2 old foes will go head-to-head on Sunday, when Manchester United take on Arsenal with both teams hungry for a top 4 place in the Premier League.
It’s been a topsy-turvy season for both Manchester United and Arsenal, as both have had their fair share of triumphs and sorrows. Both sides are working with relatively new managers, and while Unai Emery’s honeymoon phase with Arsenal ended late in 2018, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s one seems impossible to stop. Both sides had completely different midweeks, as Manchester United miraculously came back from a 2-0 first-leg deficit to beat favourites PSG 3-1 at the Parc des Princes and advance on away goals, while Arsenal shot themselves in the foot by losing to Stade Rennais in the Europa League on Thursday. Both sides will be desperate for a win this Sunday though, as their top 4 fate hangs in the balance.
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Manchester United do currently sit 4th in the table, but Arsenal are breathing down their necks just a single point behind, along with having the home advantage for this upcoming match. Although the 2 sides drew earlier in the season when Jose Mourinho was still in charge, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got the best of Unai Emery in the FA Cup 4th round earlier this year, in a 3-1 victory which also took place at the Emirates. With Arsenal looking unlikely to win the Europa League based on their current form in the competition, this might be their best chance at getting into top 4, and same goes for Manchester United.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed a golden opportunity to win the North London Derby last Saturday, and had he converted that Arsenal would be 2 points better off in the table, which could make all the difference in the end.
The Gunners have won 2 of their last 3 Premier League home matches against the Red Devils, but they also only won 2 of the 8 prior to that. Manchester United also haven’t won back-to-back away league games against Arsenal since the 1985-86 season. Although these stats do bode well for Unai Emery’s men, they are by no means the favourites, but neither are Manchester United. This match is very much 50/50, making it impossible to predict the outcome.
The difference could be up top, where Man United have a red-hot duo in Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku (who has 3 consecutive braces), while Arsenal have one low on confidence in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and one who could be considered the same in Alexandre Lacazette. Although, the latter Frenchman has scored in 5 consecutive home matches.
Lucas Torreira will miss out on the match following his sending-off against Spurs, but the rest of the Arsenal squad should be ready to go bar the lengthy absentees Bellerin, Holding, and Welbeck. Manchester United on the other hand are still expected to be without Jesse Lingard despite his return to training, while Matic, Martial, and Herrera remain touch-and-go.
It should be a cracking match at the Emirates on Sunday, and one that could potentially make a massive difference in the league table. Manchester United will have the chance to put some massive daylight between them and Arsenal by winning, while the Gunners can make the top 4 race even more interesting with a victory themselves.