Keown: Emery's Arsenal must look to expose Manchester United's defence

This is a game Arsenal must win at all costs. They are only one point behind Manchester United but the momentum is with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team.

United went to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday and pulled off a remarkable 3-1 win. Just 24 hours later, some 220 miles away in Rennes, Arsenal slumped to a 3-1 defeat.

When Unai Emery  arrived in London, the Arsenal manager’s big test was to make the team more competitive on the road. So far, he has failed.

Most concerning is that as soon as something unexpected happens — such as a player being sent off — his players seem unable to cope. Arsenal were 1-0 up and in full control in France before Sokratis’ red card. While playing with 10 men is difficult, it is no excuse for a capitulation.

In 2002, we had so many players sent off throughout the season that I joked with Arsene Wenger that we were trying to win the league with 10 men.

You have to manage the game and work that little bit harder but after losing Sokratis Arsenal played like a team of individuals.

Contrast this with Solskjaer’s young team, who are playing with freedom and confidence. There is a spirit which binds them together. They have a clear plan and a vision of what they are trying to achieve.

United have gone back to the future, drawing on Solskjaer’s experiences to turn this season around. It feels like a sleeping giant is awakening. An aura is starting to return.

When I faced United, you were not just taking on 11 players but the whole club. Rather than fear the occasion, I used to love it once the game got underway. As soon as you cross that white line, trophies and titles do not matter. Our attitude was: ‘We’re going to take that all away from you.’

Sunday's game may not be a battle to determine who will be champions but it will have a huge say in who qualifies for the Champions League.

United are the last top-six side Arsenal will face this season. There are no straightforward games in the Premier League but it is Emery’s side who have the most favourable run-in.

Win this game and Arsenal can change the narrative. United rode their luck at times in Paris, particularly on the flanks, and it is up to Arsenal to remind them of their weaknesses.

Their defence can be exposed if they are put under pressure. Emery’s best chance of success is to return to the tactics which proved so successful in the 2-0 win over Chelsea.

That day, Arsenal used Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette as inside forwards with Aaron Ramsey breaking from midfield and forcing opponents into mistakes.

Solskjaer will be well aware that Arsenal are a different animal at home. Buoyed by the crowd, they fly forward and take the game to the opposition.

Arsenal must prove they have the character and personality required to be successful. Victory will give them belief that they can finish in the top four, just as beating United in 1998 gave us the belief that we could win the title.

We are about to find out what Arsenal are truly made of.