It wasn’t too long ago that the English Premier League was being dominated by the two teams set to clash at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Under Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United had become THE team to beat in the Premier League, securing title after title, and adding to that a wide range of different cup competition victories, including two Champions League successes.

For many years, Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal were United’s main and only real rivals. Bringing with him new ideas on nutrition, training, tactics and fitness, Wenger’s Gunners also won the Premier League, one season doing so without losing a game, on several occasions. They too enjoyed success in the domestic cup, especially the FA Cup and also reached a Champions League final.

As such, games between the two often would be viewed as being hugely important in deciding the outcome of the Premier League trophy and while that has not been the case for the last five or six years, things may well be starting to revert back to these two teams becoming key rivals once again.

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The Current Situation

After a number of years where both teams have sometimes struggled to reach the top four in the Premier League, or have even finished outside the European qualification places in the table, this season has seen a renaissance of sorts for both.

Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal (at the time of writing) enjoy an eight point lead at the top of the Premier League over Manchester City, but Manchester United are on the same number of points as their local rivals (39) having played one game more (19 to City’s 18) and sit in third place in the table.

It is also worth noting that United have beaten both Arsenal and Manchester City at Old Trafford this season as new manager Erik Ten Hag seems to be finding a system that is working for the Red Devils.

That loss at Old Trafford remains Arsenal’s only defeat this season after 18 games and the Gunners have picked up a remarkable 47 points out of 54 available.

After a slow start, United have 39 points from 19 games, a total which if they can match in the second half of the season, should be enough for them to secure Champions League football next year at the very least.

Arsenal v Manchester United – Squads

Part of the reason both teams have enjoyed more success this season has been an increase in the number of quality players in their respective squads as we can see below:

Arsenal Squad

  • Manager – Mikel Arteta (Spa)
  • Goalkeepers – Aaron Ramsdale, Matt Turner, Karl Hein
  • Defenders – Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko, William Saliba, Gabriel, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding, Lino Sousa, Cedric Soares
  • Midfielders – Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Granit Xhaka, Fabio Vieira, Emile Smith Rowe, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Mohamed Elneny, Ethan Nwaneri
  • Attackers – Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Marquinhos, Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah

Since Mikel Arteta came in the Arsenal boss has brought in some quality players notably in Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus, as well as seeing the likes of Saka, Martinelli, Nketia, Smith Rowe and Saliba come through.

This squad is Arsenal’s strongest for many years and the way Arteta has them playing shows that the manager has built a squad in the image that he wants for his team to play.

Their best players this season have been Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Ben White, William Saliba and Gabriel Jesus.

Manchester United Squad

  • Manager – Erik Ten Hag (Hol)
  • Goalkeepers – David de Gea, Jack Butland, Nathan Bishop
  • Defenders – Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Diego Dalot, Tyrell Malacia, Rafael Varane, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Phil Jones, Brandon Williams, Axel Tuanzebe
  • Midfielders – Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Fred, Scott McTominay, Christian Eriksen, Donny van de Beek, Facundo Pellestri, Zidane Iqbal
  • Attackers – Marcus Rashford, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial, Anthony Elanga, Charlie McNeill, Shola Shoretire, Wout Weghorst

After letting Cristiano Ronaldo leave the club after the World Cuo, Erik Ten Hag’s team have continued to develop together and seem a much more unified outfit nowadays. The Dutch coach does have his favourites, Jadon Sancho and Harry Maguire are not getting much game time, but the signing of Casemiro looks like an inspired one, as does the pre-season capture of Lisandro Martinez.

United also have their fair share of talented youngsters coming through too in the shape of Pellestri, Elanga and Garnacho, while Antony has proven to be another shrewd acquisition.

The return to form of Marcus Rashford has also played a key part in United looking much more dangerous in attack, even without Ronaldo in the squad.

Arsenal v Manchester United Team News

It seems likely that both teams will be at or near full-strength for Sunday’s match up at the Etihad where Arsenal will be striving to gain revenge for their 3-1 loss to United back in September.

Antony and a double for Marcus Rashford were enough for United to land the win that day, with Bukayo Saka’s sole reply for Arsenal and all three scorers should be prominent in this game too.

Arsenal will miss Gabriel Jesus, while United have Casemiro suspended for this game.

Predicted Teams:

Arsenal (4-3-3) – Ramsdale (GK), White (DR), Zinchenko (DL), Saliba (DC), Gabriel (DC), Partey (DMC), Xhaka (DMC), Odegaard (AMC), Saka (AMR), Martinelli (AML), Nketiah (AC)

Manchester United (4-3-3) – De Gea (GK), Wan-Bissaka (DR), Malacia (DL), Varane (DC), Shaw (DC), Fred (DMC), Eriksen (MC), Fernandes (AMC), Rashford (AML), Antony (AMR), Martial (AC)

Arsenal v Manchester United – Preview And Tips

So how will the Arsenal v Manchester United game go this weekend? The game at Old Trafford turned in a short 15-minute spell in the second half when Arsenal levelled, but United scored twice in nine minutes to clinch the win.

Having drawn at Palace in the week, United won’t want to lose here but this is an Arsenal team that has a fantastic home record this season and as such, I can’t see Arsenal losing the game here either.

However, a draw is very much on the cards and that is the tip I would go for here.

My bets to back for Sunday’s match, all with bet365 Sport, are as follows:

  • Full Time Result – Draw – 14/5
  • Correct Score – Arsenal 2-2 Manchester United – 14/1
  • Anytime Goalscorer – Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) – 9/4
  • Anytime Goalscorer – Marcus Rashford (Man Utd) – 3/1