Arsenal vs Manchester United Preview: How to Watch, Predicted Lineups, Score Prediction & Team News

Arsenal travel to Manchester United on Sunday in the Premier League.

Some fixtures are met with equal measures of dread and excitement. If we win the game it’ll be one of the best results of the season and the springboard for a successful campaign. That rather large ‘if’ coming in the shape of a 14-year run that has seen Arsenal fail to beat even the weakest of Manchester United teams on their own patch.

I used to love clashes at Old Trafford: the midfield battles, the outstanding defensive displays, the dynamic wing play. All of it.

I now hate clashes at Old Trafford. Loathe them. What Arsenal fan doesn’t? Apart from the occasional draw, there has been nothing noteworthy since Emmanuel Adebayor poked that winner home in 2006.

Guess who it is this weekend? And guess which side is in red hot form? United, of course!

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Europa League football to one side for a moment, Arsenal make that journey north. The one where you hope for a result, but dread the inevitability. That Danny Welbeck goal in the FA Cup was as much fun as the Gunners have had at the Theatre of Dreams this decade and beyond.

But throwing in a curve ball, Arsenal have drawn three of the last four Premier League meetings there. The Leicester game was a trudge to say the least, but Mikel Arteta may have some new tricks up his sleeve that his predecessors didn’t that could swing the tie in the visitors’ favour.

United, however, have beaten Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle and RB Leipzig in their last four matches, as well as a 0-0 draw with Chelsea, by a combined score of 11-2. The Red Devils are, indeed, on fire.

Here is you preview ahead of Sunday’s meeting.

How to Watch on TV

When Is Kick Off? Sunday 1st November
What Time Is Kick Off? 16:15 (GMT)
Where Is it Played? Old Trafford
TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports Main Event (UK), fuboTV (US)
Referee? Mike Dean

Team News

Arsenal have no defenders. That pretty much sums it up, but we’ll dig further.

Pablo Mari has suffered a setback and won’t be returning just yet, Calum Chambers is only just back in full training and short for Sunday, David Luiz is unavailable as per his injury against the Foxes, Sokratis isn’t in the squad and Rob Holding is a few weeks away.

Shkodran Mustafi and Gabriel look set to be our centre-back partnership as a result, unless William Saliba is immediately thrust into the side. There are returns from injury for Willian, who is fit having sat out the midweek clash with Dundalk.

United have an almost clean bill of health. Of course they do. Well, at least regarding those who matter. I don’t want to sound too defeatist, but the odds aren’t stacked greatly in Arsenal’s favour. The only regular starter missing for the hosts is Anthony Martial, who is serving the last game of a three-match for a red card picked up against Tottenham. He sits out along with summer signing Alex Telles, who has contracted COVID-19.

They do have Eric Bailly, Jesse Lingard and Phil Jones missing, but the trio are hardly banging on the first team door.

Predicted Lineups

Arsenal: Leno; Bellerin, Mustafi, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka, Saka; Willian, Lacazette, Aubameyang

Manchester United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Matic, Pogba, Bruno Fernandes; Greenwood, Cavani, Rashford

Manchester United vs Arsenal Score Prediction

Beating United is up there with victory against Tottenham. That might not be the case for all, but it is for many.

There is no shirking the size of the task facing Arsenal on Sunday. The Old Trafford record speaks for itself, as does form. United are flying high again after being plummeted in their version of a ‘crisis’, which generally stems from not spending enough of the endless cash reserves they possess.

It’s a totally different position that Arsenal find themselves in, having lost their last two Premier League fixtures by 1-0 scorelines. That elusive victory away at United would be immeasurably sweet, but from a realistic standpoint, a draw would be a welcome result.

Can I see that happening? With Arteta still not striking the balance in his side offensively, this fixture comes around at the wrong time. Defeat would be crushing, if not expected, but regardless, it would mean that Liverpool and both Manchester clubs away from home are already off the list just seven matches into the season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side just have too much firepower. Mason Greenwood is electric, Bruno Fernandes is dynamic, and it would be a miracle it Mustafi doesn’t concede a penalty at some point.

There is always faint hope going to Old Trafford, but it’s very tough foreseeing a win on this occasion. Form suggests so.

Score Prediction: Manchester United 3-1 Arsenal