Edu ready to meet United test head-on
However, the Arsenal midfielder insists the Gunners must put aside any thoughts of the ugly confrontation at Old Trafford and simply concentrate on the game.
If Arsenal can avoid defeat against United, they would not only knock their main rivals out of the title race by at least holding onto their 12-point lead over them, they would also set a new top-flight record of having gone 30 games from the start of the season without a league defeat.
Alex Ferguson’s side have recently attempted to muscle Arsenal out of their stride, especially in the central midfield battle, where Edu is set to be alongside Patrick Vieira on Sunday at Highbury.
The Brazilian nevertheless insisted: “There’s always an edge to a game against United. We have to think and try to play our best and if we play our football, then we can get through it.
“We’re playing in a Brazilian way and I enjoy it a lot. But we must keep playing our kind of game, with passing, movement and going forward, while ignoring any tackles and provocation that may come.
“There will be tackles in a game like this and we have to be ready for them and be prepared to respond well by not getting involved with stupid things, but just focusing on our football.
“It’s two big clubs and everybody wants to win. You know there will be tackles coming in but you have to be ready to stand up for yourselves.”
Arsenal are also as favourites in their FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park tomorrow week and only then will they be able to refocus on their Champions League quarter-final tie against Chelsea, having gained a 1-1 draw from the first leg at Stamford Bridge.
Edu was again superb, having grown in stature almost beyond belief this season in managing to oust his compatriot, World Cup winner Gilberto Silva, from the Arsenal line-up.
“Gilberto has supported me a lot. He’s my big, big friend. We have supported each other,” revealed Edu.
“The team needs that togetherness and now he’s doing it for me. That’s nice but we are close. People ask if it’s strange but we know that’s how football can be. We both have the experience needed to cope with it.
“For me, Patrick Vieira is the best midfielder in the world though. It’s easy to play with him.”
Gilberto nevertheless retains his place in Brazil’s squad, while 25-year-old Edu has yet to earn his first international call-up.
Even when the Brazil coaching staff came to watch them in action for Arsenal against Southampton earlier this season, Edu found himself on the bench.
“Arsene Wenger said I needed to rest and recover because I’d played in consecutive games. I said ‘no, not today!’. But I was joking because I respect his position,” he reflected.
“It’s difficult to get into the squad but I still hope to do it.”
Meanwhile Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann has vowed to bounce back from the goalkeeping error which helped to keep alive Chelsea’s Champions League hopes.
“I am to blame for most of the goals I concede so there is no difference. I’ve done it [come out of goal] hundreds of times before and unfortunately this was very unlucky as he touched it with both his right and left feet. I have to live with that as a goalkeeper.”
He added: “Are we favourites to go through? No, because Chelsea can be dangerous all the time,” he said.
“We are still confident and we know that it’s tough for any side to beat us at Highbury but we have two very hard games against Manchester United now and we must see what happens.
“The pressure is now on Chelsea as they have to try and either win or score a minimum of twice. We will also have the little advantage of a home game and our crowd but, in a second leg, anything can happen.”
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