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There is no better way to start the season than Manchester United v Arsenal - even if the FA Community Shield is supposed to be a friendly.
We have the top two teams in the land, the two best sets of players and the two finest managers in the land and although it may look a little bit repetetive to some, as always, there will plenty to look out for at the Millennium Stadium.
The first thing to remember is that the result does not really matter - as much as it can when these two sides meet - although Arsene Wenger will be desperate to start the season off by getting one over on their arch rivals.
I just wonder whether this is the year that Wenger actually cracks. Every year, he seems to get more and more stressed and I think towards the end of last season we saw signs that Fergie's psychology was getting to him and he was becoming, well, more British by the day.
He and his players will say it is only a friendly, but after missing out on the Premiership, they will not want to start the season coming second to United again.
It's fair to say that this game will not have any bearing on how the season pans out, but as a one-off game there are so many aspects to look at, that it will be impossible to take your eyes off.
For a start, who do the managers play? Ruud van Nistelrooy has looked tremendous in what has been an outstanding pre-season for Manchester United, but there's no way Ferguson will want him getting injured against his main rivals.
Thierry Henry has hardly played at all for Arsenal and again, I think he is too important to risk, so I can see both managers limiting their key men to 20 minutes, certainly no more than a half each. Even Patrick Vieira, who is coming back from injury is, in my opinion, not going to be given the full 90 minutes.
Arsenal have a new goalkeeper in place, and this will be a huge game for Jens Lehmann. As I've said, I still think they should've replaced David Seaman earlier and this will be the first real test for the new guy and it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to the Arsenal defence.
Manchester United also have a quandry at the back. Tim Howard, who I expect great things of, has done well in pre-season and all of a sudden, Ferguson has two excellent keepers to pick from. Fabien Barthez had some dodgy moments last season but even in defeat against Sporting Lisbon, looks to be in fine form himself.
I will also be looking out to see who partners Rio Ferdinand in central defence because I think that, if there are any, is the one chink in United's armour. John O'Shea and Mikael Silvestre have done it in pre-season, but again he has chopped and changed it around.
That is one area where a side should be settled and I think Ferguson will show us who he sees as Ferdinand's partner by playing him against Arsenal.
And do United line up with five in midfield, with Paul Scholes playing just off the lone striker and Nicky Butt and Roy Keane in the middle. It seems Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has taken David Beckham's place, but will it be 4-4-2 or the five-man midfield?
Also, if both managers keep their big guns on the bench, the so-called lesser players will be keen to impress, which should add even more of an edge to the a game between two sets of players, who clearly don't like each other.
The result does not really matter of course - this is all about the players. Arsenal will want to win, United will want to carry on where they left off last season and neither manager will want anyone to get injured.
It makes it hard to call, but I have to, so I am going for Manchester United. They have scored 15 goals in pre-season against some of the best teams around and whoever has played they look to have the same successful system in place already.
But Arsenal have done well in their preparations as well, even without their star players, so I can only go for United on the way they ended last season and have prepared for this season. It will be business as usual for the champions.
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I have to disagree in one area: I doubt Fergie or Wenger will field significantly weakened sides. Perhaps players like Ruud and Vieira won't play 90 minutes, but I bet both managers would love to win this match.
It might just be the Community Shield, but I'd love to kick off the season by beating the Arse!