Erik ten Hag has made a change to training at Manchester United ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash against Arsenal.
The Dutchman seems to have a personal focus on the Gunners, as he continues to reiterate his view that Manchester United should have won at the Emirates Stadium back in September.
While it is ultimately futile of the 54-year-old to keep mentioning this, as nothing will change that result now, Erik ten Hag has actually devised a special plan in training at Carrington to help Manchester United beat Arsenal…
What Erik ten Hag has done ahead of Arsenal clash
Miguel Delaney of the Independent believes the man from Haaksbergen has been working on a “very different” tactical plan in an attempt to thwart Mikel Arteta.
Writing in his Reading the Game newsletter (sign up needed) for the Independent, the respected journalist claimed: “Maybe it’s a last attempt to keep his job. Maybe it’s just knuckling down. Maybe it’s all just proceeding as planned. Maybe it’s just something with Arsenal. Either way, Erik ten Hag is said to have spent the week working on a very different plan for Mikel Arteta’s side. The wonder is what response it has.”
The Red Devils still have nine points to fight for and could qualify for the UEFA Europa League depending on other results, and with Arsenal needing a win in the Premier League title race, it is all to play for at Old Trafford.
Mikel Arteta will want revenge against Manchester United
Arsenal could well have won the Premier League title last season were it not for that 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford in September 2022, which saw Gabriel Martinelli have a potentially decisive goal harshly ruled out.
It was ultimately a pivotal result in the title race, and Arteta will surely be out for revenge, presumably feeling more than just a tinge of injustice about what happened in that fixture.
The Spaniard and Martin Odegaard both described it as a “soft” decision by Paul Tierney (Sky Sports) – and it was – so the Gunners will surely use that as motivation on Sunday.
After all, Arteta is no stranger to a motivational technique…