LONDON: Arsenal manager Unai Emery says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made Manchester United a much more dangerous team since taking over from Jose Mourinho.
Emery’s side host United in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday and the Spaniard expects a stern test from Solskjaer’s revitalised team.
Arsenal drew 2-2 with United at Old Trafford in the Premier League last month, shortly before Mourinho was sacked as manager after a wretched run of results.
Since then, Solskjaer, hired from Molde as interim boss, has overseen seven successive wins in all competitions.
Solskjaer’s approach has won over a United squad that grew tired of Mourinho’s spikey personality, and Emery is suitably impressed. “It’s a different team. It’s the same players but they’re playing with a big performance now,” Emery told reporters on Wednesday.
“I was watching their last matches and each player has a lot of confidence, with big performances, and now they are very dangerous.
“For us, it’s good because it’s a very big test for us in this competition.”
Arsenal’s preparation for the United clash included a team-building paintball trip, but it has been a difficult few days for the club. It was announced on Monday that head of recruitment Sven Mislintat will leave next month having only been at Arsenal for a little over a year.
A day later, Gunners right-back Hector Bellerin learned he could miss up to nine months after suffering ruptured knee ligaments in the 2-0 win over Chelsea on Saturday.
Emery was asked about both issues and believes Arsenal should take their time in appointing a successor to Mislintat, with Roma’s director of football Monchi linked to a similar role in north London. – AFP
