Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin has insisted the Gunners are ready to take on Manchester United on Sunday, and believes victory at Old Trafford will demonstrate just how serious the team are about winning the title this term.
The Gunners currently sit in third place in the Premier League standings, level on points with fierce north London rivals Tottenham, after they managed to beat leaders Leicester City in their last game before their FA Cup and Champions League matches.
Louis van Gaal’s side have endured a tricky time this season but, despite their recent woes, United have strung together two successive wins – against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup and against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Coquelin is remaining wary of the threat United will pose on home turf on Sunday, but the Arsenal midfielder still believes the Gunners can heap more misery on the Red Devils with an away win – which would be their first in the league since 2006.
“I think it’s been a difficult [season] for Man United but in big games like this, we know that they’re going to turn up, because everyone loves these kind of matches,” Coquelin told Arsenal Player.
“It would be a massive win for them to beat us. But we’re going to be ready.
“We beat Leicester and I think the whole team is conscious that, if we want to win the title, we have to win against these kind of teams. Man United are always going to be a great team. Even if they had a bad spell, they still have a strong squad.
“Last year we didn’t lose to them away from home [in two matches]. We showed that we can do something against them away.
“We won there in the FA Cup and drew there in the league. We’re going to go there full of confidence after what we did last year.
“We’ve just beaten the team at the top of the league and shown that we have the desire to do well and grab silverware at the end of the season.”
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