Arsenal vs Manchester United

The latest chapter of an eternal Premier League rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United takes place at the Emirates Stadium this weekend.

Back-to-back one-goal margin wins over Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace had served to fire Arsenal’s quest to better last season’s runner-up finish to a perfect start. However, Mikel Arteta’s team blew up a prime opportunity to make it three from three after relinquishing a late lead in a dismal 2-2 home draw against 10-man Fulham last weekend. Amends for that disappointment will drive the ‘Gunners’ this weekend as they bid to maintain a superb five-game home form against Man Utd in the Premier League (W4, D1). It’s worth noting Arsenal managed three shutouts during that sequence, highlighting the potential for a first league clean sheet at home this term. But after becoming the first club in Premier League history to concede within the first minute three times in a calendar year, Arsenal could be afraid of a poor start.

In the meantime, Manchester United pulled off a sensational comeback to beat Forest 3-2 last weekend despite conceding two unanswered goals within the first four minutes at Old Trafford for the first time in the club’s history. Such a morally significant victory helped United atone for a dreadful 2-0 loss at Tottenham on their first Premier League road trip of the season. However, that defeat forms part of Erik ten Hag’s ominous away record against last term’s top-nine clubs, with the Dutchman losing eight out of nine such fixtures (D1)! Furthermore, the ‘Red Devils’ have lost their last three away games against sides to have secured a European finish in 2022/23 by a combined score of 8-0.