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Emery wary of tricky Blades

Cape Town - Arsenal manager Unai Emery is guarding against complacency ahead of his side's tricky trip to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United on Monday night.

The Gunners have started the season well but face a tricky test in Yorkshire against a side that are highly motivated after battling their way back into the Premier League.

The Blades are back in the topflight for the first time since they went down on the final day of the 2006/07 campaign in controversial circumstances.

Goal difference was the deciding factor, although Sheffield were left aggrieved by Carlos Tevez’s key performances at West Ham.

However, United were eventually paid compensation by the east London club as the signing of the Argentinian breached rules governing third-party ownership.

It was a small consolation compared to the price of losing Premier League status and a return to the topflight looked a long way off until Chris Wilder was appointed the club’s manager in 2016.

Under the ex-Sheffield defender, they have secured two promotions and have already pushed log leaders Liverpool this season, so Arsenal are aware that this fixture under the lights at Bramall Lane will be a pivotal test of their top-four credentials.

"The coach (Wilder), really his career with that team is amazing and how they are playing is the same as they played in the Championship, with big confidence, good players and their style is to be offensive," Emery said.

"Also, they are defensively very strong, and we are analysing the best possible game plan, but really it is going to be difficult.

"For us, we need to respect first and then we need to prepare, we need to use our game plan, quality and skills. Really we know it will be very difficult and we need to be very competitive in the 90 minutes."

Kick-off is at 21:00 (SA time).

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