Arsenal host Manchester United at the Emirates tonight in another blockbuster Premier League clash as the busy winter period begins.
The Gunners find themselves up to second in the table though they are nine points adrift of league leaders Liverpool. Mikel Arteta’s side have weathered a run of four league games without a win back-to-back victories over Nottingham Forest and West Ham. They have rediscovered their form in front of goal scoring 13 goals in three games across all competitions and will be tough to beat at home.
Ruben Amorim is tasked with doing just that. His Man Utd side are unbeaten since the Portuguese manager took charge with wins over Bodo/Glimt and Everton following a draw against Ipswich in Amorim’s first game in charge. The manager is still striving for improvements from his players but understands that a win over Arsenal will be a big boost to United’s chances of reaching to top four.
Follow all the action from the Emirates Stadium with our live blog below:
Arsenal’s recent history with United
Arsenal’s last three Premier League home games against Manchester United have seen them score three times in each.
The last team to do so in more consecutive home league games against the Red Devils was also Arsenal who did so seven times in a row between 1970 and 1978.
Amorim on ‘test’ for United players
For his part, the Man Utd boss spoke about how his players will face testing moments due to the lack of time they’ve had to train with his 3-4-3 system.
He added that he wants the team to be brave against Arsenal and try to win the game. Amorim said: “Everything now is a test without so many minutes to train, trying to manage minutes for players.
“Some players have come off after 60 or 70 minutes, so everything is a test. It’s hard for us at United to say but [Arsenal] are at a different point in their team.
“It’s important to be brave. Not pressing all the time higher, we have to understand the moments of the game. We want to dominate some moments because we know in this match it’s hard to control to whole game.”
Arteta on Amorim
Mikel Arteta adressed what Ruben Amorim had already brought to Manchester United despite only being in charge for three games when he spoke in the pre-match press conference for today’s game.
The Arsenal boss said: “You can see [Amorim’s] fingerprints, you know what he wants to do straight away, I think he’s been very clear.
“He’s been very successful with Sporting, it’s remarkable after so many years what he achieved there, especially in the way he did it and the way his teams have been playing. He brings energy to the club, to the players, new ideas and that’s always something that’s positive.
“It’s still very early in the season. Any team that has the capacity to put five or six wins in a row is going to be up there [at the top of the league] because it’s so tough and you see every week how all the teams are struggling to maintain winning, winning and winning. So I think anything is possible.”
The Arsenal model Manchester United must follow under Ruben Amorim
In preparing for one of Arsenal’s historically biggest fixtures, Mikel Arteta faces a problem. He has to try and anticipate what Ruben Amorim might do, which is difficult when the Manchester United squad are still at the early stages of adapting to the manager’s approach. The Portuguese can’t yet apply his full principles, which creates the potential for a lot of variables. That is the one advantage Amorim has in these first months of his reign.
Arsenal vs Man Utd predicted line-ups
Here’s how we see the two teams lining up against each other this evening given their injury lists and how we believe each manager will approach the game.
Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Gabriel, Saliba, Calafiori; Rice, Jorginho, Odegaard; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Man Utd XI: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Yoro; Diallo, Mount, Casemiro, Dalot; Fernades, Garnacho; Rashford
What is the early team news?
Arsenal have to make decisions around the fitness of Gabriel Magalhaes, Thomas Partey, Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori. Gabriel came off at half-time with a “niggle” while Partey and Merino were not in the squad and Calafiori’s minutes are being managed after his return from a knee injury.
Manchester United will be without the suspended Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo while Luke Shaw has suffered a set-back in his bid to make a first start since February. Leny Yoro is also an option to make his debut.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live via Amazon Prime Video.
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When is Arsenal vs Manchester United?
The Premier League match will kick off at 8:15pm BST on Wednesday 4 December.
Mikel Arteta vs Ruben Amorim
Who will come out on top at the Emirates Stadium this evening?
Arsenal vs Man Utd
The Gunners have returned to form since Martin Odegaard came back from injury and Mikel Arteta’s side have scored five goals in their last two wins at Sporting and West Ham.
It means Arsenal look set to be Liverpool’s closest challenges for the title this season, with Arne Slot’s side opening up an 11-point lead over faltering Manchester City in the table.
United, meanwhile, are showing early promise under Amorim – who oversaw a 4-0 victory at Everton on Sunday in his first Premier League match in charge.
But facing Arsenal away from home is a different challenge – with the Gunners winning four of the last five meetings against their old rivals.