After the third match of this Premier League season if you would have said that Manchester United would be level on points with Arsenal just six games later you would have been making a joke.
But this is the great reality we are currently facing and it only looks to be getting better for the north London club.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer continues to run Manchester United into the ground whilst Mikel Arteta overcame the criticism he was facing earlier in the season and has put Arsenal on a charge up the league table.
If the Manchester club fail to react soon enough then the Gunners will fire their way into the Champions League places and take fourth place for ourselves.
And there are many factors that will point into Arsenal’s favour which isn’t just the managerial situation.
Manchester United are currently playing in the Champions League which has a major increase to the fixture list and total playing time.
Arsenal find themselves without European football for the first time in over two decades meaning the time in-between fixtures have increased giving more time for players to rest before the next game and it allows Arteta to better prepare ahead for the weekend fixtures.
The Champions League has been a real issue for Manchester United this season as every game has gone down to the wire due to their poor performances which is reducing the teams fitness levels.
This isn’t the issue for Chelsea or Manchester City who are getting through their group stage games with ease due to the qualities of their coaching staff.
Arteta has put the club on a six-game unbeaten run in the Premier League and after a tough run of fixtures, there has been a switch in momentum which is allowing the club to the climb up the table.
The players feel the difference in energy as you can see from the passion from the players in the previous few matches.
Alexandre lacazette was ecstatic for Thomas Partey after he scored his first ever goal in an Arsenal shirt and that is the togetherness you need to climb out of a tough period and gain momentum.
United seem to be lacking this under Solskjaer and the slumped shoulders with a lack of passion is clear and explains why the club have some of the lowest running statistics in the league.
Arteta’s clear structure is putting Arsenal on the brink of overtaking Manchester United and Solskjaer is playing a major part to ensure that this takeover happens.
The owners at Manchester United must react or face the fact of another rival overtaking them in the league table, which is already on the verge of happening.
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