Manchester United vs Arsenal Premier League preview: How to watch, lineups, Old Trafford & prediction

Arsenal are preparing for the biggest game of their Premier League season so far as they travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United. Here is the match preview of Thursday’s clash.

Oh it’s a big one; the big one. No one game will determine the outcome of the season but across the board this is one of the fixtures that can help define it.

It’s now confirmed there will be no ‘new manager bounce’ for the hosts with Ralf Rangnick not set to take charge until the weekend, even if he has now been confirmed and could, sneakily, have some say in events that take place. He won’t be in the dugout, however.

A 1-1 draw with Chelsea last time out saw them lose more ground on their own European hunt, a result that leaves them five points behind Arsenal ahead of the meeting. The mantra should always be to go out and win, so hopefully this cushion can ease some of the pressure the team may be facing. After all, Old Trafford has historically not been kind to Arsenal.

Manchester United vs Arsenal: Premier League preview as Mikel Arteta’s side travel to Theatre of Dreams to face Ralf Rangnick’s new side

What about recently? Well, funnily enough, it has.

Arsenal are currently on a six-game unbeaten run against the Red Devils in the Premier League. Victory at Old Trafford last season was a giant monkey off the back, one who’d been clinging on since 2006, a win that made it three without loss at the Theatre of Dreams.

On home soil it’s also three games without defeat, as Arsenal have accrued a delightful total of 12 points from a possible 18.

The last time they secured back-to-back Old Trafford wins? You have to go all the way back to 1979 for that in the old Division One where two Alan Sunderland goals did the business for the Gunners. Arsenal would finish seventh that season and win the FA Cup, beating United once again in the final.

This time around there is a huge opportunity presenting itself for Arsenal to earn a statement win. While they’re still some way of competing with the top three, coming out on top against the ‘best of the rest’ is where they show true signs of progress. Equally, lose, and Mikel Arteta’s side are still above United.

But we’re not thinking about that. It’s all on the three points in what will be an absorbing encounter.

How to Watch on TV

When Is Kick Off? Thursday 2 December
What Time Is Kick Off? 20:15 (GMT)
Where Is it Played? Old Trafford
TV Channel/Live Stream? Amazon Prime Video (UK) fuboTV (USA)
Referee? Martin Atkinson

Continued on next page…

Arsenal Team News vs Manchester United – Bukayo Saka Injury Concerns

The primary injury concern heading up to Manchester centres around the fitness of Bukayo Saka. After being seen holding what appeared to be his hip against Newcastle, the goalscorer was forced to hobble off in the second half.

After the match he was seen walking around relatively comfortably which was reassuring, with a scan to take place the day after to determine the outcome. At the time of writing, there is no news.

Aside from the star boy – who finished sixth in the youth Ballon d’Or rankings – it’s the same two absences from the previous fixture: Sead Kolasinac is still recovering from a nasty ankle injury while Granit Xhaka is making huge progress in his bid to return from a knee issue.

Thursday’s hosts also have absentees to contend with in midfield, with Paul Pogba not due to return this calendar year after he suffered a hamstring injury while away on international duty.

Luke Shaw is still recovering from concussion and has not been given the green light yet, Edinson Cavani is dealing with tendon issues, and it looks like Thursday will come just too soon for Raphael Varane as he recovers from his own hamstring injury.

Harry Maguire has served a one-match suspension for a double bookable offence against Watford and is now available for selection. Depending on one’s viewpoint, that could be considered as a bonus.

Continued on next page…

Arsenal Predicted Lineup to Face Man Utd – Tierney Back in and Saka Fit?

Manchester United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Telles; McTominay, Fred, Sancho, Fernandes, Rashford; Ronaldo

Arsenal: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tavares; Partey, Sambi, Martinelli, Odegaard, Smith Rowe; Aubameyang

Manchester United vs Arsenal Score Prediction

Should Arsenal feel confident about this? Absolutely they should.

Purely from current form, it’s only one defeat in the past ten league matches for the visitors, whereas United have won just one of their last eight Premier League games.

The soft factors are where there is some concern, as with a new manager at the helm with fresh ideas there will be a lot of players out there vying to make a stirring first impression, and even if he isn’t on the touchline the crowd will feel energised about what is to come.

It will be fascinating to see what style United go for. Michael Carrick instructed his side to press high against Chelsea, which they did moderately well on occasion, but this is a group of players not versed in this approach as a unit after three years under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Arsenal will be hoping that United come on to them on Thursday, as their relative strength in playing through a higher press, especially one not well drilled, will allow them to use Aaron Ramsdale as the spare man and let his superb distribution come to the fore.

There is always the Cristiano Ronaldo factor, though; the Jadon Sancho factor; the Bruno Fernandes factor. Despite all of their woes this team is still littered with players who can conjure up some magic at any given moment, and the threats are all there.

But, with a leaky defence, a fridge at centre-back and and some stylistic uncertainty around the team, Arsenal stand as good of a chance as ever.

Score Prediction: Manchester United 1-2 Arsenal