Arsenal vs Manchester United: Match preview, what to expect, key players

Manchester United visit Arsenal in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium this evening.

The Red Devils secured their first Premier League victory under manager Ruben Amorim with a comfortable 4-0 triumph over Everton on Sunday.

They will now be seeking to make it consecutive wins under Amorim when they face the Gunners at the Emirates.

Match Preview

Courtesy of the victory over Everton, Man United are four points adrift of fourth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion.

They face a difficult task to close the gap on the Seagulls as they face Arsenal – one of the most-in-form teams in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s side have won their last three games across all competitions, scoring ten goals and conceding three.

They have struggled to get the better of Arsenal in recent times, losing six of the last ten games against them.

The Red Devils have not won at Arsenal since 2019 – a 3-1 victory in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Marcus Rashford, Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelof are the only surviving members of the team.

What to expect

This promises to be an entertaining contest, as 18 goals have been scored in the last five meetings between the two sides.

Plenty is resting on the fixture for both sides. Arsenal cannot afford to lose more points if they want to topple Liverpool, while Man United also need a victory to boost their hopes of a top-four finish.

Both sides are not expected to be conservative in this fixture.

This game could also see plenty of tackles flying around based on their poor disciplinary records this term.

United have received 35 yellow cards this season, with only four teams garnering more. They also have one red card.

By contrast, Arsenal have received 30 yellow cards and three red cards.

Amorim has altered his starting line-up in his three games as United’s boss, and it would not be surprising to see him do so again.

Arsenal will likely be unchanged from the team that battered West Ham United last Saturday.

Key Players

Manchester United

Noussair Mazraoui: The Moroccan full-back won the club’s November Player of the Month, and he is expected to play a key role in this fixture.

Marcus Rashford: The England international has scored the most goals under Amorim, and Arsenal are one of his favourite opponents. He has bagged six goals against them, including four in the last three games. He has only scored more against Liverpool and Leicester City.

Arsenal

Bukayo Saka: The 23-year-old ranks first for most assists, most chances created and most big chances created this season. He has scored three goals and two assists in nine games against United, making him one of the players most likely to make a difference in the contest.

Martin Odegaard: Arsenal fared badly during the Norwegian’s absence, and it is no coincidence that his return has led to their resurgence. Odegaard has scored two goals in seven games against Manchester United and is one of the players to watch at the Emirates tonight.

Stats from transfermarkt.com, whoscored.com and fotmob.com.

Article written by Henry Thornton .