Arsenal look to cut down United in season-opene
( 2003-08-07 10:08) (Agencies)
Winning the Community Shield would not normally mean as much to Arsenal as an
FA Cup victory at the Millennium Stadium but the result of Sunday's meeting with
Manchester United will be heavy with significance.
Champions United, in
rampant form on their pre-season tour of the United States, take on Cup holders
Arsenal in the traditional English season-opening gala match being played in
Cardiff for the third time.
Arsene Wenger's Arsenal have a score to settle
with themselves as much as with United after allowing Alex Ferguson's side to
steal the title from under their noses last season.
Arsenal need to prove
that their confidence is back after letting slip a lead of eight points over
United in March in the premier league run-in.
If it were down simply to the
venue then Arsenal would have a head start.
Cardiff is a happy hunting ground
for Wenger, whose side have won the last two FA Cup finals there -- 2-0 over
Chelsea in 2002 and 1-0 against Southampton in May -- and the Community Shield
1-0 against Liverpool a year ago.
United, in contrast, lost the League Cup
final to Liverpool in Cardiff in March, having previously been beaten there by
the same rivals in the 2001 Community Shield match.
UNITED MOMENTUM
The champions, however, have retained the momentum of
their title-winning surge last season in their four victories on tour, scoring
14 goals against such rivals as Juventus and Barcelona, without the departed
David Beckham.
They have also lost Argentine midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron
after agreeing a fee of 15 million pounds ($24 million) with Chelsea on
Wednesday.
Arsenal, in a less high profile pre-season programme in which they
drew 1-1 with Celtic, who were hammered 4-0 by United in Seattle two weeks ago,
are just drafting back in the key players who were absent in the latter stages
of last season.
Captain Patrick Vieira played his first match against Celtic
last week since limping off during Arsenal's 2-2 draw with United at Highbury in
April and undergoing knee surgery.
Also back is England central defender Sol
Campbell, who was sent off in the Highbury clash with United and suspended for
Arsenal's last three league matches and the FA Cup final.
The two
goalkeepers, in fact, could be the only new faces in the starting
line-ups.
United and Arsenal have been relatively quiet in the transfer
market but they acquired keepers, Arsenal signing German Jens Lehmann from
Borussia Dortmund after England veteran David Seaman was allowed to go to
Manchester City.
With the powers of French World Cup winner Fabien Barthez
waning, United signed American Tim Howard and were pleased with his performances
on the tour of his home country.
Otherwise there should be an all too
familiar look to the big rivals of the English game -- right down to their
fierce commitment.
|
