3 talking points ahead of Arsenal vs Man Utd

Arsenal host holders Manchester United in the FA Cup third round on Sunday afternoon as they look to keep their hopes of winning a piece of silverware this season alive.

The Gunners suffered a dismal 2-0 defeat at home to Newcastle in their previous outing: the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. Alexander Isak opened the scoring in the first half before Anthony Gordon sealed the deal for the Magpies after the break. Mikel Arteta's side were wasteful in front of goal as they spurned plenty of chances to peg Newcastle back.

With Arsenal aiming to maintain silverware hope this season, there are three key talking points ahead of their FA Cup clash with Man Utd.

1. Keeping the season alive

Arsenal are still struggling to keep up with Liverpool in the Premier League title race, so the cup competitions are their best chance of winning silverware this season. With their Carabao Cup prospects hanging by a thread following the home defeat to Newcastle and the Champions League being a much tougher challenge based on current form, the FA Cup currently appears the Gunners' most likely opportunity to bring home a trophy.

With that being said and all dramatics aside, Sunday's match against Man Utd will be all about Arsenal trying to keep their season alive. A defeat against the holders would spell serious danger for Mikel Arteta and his side, likely putting them on track for a fifth consecutive trophyless season.

Keeping that in mind, a win is absolutely crucial for Arsenal against United. Despite suffering another blip, they'll go into the game as the heavy favourites and will be expected to come away with the victory.

The Gunners must beat United on Sunday to keep their season alive.

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