Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag confident of Arsenal win without Casemiro – ‘We have an idea’ | Football | Sport

Erik ten Hag says he is confident Manchester United can land a second blow of the season to Arsenal’s title hopes – even without their talisman Casemiro. The increasingly influential midfielder misses Sunday’s blockbuster at the Emirates.

That’s because he picked up a fifth yellow card of the campaign in the draw at Selhurst Park on Wednesday. But Red Devils boss Ten Hag maintains the Brazilian’s absence will not be the game changer for his in-form side.

“We beat Arsenal last time without Casemiro so we have an idea of how to do it,” said Ten Hag. “It is obvious they are in a really good run and they deserve to be where they are now. They play with a really good mentality and have a winning attitude in the team.

“That’s why they are top of the list. But it is up to us to beat that run and we will do everything to do that.” Casemiro’s absence is an undoubted setback to United given he has been an integral part of their 10-match unbeaten run.

MUST READ: Arsenal ‘open to making two more January signings’ after Trossard

Since his first start against Everton on October 9, a week on from the 6-3 Manchester derby defeat at the Etihad, United have lost just one league game in 12, winning eight. In the first fixture between United and the league leaders – Ten Hag went with Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay but could line up with Fred alongside the Denmark midfielder.

It remains the only game Mikel Arteta’s side have lost this season. United’s manager admits that the task now, compared to that first meeting in early September, looks significantly more difficult.

But he insisted United were more than capable of reducing the gap between the two clubs to five points by Sunday evening. He said: “At the moment we played them you could already see that the manager and the coaching staff had been already working on the team for a long time with really good structures.

“I think they have even improved during the first half of the season and there is a really good spirit in the team as well so we know what to do.  We have to be really good and need a really good performance, but if we do we have a good chance also to get out of that performance a good result.”

DON’T MISS…
Chelsea draw up new plan after hitting Moises Caicedo roadblock
Liverpool ‘optimistic’ of signing Bellingham thanks to Gerrard offer
Man Utd board have four reasons to sign Tielemans after new details

Ten Hag has admitted he will seek to add further reinforcements to his squad in the January window if the right players become available. Wout Weghorst has been the sole addition so far signing on loan from Burnley via Besiktas until the end of the season.

But the United manager said: “As Manchester United you always have to look for solutions and always you have to look for better and that is what we will do. We will be doing our research and if there are opportunities we will go for it.”

Win a pair of tickets to the Premier League or Women’s Super League match of your choosing! CLICK HERE