No point in kidding ourselves any longer, the season boils down to one game. Anything other than a win and the title will have eluded Arsene’s grasp for one more season; one more reason for some to indulge in some manager bashing without having any grasp whatsoever about the nature of his job.

The key thing is going to be picking the players up from the floor which is something that Emmanuel Adebayor believes Le Boss to be good at,

He has more experience than anyone here, and he knows the words to use so that we can come back on the pitch, be more successful and want it more

It is not just down to Wenger to do this though. The players themselves need to find their own motivation and I for one would be dismayed to find any of them taking to the pitch this afternoon without the desire to win.

Arsene has been a busy boy defending himself and the club against criticism over the past few days, his transfer policy being derided or Philippe Senderos from the poison pens of a hack. He took time out though to suggest that winning the title from this position would be perhaps his greatest achievement. I would disagree for I believe that is yet to come, namely that when he steps down as manager, he will be leaving the ship steering a steady course through the various trophies to come with a solid conveyor belt of youth to supplement the signings that any successor makes.

Manuel Almunia responded to the criticism he gets from Jens Lehmann very well indeed. The putdown’s have been one-sided so far with the German sticking his size nine’s firmly where they are not wanted. Almunia made it clear that Lehmann is not important to him and that the other ‘keepers at the club are superior to the German in any case. Oh, to be a fly on the wall when they meet up next…

Which will have been yesterday but Almunia is having the last laugh, retaining his place in the side. Indeed, I would be surprised if there are any changes other than Flamini and Diaby dropping out of the starting XI, replaced by Gilberto and van Persie. There has been a clamour for Walcott ahead of Eboue with the Ivorian dropping to Right Back and Toure moving back into the centre. That might happen but Arsene seemed to indicate otherwise in the week when he hinted that Theo had not yet achieved the consistency for a regular starting spot.

The other aspect which will influence his decision is that Arsenal cannot afford to lose the game if they are to raise a title challenge. This will be a key concern to Arsene and with a trio of attacking midfielders on the pitch, he will feel that the defence would be exposed to United’s attacking strength, i.e. down the flanks. With Eboue and Toure on the right, there is some protection to the back four. With Walcott, well, defending is not one of the lad’s greatest assets and in truth, to have him on the back foot is to waste his talent.

I expect Arsene to line-up with

Almunia; Toure, Senderos, Gallas, Clichy; Eboue, Fabregas, Gilberto, Hleb; van Persie, Adebayor

With a bench of

Lehmann, Song, Bendtner, Walcott, Hoyte

It will no doubt be a tight affair but Arsenal go into this game with their backs against the wall – you know you are in trouble when Ferguson deals out sympathy. Yet there are parallels with last season when the team were languishing in eleventh before victory at Old Trafford sparked a brief resurgence. A similar result would not go amiss this afternoon.

Enjoy the game wherever you are watching it. ‘til Tomorrow.