Arsenal were the better side against Manchester United for large periods of the game at Old Trafford but tasted defeat for the first time this season.
The Gunners were without Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey for the clash on Sunday, but have been hit with a fresh injury concern after Emile Smith Rowe seemed to pull up during the post-match warm down. Mikel Arteta came under fire for his decision making and comments after the 3-1 loss to United, despite his side remaining top of the Premier League by a point.
Erik ten Hag has impressed with wins over Liverpool and Arsenal after just six games in charge at Old Trafford, but Jamie Carragher believes the Gunners still have the edge over United at present. Arteta will need to manage his squad well in the coming months with a packed fixture list ahead, but injuries could derail the north London outfit after a strong start.
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Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate Xtra, in partnership with Sky Bet, Carragher has discussed how Arteta can lead Arsenal throughout the season and stay ahead of United, but has expressed concerns over the injuries the Gunners are facing now. The ex-Liverpool defender said: "Arsenal are a better team than Manchester United right now.
"Arteta’s three years in, Ten Hag is just starting and he’s gone a little bit more pragmatic because he can’t play the way an Arsenal team does now. I think in two or three years time, the way Arsenal performed on Sunday that’s the way United will play, playing from the back all the time, playing through the lines.
"I admire what Ten Hag has done. So right now, I think Arsenal have the edge but squad-wise, that’ll be big problem, if they get injuries to certain players."
Arsenal were unable to add Douglas Luiz to their squad on Deadline Day after Aston Villa rebuffed three approaches from the Gunners. A new winger was also thought to be a priority before the transfer window closed, but technical director Edu was unable to satisfy Arteta's transfer demands.
With a hectic schedule leading up to the 2022 World Cup kicking off in November, injuries may prove to be Arsenal's downfall this season, with the drop in quality from starting team to substitutes deemed as a major concern. The Gunners may look to reinforce Arteta's squad in the January transfer window, though deals are notoriously harder to complete in the winter window with teams reluctant to lose their star players mid-season.
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