Premier League: Arsenal vs Manchester United is Always a Blockbuster!

Arsenal vs Manchester United

It’s box office stuff and Premier League: Arsenal vs Manchester United is one of those top-flight fixtures etched in history. During the clubs’ golden periods of the 2000s, there were some epic clashes, notably the Pizzagate battle of 2004 when Sir Alex Ferguson was allegedly struck by a flying slice of Pizza in the after-match melee in the player’s tunnel!

My SBOTOP colleague James, a diehard Manchester United fan, sees the Gunners as the team to beat, alongside Liverpool and Leeds United. There is a unique blend of mutual respect and bad blood between these two sides and James will be glued to the telly on Sunday. It may be difficult watching for him though as Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are aiming to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign. They beat Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace but were frustrated in a 2-2 draw with Fulham last week, while the Red Devils edged past Nottingham Forest in a five goal thriller to make it two wins from three.

With seven points and six, we’re set up for another Arsenal vs Manchester United cracker so let’s take a look at the early team news.

Talking Points

Jesus to start for Arsenal?

The Gunners could give a start to Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus on Sunday after reports in North London confirmed he has recovered from a knee injury. Arteta has played his opening three games without an out-and-out striker and has relied on goals from Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah who have two each. Saka has scored in each of his last three matches against Manchester United and no player in Arsenal’s history has scored four times in a row against the Red Devils.

While Baka is sure to start there is a slight doubt over the fitness of Nketiah who suffered a knock to the knee in the match against Fulham and Arteta will make a late check on him. If he is unfit then Jesus will surely step in. With Jurrien Timber out for the foreseeable future Arteta could bring Oleksandr Zinchenko back into the starting line-up, while Takeshiro Tomiyasu is available again after serving a one match ban for his red card against Crystal Palace.

The Manchester City juggernaut is already gathering pace and Arsenal don’t want to lose touch. But they have lost just two of their last 24 home league games and have a good recent record against the Red Devils.

Varane out for United

The bad news for Manchester United is that one of their best defenders is out of action. Raphael Varane is sidelined for a few weeks and he joins midfielder Mason Mount and full back Luke Shaw in the treatment room. Varane is the biggest loss of the three as he forms a dominant centre back partnership with Lisandro Martinez and head coach Erik Ten Hag has a decision to make. He is likely to bring in Victor Lindelof who replaced Varane when he limped off at half time against Forest.

Up front, new £72m striker Rasmus Hojlund could be set to start while Bruno Fernandes remains the Red Devils’ key player. The midfield ace is hitting a good run of form, scoring three goals in his last five Premier League games having bagged just once in the previous 15.

History

Away from Pizzagate there have been plenty of tasty clashes between these two teams and the Red Devils have had the better of the head to head Arsenal vs Manchester results, with 34 wins to 22 in the Premier League era.

There were two cracking battles last season. United stunned the Gunners with a 3-1 win at Old Trafford, early in the campaign; but Arsenal got their revenge at the Emirates when Eddie Nketiah scored a 90^th minute winner in a 3-2 thriller.

The Red Devils have failed to win at the Emirates on their last five visits, losing four, and recent form suggests they will struggle to break that sequence. Ten Hag’s side have won three, draw one and lost two of the last six games, while Arsenal have won five and drawn one.

Betting Tip

The Arsenal vs Manchester United betting odds are backing a home win at a price of 1.78, while the Red Devils are priced at 3.49 to win, 3.54 to draw or 1.85 with the Double Chance: Win or Draw.

I’m sorry James but I think this is going to be tough for your boys and I suspect Ten Hag would be delighted with a draw. I’m going to hedge on 2-3 goals and I think that means a 2-0 win to Arsenal or 2-1 at 6.76; but hey, a 1-1 draw is priced at 6.95 and that would be a winner too, particularly for our friends up North!

 

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