I've not been around

My sincerest apologies for the fact that I've not written anything for the best part of a week. You'll recall that I said I had a number of commitments ahead that would limit my posting towards the back end of last week, and so it came to pass. Among the commitments was the important task of being best-man for a friend on Saturday. This meant that I went out with the groom and some of his future in-laws on Friday evening. On my return home I started to write a blog at about half-past-midnight. As I was mid-rant over the risible Patrice Evra my computer crashed and I was forced to stop writing. Suffice to say that Evra is a nasty little cretin who I hope gets done well and truly by the skillful Nasri tonight - a small, yet painful, kick or two wouldn't go amiss either.

I won't do a proper preview of the game tonight as it's now less than two hours until kick-off. The Sun is saying that Sczeszny might play with Fabianski suffering an injury. I'll be surprised, but I won't be disappointed - young Wojciech does not lack confidence and would step up to the plate if he has to. I want to see Djourou playing, and his absence last Wednesday might have been a precaution to make sure he is available for tonight. Fingers crossed on that. Gael Clichy has an opportunity for redemption tonight - if he can recover his form and keep Nani quiet then he might yet keep the seemingly glass-built Kieran Gibbs at bay.
I wonder if Arsene might have a surprise for Man Utd tonight. I remember the boys going to Fenerbahce a couple of years ago and a Lazarus-like Abou Diaby appeared from nowhere to destroy the Turks. We know that Diaby is back in training, and he might just be the shock to end all shocks at Old Trafford. If he doesn't play then I expect Van Persie to support Chamakh up front.

I can't sign off without laughing at Sam Allardyce. On Saturday he was in line to be the next England manager. This evening he's been sacked by Blackburn and is back on the dole. It couldn't happen to a nicer bloke. Now, if we could just see the back of McCarthy and Pulis then the Premier League will be a better place to watch football.

Hopefully normal service will now be resumed on the blog, and I'll be writing a review piece tomorrow. It would be rather nice to be reporting on a magnificent away win for Arsenal at Old Trafford. A win tonight would show the players know exactly how to win the big games, and we would be three points clear at the top going in to the crucial Christmas fixtures. In the words of Maria, COME.ON.YOU.GUNNERS.