The headline act of a blockbuster opening Premier League weekend, Manchester United and Arsenal battle it out at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon, as both outfits aim to take the first step towards restoring former glories.
The erstwhile dominant forces of the English game, the Red Devils can hardly fare worse than their disastrous domestic campaign of 2024-25, while the Gunners are sick of silver medals.
Match preview
While the man who won the Europa League and finished 17th in the Premier League lost his job, the man who was beaten in the Europa League final and finished 15th in the Premier League remains employed, as Ruben Amorim readies himself for a first full season at the Old Trafford helm.
The latter part of that first sentence is reliant on Sir Jim Ratcliffe not pulling the trigger midway through the 2025-26 campaign, one in which Man United's total lack of continental football may bring about some domestic benefits, as Amorim's squad can focus purely on matters in their homeland.
With Bruno Fernandes snubbing Saudi riches and a new-look attacking force in tow, the 20-time English champions have already restored some sense of parity in pre-season, going unbeaten in each of their five friendly games and claiming the Premier League Summer Series title.
However, draws with Leeds United, Everton and Fiorentina made wins over West Ham United and Bournemouth slightly less praiseworthy, but those two successes were at least back-to-back - something Man United did not achieve once in the entirety of the 2024-25 Premier League.
Nevertheless, the Red Devils head into another top-flight campaign having won more Premier League MD1 contests than any other side (22), and victory here would be particularly momentous for more than one reason, as it would make Man United the first team to ever beat Arsenal 100 times in all competitions.
Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres celebrates on August 9, 2025
That three-figure fate has never befallen Arsenal before, but the Gunners put three past Athletic Bilbao in their final friendly of the summer, saving the best for last as they retained the friendly Emirates Cup courtesy of a near-flawless display.
A first Viktor Gyokeres goal and Martin Zubimendi assist in red and white preceded a Bukayo Saka tap-in and slick Kai Havertz finish in a resounding 3-0 victory, one that saw Mikel Arteta's men right the wrongs of previous losses to Tottenham Hotspur and Villarreal, where the familiar creative crisis reared its ugly head again.
However, with a full-strength lineup and a menacing midfield three working in tandem, Arsenal were unruffled against Athletic; a penalty-shootout triumph at full time was an added bonus ahead of another anticipated Premier League title charge in 2025-26.
Formerly mocked for perpetual fourth-placed finishes, Arsenal have now been unable to shake the second-placed curse for the past three years, and the significant spending of Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea has observers anticipating a frenetic four-way title fight over the coming months.
All that and more to be answered in the spring, but Arsenal's main mission right now is winning a Premier League MD1 fixture for the fourth season in a row, at a ground where they have scored in 11 straight Premier League games; not since 2013 have the Gunners been kept out in a top-flight fixture at Old Trafford.
Manchester United pre-season form:
Arsenal pre-season form:
Team News
Man United's new striker Benjamin Sesko on August 9, 2025
Had Benjamin Sesko lined up for Arsenal and Viktor Gyokeres lined up for Man United this summer, few would have batted an eyelid. Instead, the former will have the Red Devils crest on his chest while the latter endeavours to haunt ex-Sporting Lisbon boss Amorim this weekend.
The Portuguese has confirmed that Sesko is in the right place both physically and mentally to make his Premier League debut, potentially as part of a new-look front three with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, although such a lineup would force Bruno Fernandes into a deeper role.
Joshua Zirkzee and Andre Onana have both overcome injuries and should be involved despite links with a move away - the same goes for Fulham target Rasmus Hojlund - but Noussair Mazraoui (hamstring) and Lisandro Martinez (knee) are both absent.
Expect Sesko and Gyokeres to come face-to-face straight away this weekend, as the latter has most likely played his way into a full Premier League debut after his bulldozing display against Athletic, although Havertz's sumptuous goal off the bench has given Arteta major food for thought.
If Gyokeres does appear and make the net ripple, he would become just the third man to score against Man United at Old Trafford on their Premier League debut, following in the footsteps of Mo Johnston (1992) and Paulo Wanchope (1997).
Arteta is also optimistic that Leandro Trossard's groin concern will settle down in time for Sunday, leaving long-term ACL victim Gabriel Jesus as the visitors' only fitness-related absentee.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli
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We say: Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal
For all of Man United's cash-splashing in the final third, Amorim's trio of marquee signings will surely take some time to gel, whereas Arsenal new boys Zubimendi and Gyokeres already have an excellent understanding if the Swede's opening goal in the Emirates Cup is anything to go by.
Add in a full-strength defensive unit bolstered by the return of set-piece monster Gabriel Magalhaes, we can picture a tense opening day battle going the way of the Gunners.
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