By Ian King
A little bit of historical past
Arsenal and Manchester United have performed one another 240 occasions in all competitions with United having gained 101, Arsenal 89, and fifty attracts. Their first assembly got here 130 years in the past this 12 months, after they performed out a 3-3 attract what was then the Second Division, as Newton Heath and Woolwich Arsenal.
Extra not too long ago than that, issues received spicy with Arsenal’s return to the ascendency beneath Arsene Wenger within the late Nineteen Nineties. Seven pink playing cards have been proven between February 1997 and February 2005, a interval which additionally included the league fixture in September 2003 which turned referred to as the “Battle of Outdated Trafford”. Barely extra not too long ago, in fact, got here United’s 8-2 win in opposition to Arsenal in August 2011.
Latest kind
Consistency is popping out to be the important thing to success this season, and each of those groups are making encouraging strikes on this route. Arsenal have recovered from their finish of October mini-wobble by successful their final three matches and scoring 13 objectives into the cut price. Manchester United stay unbeaten since they sacked Erik Ten Hag, although how a lot progress Rúben Amorim has made is considerably tempered by the modesty of the opposition he’s confronted. That is his first severe United check.
Key gamers
Marcus Rashford has scored three objectives within the two league video games for which Amorim has been in cost. Is that this the start of a rebirth for a participant who appeared for a very long time as if he’d fallen out of affection with the sport?
Concerning Arsenal, the higher query might be who isn’t a key participant now Martin Ødegaard is now again to construct a aspect round. They’ve scored eight objectives of their final two Premier League matches, and people objectives have come from seven completely different gamers.
Group Information
Gabriel needed to be withdrawn in opposition to West Ham after a problem that he picked up in opposition to Sporting flared up within the first half, although Mikel Arteta described that early withdrawal as ‘precautionary’. There might also be doubts over Mikel Merino, Thomas Partey and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are positively lacking.
Manchester United are sweating on captain Bruno Fernandes, who got here off in opposition to Everton and was later seen on the bench with an ice pack on his ankle. Along with this, Lisandro Martínez and Kobbie Mainoo are each suspended. Harry Maguire is match once more, however Jonny Evans, Victor Lindelof and Leny Yoro might all miss out.
Prediction
With so many key members in each defences absent, each groups having scored objectives for enjoyable final weekend, and a historical past of this being a reasonably high-scoring match, we would anticipate plenty of objectives from this one. The current Manchester Metropolis implosion can have given supporters of each golf equipment one thing to cheer about, albeit for considerably completely different causes. With United wanting purposeful once more beneath their new supervisor, this might find yourself a high-scoring draw. So let’s go for 2-2 draw.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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