“Could be Arsenal’s secret weapon” – Kevin Campbell explains why Gunners could beat Manchester United in race for top four

Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell claimed that the Gunners have a secret weapon over Manchester United in the top four race in the Premier League.

Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers all have a chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season. The Red Devils are currently in fourth position, two points ahead of Arsenal, who have three games in hand.

Manchester United’s patchy form has continued in recent weeks despite an arguable improvement in overall gameplay. They brought in Ralf Rangnick as interim manager in November after sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. They missed a plethora of chances in the 0-0 draw against Watford last week. This is something Campbell claimed might be due to a lack of team spirit. Speaking to Football Insider, he said:

“Man United are certainly a team that don’t appear united on all fronts. There has been some dissension. They are dropping points in games that they should win. The Watford game was the perfect example of this."

He added:

“The culture is growing at Arsenal. Mikel Arteta and Edu have had to do a lot of work on the culture of the club. They have got rid of players who upset the apple cart. You can see the dressing room is together. They are coming to the fore. That culture is connecting the team to the fan base much more.”

Campbell went on to claim that Arsenal’s togetherness might prove to be a secret weapon in their fight against Manchester United. He said:

“I think that could be Arsenal’s secret weapon in the race for the top four, this togetherness. There is a culture there. They celebrate together when they win and when they lose, they go over to the fans and show their appreciation. Stuff like that is important. Before, some lads would just go in. They did not have that feeling. This team has it and that’s so important.”

Manchester United’s team spirit set to cost them Champions League spot to Arsenal?

Manchester United have failed to play as a team this season despite them having a number of high-quality players. The goalscoring form of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford has faded while Cristiano Ronaldo has looked a forlorn figure for much of recent fixtures.

Harry Maguire’s captaincy and his defensive capabilities have been questioned on all fronts as well.

There have also been reports of unrest in the dressing room, with cliques forming between the players. There have also been reports of certain players' disappointment at interim manager Ralf Rangnick's appointment.

If true, it could be a big factor in the race for the Top 4 in the league. Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur might fancy their chances if this continues.