Arsenal and Man Utd rivalry used to be blockbuster – but did Louis van Gaal end all that?

Arsenal host Manchester United in the FA Cup on Friday, with the showdown set to be an exciting one.

Unai Emery’s side enter the match on a high after beating Chelsea 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday in a result that has sparked hopes they can yet finish in the top four.

Manchester United have rediscovered their swagger under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, however, with the club aiming for an eighth win on the bounce.

Fans will be tuning in all over the world to watch the match expecting goals, attacking football and enterprising play.

But these are no longer the times for football supporters to expect fireworks and feuds between the two sides.

In 2012, United’s rivalry with Arsenal reached fever pitch.

Even though the days of pizza-gate, tunnel bust-ups and on-field fights had long made way for something calmer, Sir Alex Ferguson took it up a notch.

Robin van Persie waltzed into United from Arsenal – with waltzing being the right word. The Gunners never had a chance of keeping the Dutchman.

Arsenal fans were fuming and United fans were jubilant. Red Devils supporters were gleeful, even, when he propelled them to the Premier League title in 2013.

Even when Ferguson walked away, Van Persie continued to cause strong emotions among Arsenal’s fanbase.

The vitriol he received from the travelling support when he celebrated a goal for United against Arsenal was something else.

But then the rivalry died for good under Louis van Gaal.

The Dutchman boldly decided to sell Danny Welbeck to Arsenal, despite him being a popular figure at United.

Since then, matches between Arsenal and United have been calmer, tamer affairs.

Did Van Gaal cause the rivalry to lose its spark? Perhaps.

United and Arsenal never used to negotiate with each other but Welbeck’s exit has paved the way for such transfers to happen in the future.

Alexis Sanchez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s trade a year ago saw fans excited on both sides.

But there was no abuse, no hating, no barbs. Jose Mourinho did not even dig Arsene Wenger out over the fact his star performer had moved to Old Trafford – at zero cost.

It all traces back to Van Gaal. And Arsenal vs United has never been the same since.

source: express.co.uk