Last Thursday night, Arsenal disappointingly lost 3–1 to Ligue 1 mid-table side Rennes in the Europa League round of 16. Even though they started the game very well with Alex Iwobis goal, the match eventually turned into a nightmare for Arsenal. A red card for Sokratis Papastathopoulos and an own goal by Nacho Monreal added more salt to Arsenals wound, making Unai Emery have to work harder for the second leg fixture.
In contrast, Manchester United are enjoying an extended honeymoon period under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Red Devils surprisingly pulled off a great miracle by defeating Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 at the Parc des Princes, just a day before Arsenals defeat. That comeback win made United the first ever side in Champions League history to advance into the next knockout stage after losing by two goals at home.
Looking at the recent results of both teams, not forgetting their last encounter in the FA Cup just weeks ago, United were the clear favourites prior to this match. Tottenhams slip against Southampton gave United another mental boost, because a win in this match draw them level with Spurs point tally in the Premier League. Against almost all pre-match predictions, Arsenal won this match 2–0, thus forcing United back to fifth place. How did Emery outsmart Solskjaer?
Lineups
Emery opted for a 3–4–1–2 shape. Former Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno started between the sticks ahead of Petr Cech. In the middle of the park, Granit Xhaka was supported by Mesut Ozil and future Juventus player Aaron Ramsey. Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were chosen to lead the front line. On the bench, there were names like Matteo Guendouzi, Denis Suarez, and promising starlet Eddie Nketiah.
Meanwhile, Solskjaer opted for a 4–4–2 setup. In the engine room, Nemanja Matic returned to play alongside Fred, while Paul Pogba also started after being suspended for the Champions League clash. Up front, Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku were given Solskjaers trust to conduct Uniteds attacks. Anthony Martial returned to the squad but had to start the game from the bench, next to another United prospect in Mason Greenwood.
![Arsenal Vs Crystal Palace [1–1] (8 vs 7 P) – EFL Cup 2025/2026: Failure Of Attacking Transitions – Tactical Analysis](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Arsenal-Vs-Crystal-Palace-tactical-analysis--350x250.png "Arsenal Vs Crystal Palace [1–1 (8-7)] – EFL Cup Quarter-Final 2025/2026 – Tactical Analysis 8")
