Manchester United will be desperate to return to winning ways, while Arsenal will aim to keep pace with Liverpool when the two teams face off at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Gameweek 28 of the 2024/25 Premier League season will continue on Sunday, which will feature three games, including the marquee tie in the latest round of fixtures. The action on the day will end with Manchester United vs Arsenal at the Emirates.
Manchester United fans would have hoped for better days when Erik ten Hag led his team into the 2024/25 campaign after winning the FA Cup title last term. While the Red Devils took the game to Manchester City before losing the Community Shield tie in the season opener, things have spiralled out of control since then.
Erik ten Hag lost his job a few months into the 2024/25 season before Ruben Amorim took over in November. However, the Red Devils have barely won games in the Premier League, bowed out of the FA Cup in the fifth round, and are in a 50-50 position in the UEFA Europa League round of 16. So, with a few weeks left in the campaign, Amorim will be eager to turn things around.
On the other hand, Arsenal will head into Sunday’s game on the back of an astonishing 7-1 win over PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League earlier this week. However, the Gunners have fallen 13 points behind Liverpool after failing to win their last two Premier League games. So, time is running out for Mikel Arteta and his charges to remain alive in the title race.
Manchester United and Arsenal have clashed twice this season. While the Gunners won the reverse fixture 2-0, the Red Devils clinched a victory on penalties in the FA Cup third round. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester United
Ruben Amorim has a new roster issue hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester United manager might be bereft of the services of as many as ten first-team players on Sunday.
Patrick Dorgu played in the UEFA Europa League earlier this week. However, the Dane will serve a suspension on Sunday after seeing red in Manchester United’s most recent Premier League clash with Ipswich Town. Meanwhile, Amorim is sweating over Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte’s fitness, with the duo recovering from minor issues.
The duo will face late fitness tests to determine their availability. However, Altay Bayindir (unspecified), Tom Heaton (knock), Jonny Evans (lower back), Lisandro Martinez (knee), Luke Shaw (calf), Toby Collyer (muscle), Kobbie Mainoo (muscle), Mason Mount (hamstring), and Amad Diallo (ankle) remain on the sidelines.
Andre Onana will take his spot between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Arsenal on Sunday. The central defensive unit should feature Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, and Victor Lindelof. Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot are automatic picks for the wing-back spots.
The wide duo will provide the width in the final third and protect the centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in the central areas, although Ugarte will start if he is fit and available. Finally, Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho, and Joshua Zirkzee will form the offensive trifecta.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Onana; Lindelof, de Ligt, Yoro; Mazraoui, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot; Zirkzee, Garnacho; Hojlund
Arsenal
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Mikel Arteta has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Arsenal manager will be without five first-team players on Sunday.
Myles Lewis-Skelly has served his suspension and will be available to take on Manchester United on Sunday. However, Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Gabriel Martinelli (thigh), Gabriel Jesus (knee), and Kai Havertz (hamstring) remain on the sidelines.
David Raya is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Arsenal lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Sunday. The backline should feature Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, and Martin Odegaard. The latter will provide the creative impetus from the middle of the park, while Rice will be the engine for his team. Finally, Mikel Merino should start as the makeshift striker, with Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri completing the numbers in the offensive trifecta.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard
Key Stats
Manchester United have lost their last four Premier League games vs Arsenal, the longest losing run against the Gunners in their league history. In addition, the Gunners have scored in their ten most recent Premier League matches at Old Trafford, netting 13 times in total.
Manchester United are yet to win consecutive Premier League games this season. That is their longest wait for successive league victories in a campaign since 1968/69 when they won their 32nd and 33rd games. Meanwhile, the Red Devils have lost four of their last six home top-flight matches, failing to score in three of those defeats.
Arsenal are unbeaten in their nine most recent away matches in the Premier League (W5 D4). They have not conceded in their last three top-flight ties on the road. However, the Gunners have failed to score in their two most recent Premier League games, managing only three shots on target in those outings.
Manchester United have conceded the opening goal in 12 Premier League games since Ruben Amorim’s first game, second only to Leicester City in that period.
Mikel Arteta has won seven of his ten Premier League matches as a manager against Manchester United (D1 L2). Sunday’s game will be Arteta’s 200th Premier League tie in charge of Arsenal. He has won 118 of his first 199, the fifth-most of any manager in their first 200 (behind Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp, and Sir Alex Ferguson).
Player to Watch
Rasmus Hojlund
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While Bruno Fernandes and Martin Odegaard were viable candidates for this section due to their creative prowess, we have picked Rasmus Hojlund as our Player to Watch for Sunday’s game between Manchester United and Arsenal.
The Dane has endured the dreaded “second season syndrome”, with goals coming at a premium. Hojlund has not scored in his last 19 appearances in all competitions, and with each dreadful performance, he inches closer to the exit door at Old Trafford. While the youngster wants to fight for his future, he must rediscover his form to secure his place at the club next term.
Prediction
Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal
Arsenal’s result against PSV Eindhoven was mind-boggling, considering how much they have struggled in the final third in the Premier League in the last few weeks. However, that victory provides cause for optimism to the travelling fans.
In addition, Manchester United have a dreadful defensive record at home, conceding 24 Premier League goals at Old Trafford this season, as opposed to 15 in top-flight games on the road. In addition, the Red Devils tend to concede the first strike in a game, and that might happen again on Sunday.
However, Bruno Fernandes has been playing out of his skin to get positive results for Manchester United in the last few weeks, which might happen on Sunday. So, Arsenal’s title aspirations might suffer another blow, and The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw.