Arsenal and Man Utd are two historic clubs who have lost their aura and no longer intimidating, says Martin Keown
HISTORIC pair Arsenal and Manchester United have lost their aura and no longer intimidating to anyone, according to Martin Keown.
Even before the game, a wildly underwhelming 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, the former Gunners defender admitted it's all gone south for both clubs.
In the 1990s and 2000s, opponents arrived to play either side terrified - now they're licking their lips.
Fast forward to the present day and Man Utd are tenth in the Premier League and suffering through their worst start to a season in 30 years.
Arsenal aren't faring much better, either. They may be fourth, but they're just two points ahead of United.
In fact, if you combined both Arsenal and Man Utd's points and goal difference through seven games and they would STILL be second in the league behind Liverpool.
How the mighty have fallen. At least, according to Keown, who wrote in the : "Manchester United had [aura] back in the day.
"They had household names. Teams went there to make up the numbers.
"I know what that is like, too. We had that at Arsenal.
"We did the Double in 1998. They won the Treble in 1999. We both had an aura about us, but that has been lost.
"Old Trafford used to give them an added layer of invincibility, they wore it like a suit of armour.
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"Players would go there with trepidation. Now they go there with hope and belief.
"Look at Rochdale. On September 14, they lost 6-0 at Peterborough in League One. Nine of the players who started that game started against United in the Carabao Cup — and they drew 1-1.
"That aura has been lost."