Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says Sunday’s trip to Manchester United will be “strange” without Sir Alex Ferguson. The pair were the longest-serving managers in the English game before Ferguson retired as United boss in May.Arsenal could move 11 points clear of the Old Trafford club with a win but Wenger feels it is too soon to judge Ferguson’s successor David Moyes.
“It will be a bit strange without Sir Alex Ferguson there on Sunday,” Wenger said.
“David Moyes has shown great competence at Everton, so you need to leave him time to really get a grip on Manchester United, and he is slowly doing that. You see it now in the results.
“When someone has been there for 26 years and goes, it takes time for the guy who comes in.
“It is very dangerous and difficult for the manager who comes in. For me, Moyes is dealing very well with the situation.”
The rivalry between Wenger and Ferguson grew so intense that they were urged to end their feud by the Metropolitan police in 2005.
That followed the infamous pizza-throwing incident that came after United’s 2-0 win at Old Trafford in 2004, a victory which ended the Gunners’ 49-game unbeaten league run.
Arsenal have not won at Old Trafford since 2006 and have been beaten on each of their last five trips to United, including an 8-2 defeat in August 2011.
But the Londoners have 25 points from their opening 10 Premier League games this season and are five points clear at the top of the table heading into the weekend, while they are also on a run of 14 wins from their last 15 unbeaten away games.
Their latest victory on the road came against 2012-13 Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, and Wenger believes the trip to Old Trafford will be another stern test of his side’s credentials.
“It’s one of the games where you can build confidence and gain credit,” added the Frenchman.
“Recently we have not done so well there. What is important is that we trust our quality and show our resilience. It’s a good opportunity to show we’ve improved.”
Robin van Persie is set to face Arsenal for the third time since leaving Emirates Stadium to join United in August 2012.
The striker went on to score 26 goals to help United win last season’s title.
Wenger believes that the work of Dutchman Rene Meulensteen, who left Old Trafford when Moyes took over, was key to persuading Van Persie to move.
He said: “Robin van Persie had been convinced by the Dutch coach who was at Manchester United, [so] that played a big part.
“It was more the fact that I had the conversations I had with Robin van Persie that convinced me [to sell him]. It is not the talk with Alex Ferguson that convinced me to sell Robin.” – BBC Sport
