Manager Arsene Wenger has challenged Arsenal to “make a symbolic statement” by beating Manchester United on their own turf tomorrow to secure their place in the Champions League.
The Gunners head north looking to put the disappointment of Monday’s 1-0 home reverse against Swansea behind them and repeat last month’s FA Cup quarter-final triumph, in the process earning a first Barclays Premier League win at Old Trafford since September 2006.
Arsenal are two points clear of the Red Devils so, if Wenger’s men can avoid defeat this weekend, it would leave them all but guaranteed third place, while victory would certainly consign Louis van Gaal’s side to the Champions League qualifiers.
Wenger, though, believes Arsenal can lay down a marker for the challenges ahead next season with another strong performance in Manchester, having also beaten City away earlier in the campaign.
“You expect a game of quality first and we want to bounce back from our defeat against Swansea by putting in a good performance in straight away, and getting a good result out of that,” Wenger said.
“Any result will be a positive result. A draw or a win would be great for us.”
Wenger continued: “First of all we can mathematically put a distance between them and us in the top four and basically secure the top three.
“Also, we can make a symbolic statement because we won over there in the FA Cup, so to reproduce that would be psychologically important... that we can beat Manchester United away from home.”
