Manchester United return to Premier League action once again on Sunday afternoon, welcoming Arsenal to Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim watched on as his Manchester United side drew 1-1 with Real Sociedad on Thursday night.
United have the second leg of that Europa League clash to come but Amorim must now focus on facing an already familiar foe.
This will be Amorim’s third clash with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta since arriving at Old Trafford in November.
Arsenal beat United 2-0 in the Premier League back in December, inflicting a first Premier League defeat on Amorim.
United defeated Arsenal on penalties in January though, dumping the Gunners out of the FA Cup on penalties as Amorim claimed some revenge.
Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Martin Odegaard shares Manchester United verdict
That FA Cup win provided some positive feeling around United at the tie, but much of that has dissipated now.
United have won just three Premier League games under Amorim in 2025 and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Fulham last weekend.
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United fans would love a victory over Arsenal on Sunday, even if a win would only serve to push the Premier League title closer to Liverpool.
Ahead of Sunday’s clash, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has told the club’s official website that he is expecting a ‘tough’ encounter against United.
Odegaard noted that United have been ‘struggling’ of late but are still a big club and have ‘individual quality’ to cause a real problems.
Odegaard did though add that he and Arsenal are ‘not scared’ of heading to Old Trafford and wants to win the game as they seek to keep their Premier League title hopes alive.
“It’s always tough when we play them,” said Odegaard. “I don’t think they are where they want to be in the table but we know the qualities they have to win the game, they have a lot of individual quality, and when they click as a team it’s challenging to play them, so it’s a great challenge for us. We have to take the good feeling now into Sunday and hopefully we can do more of that.
“They’re not where they want to be in the table and it’s a big club and it’s been struggling a little bit but as I said before we know the quality they have when they’re on it, a lot of good individual players that we have to be ready for so we go there to win, we’re Arsenal and we’re not scared to go there to win so that’s it,” he added.
Ruben Amorim is a big fan of Martin Odegaard
Odegaard maybe hasn’t been at his brilliant best in spells this season, but still scored twice in Arsenal’s 7-1 midweek thrashing of PSV Eindhoven.
Tyrell Malacia struggled in PSV’s humiliation and Arsenal will look to take some confidence from that result into Sunday’s game.
Odegaard will be key again and one man who respects the Norwegian’s talent is United boss Amorim himself.
Speaking back in January, Amorim picked out Odegaard for praise by suggesting that he is a ‘really special’ player.
“I think he’s really special because his influence on all the games of Arsenal is impressive,” said Amorim.
“I played against them with Sporting, and he didn’t play both games and you feel it in the team. When he’s playing, Arsenal is a different team. They can win and they can lose with Odegaard. I expect a strong team. If Odegaard is in the team, they will be stronger, for sure,” he added.
United’s midfielders must be well aware of the threat Odegaard poses and will be charged with the task of shutting him down, limiting his influence in the final third as he looks to pick up pockets of space.
That is just one battle United face, but it’s one Amorim will have placed extra importance on given his admiration for the playmaker.