While Arsenal were being gut-punched by Aston Villa, a mixed XI quietly beat Manchester United 3-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly at St George’s Park, the home of England’s national teams.
The game was arranged to give players short on action some minutes. Gabriel Jesus, still building fitness after January’s ACL operation, featured, as did Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has been training with the Gunners since leaving Besiktas.
Youth expert Jeorge Bird reports that Max Dowman and Charles Sagoe Jr were among the scorers. The Daily Mail also claim United were reduced to 10 men, with James Overy dismissed for two bookable offences. The match comes quick on the heels of a similar friendly, played at London Colney, against Watford.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Dowman or Jesus make the squad for Wednesday’s trip to Club Brugge. After Saturday’s disappointment at Villa Park, Mikel Arteta may be tempted to rotate, giving others a breather before Wolves visit the Emirates next weekend.
Injuries have caused chaos all season, with key players missing for extended spells in both attack and defence. At Villa Park, Arteta was forced into yet another new back line – his sixth combination of the campaign – after Cristhian Mosquera joined William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes on the sidelines.
After the game, Jurrien Timber, who partnered Piero Hincapie in central defence, reflected on the disruption:
“Yes, it is [a disruption]. I think we have a great squad. I think players that come in always do really good, but obviously, it’s not always easy.
“We can’t play every week with the same players, and if players go out again, it’s tough. But I think it’s also part of…it happens within the season.
“I think it happens at every club. With us it’s the same, and we just have to manage that with and win our games.”
The reaction to losing with virtually the last kick – players on their knees, others thumping the turf in frustration – summed up the mood. A hard-earned point had been seconds away, and the lead at the top has since been trimmed to two points by Manchester City.
Timber urged the team to channel that frustration: “I think in the end you need to use it as a motivation and in the end as a strength, because it happened and we need to accept it, and we need to get better.
“At the same time, within the season, I think these moments happen, setbacks, and you just have to step up after that.”