Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim says Manchester United re just hoping to 'survive' the clash
In the days of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger Manchester United vs Arsenal matches used to decide the destination of the Premier League title, but these days the current United boss just wants to survive the 90 minutes.
Ruben Amorim's rather alarming admission sums up just where United are right now, with dreams of a title challenge any time soon being cast aside in order to aim for more achievable goals.
Meanwhile Arsenal are up near the top of the table, but crucially lagging way behind Liverpool. The Gunners have had their injury issues this season, but in truth they've never really looked like toppling the Reds, and will need something of a miracle for that to happen now.
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All of which adds up to rather intriguing Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford. Bit how will be the 90 minutes play out? We asked our team for their views.
Mike Walters
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Ruben Amorim's greatest hits at Old Trafford is an album with few tracks, but he has knocked Arsenal out of the Cup, drawn at Anfield, won at the Etihad and survived in Europe.
This is the fixture which finished in a torrential storm last May, with the leaking roof at the Theatre of Streams a symbol of United's disrepair. Amorim is miles from fixing the gutters, drains and tiles as he tries to implement his 3-4-3 design with players largely unsuited to the system.
But his reign has so far been one big anomaly, so it would be no surprise if United dug in and chiselled out a point here.
Arsenal scored seven in their midweek Champions League rampage in Eindhoven, but it's very rare for teams who plunder a hatful to go out and do it again in their next game. Prediction: Man Utd 1 Arsenal 1
EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS - MARCH 4: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates 1-4 during the UEFA Champions League match between PSV v Arsenal at the Philips Stadium on March 4, 2025 in Eindhoven Netherlands (Photo by Geert van Erven/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Arsenal thrashed PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in midweek ( Image: Geert van Erven/Soccrates/Getty Images)
David McDonnell
By Ruben Amorim’s own admission, Sunday’s game is a matter of survival for Manchester United ’s injury-ravaged squad, ahead of the biggest game of their season - Thursday’s make-or-break Europa League return leg against Real Sociedad. Against that backdrop, there is only one outcome at Old Trafford - an Arsenal victory.
Amorim’s squad is so depleted, he has little options to rotate and freshen up his team, with 10 players remaining unavailable through injury.
The likes of Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen, Toby Collyer and promising teenage striker Chido Obi are all in contention to start, as Amorim looks at the bigger picture and the decisive encounter with Sociedad four days later, having admitted his side were tiring towards the end of the 1-1 draw in the first leg.
United are struggling to score, and while Arsenal have problems of their own in attack, with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz all out injured, Arsenal should have enough firepower and creativity to beat Amorim’s side and consolidate second place. Prediction: Man Utd 0 Arsenal 2
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Andy Dunn
During the most recent game at Old Trafford - an FA Cup exit at the hands of Fulham - Manchester United fans were remarkably patient. Their displeasure was, rightly, aimed at the co-owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazers.
But when Andre Onana appeared to be wasting time during the second half, there were rumblings of discontent with Ruben Amorim. And it could all get messy at the Arsenal match because there is no way a logical case can be made for United getting anything out of the occasion.
Amorim has eight defeats in his last 16 Premier League games, Mikel Arteta has one defeat in his last 16 Premier League games. After a cruise past PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday - ahead of United’s draw at Real Sociedad on Thursday - the Gunners have had an extra couple of days to prepare.
Sure, their hopes of winning the title are gone but it will still be a buoyant, confident Arsenal that arrives at a doom-laden Old Trafford. Expect only a handsome away win. Prediction: Man Utd 0 Arsenal 4
Ruben Amorim has plenty of injury issues to contend with (
Image:
PA)
Dan Marsh
You wouldn't think from the noise surrounding Arsenal of late that they were heading into Sunday's match some 12 places above their old rivals.
They say the table doesn't lie and it's surely impossible to look past Mikel Arteta's men for this one: Manchester United have endured a rotten season and they just cannot seem to catch a break under Ruben Amorim, who will be counting down the days until he can rip up this beleaguered squad in the summer.
United have delivered in one-off matches under Amorim but, like Arsenal, they struggle for goals. There will be a gulf in confidence, though, with Arsenal smashing seven goals past PSV Eindhoven in midweek while United laboured to a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad.
Arsenal have left themselves too much to do when it comes to overhauling Liverpool in the title race. All they can do is keep churning out results. Everything suggests they will do that here. Prediction: Man Utd 1 Arsenal 3
Ethan Nwaneri has turned heads at Arsenal in recent months (
Image:
Getty Images)
Daniel Orme
But for their stunning win against PSV in midweek, Arsenal have been the definition of mediocre. But luckily for the Gunners, Manchester United have been even worse.
Ruben Amorim’s side cannot score goals, while they’re also struggling to keep them out. Excuse the cliche but it’s a recipe for disaster and immediately puts them on the back foot against their upcoming opponents.
To offer them a crumb of comfort, they will surely be nowhere near as bad as PSV were in the Champions League, which could potentially lead them to keeping Arsenal at arms’ length.
Fans then could expect a low-scoring affair with Arsenal just about doing enough to get a win over the line due to their superiority when it comes to the squad that they can put on the pitch. It won’t be enough to see the Gunners’ Premier League title hopes given fresh life but it will be a morale-boosting victory nevertheless. Prediction: Man Utd 0 Arsenal 1
Joshua Zirkzee was on the mark in midweek (
Image:
Getty Images) Don't Miss
Scott Trotter
Looking at the Premier League table should spark an easy prediction of an Arsenal win, but Manchester United's FA Cup victory over the Gunners earlier this year certainly leaves room for thought.
Mikel Arteta's side did their best in drubbing PSV to erase any thought of issues with their forward line but they should not be forgotten. And Ruben Amorim's side have generally been able to produce better outings against better sides.
Neither side has found the net with ease in the Premier League. Arsenal have scored twice in three games since slaughtering Manchester City, while United have fewer goals than all but five teams in the division.
It's unlikely to be a day of exquisite centre-forward play but perhaps Amorim can coax somewhat of an upset again to earn his side a point. The question is if they can handle their opponent's set-pieces for 90 minutes however. Prediction Man Utd 1 Arsenal 1
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