Manchester United welcomes Arsenal to Old Trafford in the headline clash of the opening weekend for the 2025/26 Premier League season.
MUN vs ARS Match Details
Date: Sunday, 17 August 2025
Time: 16:30 (BST) / 21:00 (IST)
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
MUN vs ARS Match Preview
Manchester United endured their worst Premier League campaign in history by finishing a humiliating 15th on the table. If that was not enough, they suffered defeat in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, who finished two places below them, spurning the opportunity to play in the Champions League or any kind of European football in the new season. However, while Spurs sacked their winning coach to initiate a new era, United chose to keep Ruben Amorim for his first full season to develop his tactics with his preferred team. Hence, even after such a forgetful season, positives are being around the team, which made some credible signings in the transfer window. Manchester United are hopeful that this could be the season for them to stride back to their glory days and build an era under their Portuguese boss, but the competition in the league has increased like never before. If the Red Devils are not in the title race, they must fight to be a top-four team again and there will be no better test for them than opening the 2025-26 season against last season’s runners-up, Arsenal, at home. Historically, a fierce rivalry, the two clubs have not stood on the same podium for a long time, but Amorim’s men could reignite it again with a win on Sunday. The victory would make United the first team to beat the Gunners 100 times in all competitions, being the side with the most league wins in the season’s opening weekend and experiencing an unbeaten preseason campaign.
Meanwhile, Arsenal had to go trophyless again, even in a season where Manchester City dwindled, but Liverpool took the prize in dominating fashion. The Gunners eventually finished second, for the third time in as many years, 10 points behind the Reds at the top, collecting 74 points from 38 games with 20 wins, 14 draws and four losses. Despite a sensational run in the Champions League, Mikel Arteta's men were unlucky to face a Paris Saint-Germain that became the best side in Europe and eliminated them from the semifinal, having reached the stage after 19 years. The main issue with the team was the absence of a reliable striker due to injuries, leaving them reliant on their star winger, Bukayo Saka, for goals. Arsenal seems to have taken a major step in tackling that problem by bringing in the much-wanted Sporting CP goal predator, Viktor Gyokeres, after a lot of tussle in the summer window and the Swede’s signing itself has elevated the Gunners’ chances for a first Premier League title since the 2003-04 season. Gyokeres scored in the 3-0 victory over Athletic Club in the latest preseason win, which brings a certain momentum to the side which lost to Villarreal and Spurs two games prior. Having won their last three opening games, Arteta's men are eyeing another one to kick off their 2025-26 campaign on a high, even though the opposition is Manchester United at Old Trafford.
MUN vs ARS Predicted Lineups
Manchester United
Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Amad, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko
Arsenal
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli
MUN vs ARS Dream11 Match Prediction
This game is difficult to predict early in the season, as both teams have significantly strengthened themselves over the summer. Manchester United and Arsenal aim for a strong start this season, but a draw seems like a fair outcome. We predict a 1-1 draw between the sides.
MUN vs ARS Dream11 Team Top picks
Captain Pick: Bukayo Saka
Vice-captain Picks:Viktor Gyokeres Bruno Fernandes
MUN vs ARS Dream11 Team Suggestion 1
GK: Raya (Cr - 7.5)
DEF: Yoro (Cr - 8.5), Saliba (Cr - 8.5), Dorgu (Cr - 7.5),
MID: Saka (Cr - 9), Odegaard (Cr - 8), Fernandes (Cr - 9), Amad (Cr - 8),
FW: Mbeumo (Cr - 8.5), Gyokeres (Cr - 8.5), Martinelli (Cr - 7)
Vice-captain: Viktor Gyokeres
Captain: Bukayo Saka
MUN vs ARS Dream11 Team Suggestion 2
GK: Raya (Cr - 7.5)
DEF: Yoro (Cr - 8.5), Saliba (Cr - 8.5), Dorgu (Cr - 7.5),
MID: Saka (Cr - 9), Odegaard (Cr - 8), Fernandes (Cr - 9), Amad (Cr - 8),
FW: Mbeumo (Cr - 8.5), Gyokeres (Cr - 8.5), Sesko (Cr - 8)
Vice-captain: Viktor Gyokeres
Captain: Bukayo Saka
