have had the better campaign to date as they sit in fourth place after six games. They have won three of their first six Premier League matches, with their latest coming against Aston Villa last weekend.
The Red Devils have not had it so good, meanwhile, having won just two of their first six. They were particularly disappointing last Sunday, with West Ham needing to do little to earn their 2-0 victory.
This is a game that both teams will be desperate to win, then, and it should prove to be a thrilling encounter.
One battle, in particular, could prove to be key in deciding the outcome.
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Battle between two heavyweights
Aubameyang’s influence on the Arsenal attack cannot be understated.
He has already scored six goals in the Premier League this season, while he added another in the Europa League against Eintracht Frankfurt. In fact, he has scored in all but one match this campaign. The one fixture he didn’t bag in? The loss against Liverpool, the Gunners’ only defeat so far.
It is absolutely essential that Maguire is at the top of his game to keep the Gabon international under wraps, then.
So far this term, he has not faced any strikers of truly world-class quality. Jamie Vardy is the only one who is remotely comparable to that level, and the 26-year-old played with him for a number of years at Leicester City.
Against West Ham, the former Sheffield United man had arguably his worst game since moving to Manchester. In particular, he was found wanting as Andriy Yarmolenko opened the scoring. He left far too much space for the Ukraine international to take the ball and bury it into the bottom corner and he simply cannot afford Aubameyang the same sort of freedom.
The former Borussia Dortmund man, too, will need to keep an eye on Maguire in possession. He has averaged 63.8 passes per game so far this season, more than all but two of his teammates, while he has averaged 4.8 accurate long balls per game.
With United aiming to build from the back, Aubameyang cannot afford to allow the England international to feel comfortable on the ball. Pressure, whenever he has it at his feet, will be vital.
The two are huge players for their respective sides, and they are among the best players in the division.
Keep an eye on their duel during this match; it promises to be an important one.