Manchester United vs Arsenal: 4 key player battles

Some of the great battles of the Premier League era have been contested between Arsenal and Manchester United, the two sides once towering over the competition at the top of English football.

Mouth watering ties include invigorating head-to-head battles, with the Vieira and Keane moments among the finest the division has and ever will see.

Ahead of Thursday’s meeting at Old Trafford, these two teams find themselves in positions far from the upper echelons they once reigned supreme in. Should Mikel Arteta’s side emerge victorious they will be no less than eight points ahead of the Red Devils. Their current five-point gap puts them in a strong footing for this one.

With one of two meetings between the clubs completed after matchday 14, the race for a European spot could take on an entirely new outlook with 24 games left to play.

Manchester United vs Arsenal: 4 key player battles as Mikel Arteta’s side head to Old Trafford for Thursday’s Premier League match

In other words, this is a huge game. Both teams have similar ambitions this season, one set of which has been revised despite the additions of three world class players from across Europe, and it’s all set up for a monstrous clash.

Tactically it’s going to be fascinating to watch unfold with new United manager Ralf Rangnick not yet taking control of his team but nonetheless boasting an entirely different playing philosophy to his predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

While that side of matters won’t play out until kick-off, pre-match preparations on the opposition players’ strengths and weaknesses certainly will.

Across the pitch there will be some battles playing out, four of which stand out as key in helping determine the final result.

Thomas Partey vs Bruno Fernandes

Thomas Partey’s performance at Old Trafford last season still stands out as one of his finest in an Arsenal shirt. He didn’t just dominate the midfield, he bossed everyone in it: Fred, McTominay, Pogba and Bruno Fernades in that diamond shape could not cope.

Played in a false nine type role for United against Chelsea last time out, it’s unlikely that Bruno will be used likewise against Arsenal with a return to his favoured No. 10 slot expected.

Whatever the setup or system, and based on Bruno’s pressing role against Chelsea, the man who the hosts will target is Partey in midfield. The growing trend has been to crowd him out of matches and cut off his supply, keeping bodies around him at all times.

Bruno’s excellent work rate will see him given this role and the ability to withstand the assumed targeting of him will be Partey’s great assignment at Old Trafford.

What he did brilliantly in the previous meeting was position himself cutely alongside Mohamed Elneny to receive the ball in positions where he could feint on the half turn and charge beyond his man. That’s been less prevalent in his game of late but he still has the capacity to dominate this game both on the ball, or off it to deal with United’s transitional play.

Having looked a touch uninspiring of late (for which there are many possible reasons) this is a game where the senior players have to stand up and be counted for. That includes Partey front and centre.

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