Arsenal Vs. Manchester United Match Preview

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes his young side stand ``a good chance'' of going one better in the Carling Cup this season. The Frenchman led last season's fledglings all the way to Wembley only for a Didier Drogba double to deny him the one domestic trophy still to elude him as Chelsea ran out 2-1 winners.

Ultimately, that runners-up place proved to be Wenger's side's biggest achievement last term as their domestic and European hopes all faltered in a matter of weeks after that defeat. This season the Gunners find themselves still unbeaten in all competitions, topping both their Premier League and their Champions League group and reaching the last eight of the Carling Cup with a 3-0 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Wenger believes success in the League Cup is again a possibility this season but insists he will not make the same mistakes again. He said: ``We still missed two or three players but when everybody is here we have a good chance again because we have a little bit more experience. ``But it also depends on the injuries. Last year I sacrificed some players at the end of this competition and we paid for it in the Champions League and the Championship so it depends on that.

``When you get to a semi-final you have two legs so you need a little bit of experience and that's what I did last year and in the end it caught up with us.'' Asked if he would stick with his young guns in the latter stages this time around, Wenger replied: ``I will try. It's very difficult to predict in football because you go from game to game and at the moment we are not too bad with injuries.

From now until January 1 we have a game every three days so sometimes in one week you can get four or five injuries.'' Two clinical strikes from Eduardo Da Silva early in each half ensured the visitors were always in control before Denilson's deflected long-range effort sealed a comfortable win. The victory extended Arsenal's unbeaten run to 24 games - the last time they were beaten was on April 7 by West Ham - with Wenger's side victorious in 15 of their 17 games this season.

Saturday sees their biggest challenge to date with second-placed Manchester United the visitors to the Emirates Stadium. Victory for the champions would enable them to leapfrog their old foes, with the two sides level on 26 points with even the same goal difference - although the Gunners have played one less game.

ButWenger believes his team's showing against the Blades will ensure confidence his high ahead of the visit of Sir Alex Ferguson's side. He added: ``I thought overall it was a good performance and everyone played very well. You could see the difference in our team, the confidence was very high and in theirs it was less at the moment.''

One of Ferguson's proteges, Bryan Robson - who skippered United during the Scot's early reign at Old Trafford - believes his old side will be given a stern test. ``I think they are a very good side,'' the Blades boss said. ``They've done well in this competition for the last few years because they're not just about passing and movement, they are a physical set of players as well.

``You have got to have that bit of balance within your team - strength and pace as well as passing and possession, and that's where Arsenal are as good as any team I have seen. ``The movement and the protection of the ball is excellent and that's why they are such a good team.''