It’s Manchester United vs Arsenal on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season and all eyes will be on two new strikers on the pitch at Old Trafford.
One will be donning the No.30 shirt in the red of United, while one will be wearing the iconic No.14 in the blue away kit of Arsenal. Both players were looked at by the Gunners for a summer transfer.
Viktor Gyokeres was eventually the chosen one for Arsenal, but United’s new centre-forward Benjamin Sesko was also heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium before eventually making the move to Old Trafford.
It will be interesting to see how well both do come the end of the season, which team got the better striker and if Arsenal made the right choice.
The first day of the season is absolutely too early to make a decision on if it was money well spent for either club in the summer transfer window, but it will be intriguing to see the two go head-to-head having just arived in the Premier League.
Arsenal splashed out £63.7 million including add-ons for Swedish striker Gyokeres, with United spending £10m more on Sesko in the end.
The two strikers have been the subject of much discussion ahead of the clash at Old trafford and TNT Sports pundits Joe Cole and Peter Crouch have had their say before the second game of the campaign between Aston Villa and Newcastle at 12.30pm on Saturday.
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The duo had differing opinions.
Cole said: “It’s exciting for Arsenal fans, it really is. You look at Gyokeres, he’s similar to Sesko in the fact he can run, he drives, he’s powerful. The question mark will be he’s 27 years of age and he’s not scored a goal in the top five European leagues of football.
“He has to come come and start strong and show people he can finish. He’s got a talent. I’d take him, Gyokeres [out of him and Sesko]. I do [think he’s the better signing], I think he’s the one that excites you most.
“I think Arsenal will kick on this year with him and I think he’ll be good.”
Crouch had other ideas. “I’d take Sesko over him personally,” he said.
Time will tell.
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