Old-time rivals Manchester United and Arsenal will clash on Wednesday in this week’s headline Premier League fixture at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have been far from impressive this season. They have played three straight league games without a win. And after 14 matches, the Manchester club are three places away from the top four.
But the Gunners are going great guns. They should be confident ahead of this one after returning to the top four with a sensational win over bitter rivals Tottenham on Sunday.
And while United hold the upper hand in terms of head-to-head meetings with the north Londoners, Unai Emery’s men are unbeaten in 19 games across all competitions.
They are eight points ahead of Jose Mourinho’s men, who came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Southampton in their last game. The Portuguese will expect a strong response from his team in a potentially pulsating contest.
Team News
United winger Ashley Young is not available due to suspension. Reports say Diogo Dalot could make his first Premier League start at right-back.
Meanwhile, reports say there are question marks hanging over Romelu Lukaku and Luke Shaw. The players came off with knocks at Southampton.
But Mourinho is confident Marcus Rashford, who was also substituted last Saturday, would be fit.
While Alexis Sanchez (hamstring) and Victor Lindelof (muscular injury) will not be available for United, Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly, Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian are doubtful.
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As for Arsenal, Granit Xhaka is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in the win over Spurs; while Nacho Monreal (hamstring), Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin) and Danny Welbeck (ankle) remain out.
Opta Stats You Need To Know
1. Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 11 home Premier League games against Arsenal (W8 D3), since a 0-1 loss in September 2006.
2. Arsenal lost both Premier League meetings with Manchester United last season – they last lost three in a row against them in November 2012.
3. Arsenal have only scored more than once in three of their last 39 away league games against Man Utd – and they’ve lost all three of those games (2-4 in November 1984, 2-8 in August 2011 and 2-3 in February 2016).
4. This is the first time Man Utd have hosted Arsenal in a midweek Premier League match since May 8th 2002, when Arsenal won 1-0 to clinch the title thanks to a Sylvain Wiltord strike.
5. Arsenal have lost their last three midweek Premier League games (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), conceding three goals in each defeat (vs Swansea, Man City and Leicester last season).
6. Arsenal have scored at least twice in all six of their away league games this season – only Watford last term have scored 2+ goals in their first seven games on the road in a single Premier League campaign.
7. Manchester United have conceded 23 goals in their 14 league games this season; it wasn’t until their 30th Premier League game of 2017-18 that they conceded their 23rd goal last season.
8. Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 19 games in all competitions. They last went 20 without defeat between April/November 2007 (28 games).
9. Arsenal have won four of their six away Premier League games this season (D1 L1) – as many as they had in 19 on the road last term (W4 D4 L11).
10. Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho has never previously lost in five meetings with Arsenal manager Unai Emery (W4 D1, all in La Liga), with this their first meeting since October 2013 (Mourinho’s Real Madrid beating Emery’s Sevilla 4-1).
11. Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored with each of his last 10 shots on target in the Premier League.
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