The day that most Arsenal supporters have been dreading has arrived as both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have the chance to lift a European trophy, and the Gunners face yet another trophyless season. Let us get this out right from the gate, there is only one choice from an Arsenal perspective here, and it is not their North London rivals.
That’s just football, and while the rivalry and perhaps even irritation that Manchester United cause Arsenal and their fans might be significant, there is little worse for an Arsenal fan than their bitter city adversaries lifting silverware for the first time in closing on two decades.
The question remains for Arsenal, however, what happens in each scenario. Should Man United spare the Gunners from seeing Spurs lift the trophy, what impact might this have?
Well, the winner of the match will be granted qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League, which is, for some, an even bigger prize than the trophy itself. This reward seems out of place when considering the two sides’ positions in the Premier League table.
Ruben Amorim securing Champions League qualification for United in his first season could provide them with an opportunity to attract even more impressive players in the transfer market. One such star is Viktor Gyokeres, Amorim’s former player at Sporting CP and a target for both United and Arsenal.
It could have the drawback of harming the Gunners’ hopes of signing the Swede, as well as other targets in the market. Some also fear that the win could accelerate United’s return to more relevant competitive spaces, making it tougher for Arsenal to secure titles. However, considering their current campaign, this remains just a theory for now.
For Tottenham, the initial emotion that comes to mind is pain. Ange Postecoglou had been hammering the drum of his record of winning a trophy in his second season, and to do so here would go against all the odds, considering the startling number of defeats the side have suffered during the league season.
Spurs returning to elite European competition may not be as detrimental competitively as it would be if Manchester United were to qualify, but Arsenal would almost certainly prefer their neighbours to be as far removed from their own ambitions as possible. In terms of transfers, it is unlikely Spurs could offer financially or competitively what Arsenal can at present, but there may be additional challenges for Andrea Berta when vying with Tottenham for market deals.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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