See below for the Boro match report.

I DON’T know about you but this United v Arsenal tie has got me fairly footballistically excited.

For United, the veterans of countless Champions League semis, facing us in one is undoubtedly a biggie. For us, I think it’s fair to call the tie one of the biggest in the 123 year history of Arsenal Football Club in it’s various incarnations.

People talk about whether facing a fellow English side takes the gloss off a European tie. Were it Chelsea, I’d undoubtedly agree. That would be boring. But United? Don’t ask me why, but it’s brilliant. Maybe it’s because they are the reigning European champions, maybe it’s our history with them (which I’ll touch on in a video blog later today). Who knows.

Amy Lawrence chronicled the Arsenal v United rivalry nicely in yesterday’s Observer. The only area I’d take slight issue with is her suggestion that the period post 91 brawl until Arsene’s arrival was tame. I’m sure I recall Eric Cantona being dismissed in a humdinger of a 2-2 draw under the Highbury lights and Mark Hughes making the long walk too in another niggly encounter.

One thing that is fascinating to examine is the Wenger v Fergie head to head. It’s a dead heat in the league, which is not something many managers enjoy against Arsene and something even fewer enjoy against Fergie.

By my reckoning the league tally reads: played 25, 9 wins each, 7 draws. In the FA Cup it is 3-2 to them (and not 2-2 as i said earlier) and in the Carling Cup 1-1. Only on charity shields do we have the slight advantage. On goal difference they probably have it.

Look further at the record and there are obvious games that point to a particular side’s ascendancy at the time. 1-0 at OT to us in 98, 6-1 to them in 2000, us doing the double on them the year after, them doing it on us in 04-05. But sometimes the form team struggles. Arsene’s victories in 98-99, 00-01, 06-07 and in 08-09 (most likely) have all come in year’s United have won the league. Equally, the Invincibles did not beat United in the league in 03-04 and nor did they the season before or the season after.

More countdown later.