Manchester United vs Arsenal Preview: Analysis, team news and prediction

Manchester United, who are without a Premier League home win so far this season, will be hoping to end that run, against the Gunners on Super Sunday clash between both sides at Old Trafford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would also be targetting their first victory over Arsenal in five meetings.

Mikel Arteta, on the other hand, would be seeking to avoid a third straight defeat after losing 1-0 to both Manchester City and Leicester City.

United manager, Ole Solskjaer, believes his side is back on the right path as he prepares to take the wheel for the 100th time when Arsenal head to Old Trafford on Super Sunday.

The Norwegian has not had the finest of times in his attempts to get the club back to the top although he managed to get them back into the Champions League having finished third last season.

“Arsenal is always going to be difficult because they are a very good team with a good manager, who’s got some great ideas on how football should be played and I’m looking forward to it,” Solskjaer says.

“I am surprised it’s 100. It’s gone really quickly, even though a lot has happened. So, let’s hope I can celebrate number 100 with good performance and a result. I’ve enjoyed it so far.”

Arsenal extended their winless run in away games against the Premier League’s big-six sides to 27 outings after their 1-0 loss to Manchester City. It’s a barren streak, which stretches back almost six years, to a 2-0 win over Manchester City in January 2015.

Arsenal, however, have fared best against Manchester United in recent years as opposed to the other five big-six opponents, having at least avoided defeat in four of their last six visits to Old Trafford.

But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will try to capitalise on Arsenal’s long-standing psychological shortcomings in the big away games.

Team news

Manchester United team news

Alex Telles will not be available for Sunday’s match against Arsenal after testing positive for Covid-19.

Telles has yet to feature properly for United since he made his debut in the Champions League win at Paris Saint-Germain. He then missed out on the squad against Chelsea and RB Leipzig after contracting coronavirus.

Anthony Martial also misses out as he completes a three-match domestic ban while the Gunners clash looks set to come too soon for Jesse Lingard and Eric Bailly, who are just recovering.

Arsenal team news

Arsenal will welcome back a host of regular names such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Bernd Leno, Thomas Partey and Alexandre Lacazette, who were rested for the Europa League win over Dundalk on Thursday, for Sunday’s clash with United while Willian is fit following an ankle injury.

Mikel Arteta is without a number of defenders with David Luiz (thigh), Rob Holding (hamstring), Pablo Mari (ankle) and Calum Chambers (knee), all missing through injury, although William Saliba is available to make his debut if called upon.

Stats and facts heading into the match (Backed by Opta)

• Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 13 home league games against Arsenal (W8 D5) since a 0-1 loss in September 2006.
• Arsenal have won two of their last three Premier League games against Man Utd (D1), as many as they had in their previous 15 against them (W2 D5 L8). Indeed, Arsenal are unbeaten in their last four league games against Man Utd, last having a longer such run against them between 1989-1992 (5 games).
• Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 29 home league games against Arsenal in games in which they’ve scored (W21 D8), last losing when scoring at home to the Gunners back in November 1977 (1-2).
• Manchester United are winless in their three home league games so far this season (D1 L2), last failing to win any of their first four at Old Trafford in 1972-73. In fact, the Red Devils are winless in their last five league games at home, their longest such run since February 1990 (6).
• Mikel Arteta is looking to become just the second manager in Arsenal’s history to win both of their first two games against Manchester United, after Herbert Chapman in 1925-26. The last Gunners manager to win their first away game against the Red Devils was Billy Wright in May 1963.
• Since scoring twice against Arsenal on his Premier League debut in February 2016, Marcus Rashford hasn’t netted in any of his last nine games against them in all competitions, including five starts in this run.
• Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has gone five league matches without a goal for the first time since November 2014, while playing for Borussia Dortmund. During this five-game streak, the striker has attempted only five shots in total and failed to land a shot on target on three occasions.

Prediction

Manchester United are the in-form team at the moment and it seems like an easy win against Arsenal who find it difficult away from home especially against top opponents in the Premier League

Verdict: Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal