Beaming with confidence from two wins in a row Manchester United head to a gigantic clash against the indomitable Arsenal team, fresh from their serial win against Aston Villa, at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils managed another 1-0 win in another away game against Leicester an evening after Arsenal claimed their 2-1 victory over the Villains to maintain their 100% record into the season.
MUN vs ARS Match Details
Date: Sunday, 4 September 2022
Time: 16:30 (BST) / 21:00 (IST)
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
MUN vs ARS Match Preview
Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag said he has seen some good stuff in the team and that a structure is being constructed after a 1-0 victory against Leicester City in midweek extended United’s winning run to three Premier League games. It is early to say whether the Red Devils have completely overturned their wretched start to the new season but the team has produced a different material after those appalling defeats. Jadon Sancho has found his scoring boots again as he scored the winner in the game becoming the top scorer in the team already with two goals in five starts. He had one more goal for the entirety of the last season so if he continues at this rate he can surely go close if not match his figures at Borussia Dortmund. Ten Hag was in praise of him but warns the Premier League is a different competition demanding physicality and intensity. Buoyant with the recent results, attention now turns to a massive game at Old Trafford against an imperative Arsenal team won every single game so far. Although the 2-1 win for United against Liverpool two weeks back in unexpected circumstances showed the team is tuning with the manager’s philosophy, any positive result against the league leaders on Sunday will bring the roof down for the home support. Three more points in the weekend will springboard Manchester United to second place if other results fall in their favor and most importantly will close down the gap with the Gunners to only three points. Technically, it will open up the opportunity to be in the mix for an early title charge but the Red Devils cannot go ahead of themselves at the moment. United have to remember they are facing an ingenious team whose work is in place rather than work in progress. Fans will be eager to watch Casemiro handed his first start to the campaign in this crucial clash after warming the bench ever since he made the switch from Real Madrid while massive speculation on the club-record signing for a winger, Antony’s involvement in the match is adding spice to a bubbling contest.
Arsenal never looked this strong and a better unit in the recent season than this present group that is capable to defy every odd on the pitch. Mikel Arteta's men had to work hard for successive games to grind out the victory but it was worth taking in maintaining their fabulous winning record this season. Their star man Gabriel Jesus was in hand again to put his side into the lead after Aston Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez saved a deflected cross onto the Brazilian’s feet. Arsenal’s chase for Douglas Luiz’s signature on the deadline day bore no fruit the night before he scored straight from a corner a minute he was brought on the pitch in the second half to leave stunned moments after Gabriel Martinelli fired home the winner. Emirates became the holy ground again for the Gunners only days after another late winner was required to diminish a robust Fulham team. Three more points under their name kept them on the summit of the Premier League table with 15 points bettering Manchester City by two points. So far, Arsenal have not faced a side from the so-called top six in the Premier League but now they will in their first stern test of the season against City’s rivals Manchester United. A revived United possess a far more lethal threat than before especially at Old Trafford so this a trip the Gunners wished not to have taken at this moment basking in their form. At the same time, the team wanted a challenge like this to show their character against the top sides in the league. The Red Devils are also a direct rival to Arsenal searching for a Champions League place making this early fixture a significant one to prove who is leading the race. Arsenal haven’t started a top-flight season with six victories in a row for 75 years and have never done it in the Premier League before. Doing it against Manchester United will be a welcoming gift for the away side and a huge one for the side as they have only one win in the last 15 Premier League games at Old Trafford.
Recent Form
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ARS: WWWWW
MUN vs ARS Team News
New signing Antony has to go through two training sessions to get him up to speed to become available for the game at the weekend. The Brazilian trickster didn’t play the last few games for Ajax in order to facilitate his move to United so he could be lacking match fitness. Erik Ten Hag was also coy about starting Casemiro in the game but he could gain a start for the need for fresh legs in the team. The long-standing saga of Cristiano Ronaldo ends with the Portuguese remaining at the club although he is unlikely to break into the starting eleven just yet. He remains an option from the bench as is Harry Maguire. Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka also made his loan switch, with an option to buy, from Newcastle on the deadline day and is expected to be in the squad for the game. The manager has also not given a proper update on Aaron Wan-Bissaka or Luke Shaw as the pair remains out for the second game running presumably with knocks.
Arsenal wanted Douglas Luiz as a viable option to replace injury-prone Thomas Partey for the midfield but they failed to agree on a deal with Aston Villa on the transfer deadline day. That means Mohamed Elneny and youngster Sambi Lokonga are the only two options to partner Granit Xhaka in the midfield. The former is injured and with Oleksandr Zinchenko requiring time to get back to his fitness, there are no better choices at least for the next couple of games. More concerning for Arsenal is Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramsdale’s availability for Sunday as the pair picked up a knock in the last game. New goalkeeper Matt Turner and Emil Smith-Rowe, coming back to full fitness from his injury, could replace them in the starting lineup if they don’t make it in time for the clash.
MUN vs ARS Predicted Lineups
MUN: De Gea; Diogo Dalot, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia; Casemiro, Christian Eriksen; Jadon Sancho, Bruno Fernandes, Anthony Elanga; Marcus Rashford
ARS: Aaron Ramsdale; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kieran Tierney; Granit Xhaka, Sambi Lokonga; Bukayo Saka, Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli; Gabriel Jesus
MUN vs ARS Head to Head
Both sides played out a thriller at Old Trafford in the last meeting with Manchester United triumphing at the end of a 3-2 score line. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a spectacular brace after Bruno Fernandes equalized on the stroke of half-time to cancel out Emile Smith-Rowe’s opener 13 minutes into the game. Martin Odegaard made it 2-2 before the hour mark but the late penalty from Ronaldo made the difference. The only win for Arsenal in 15 meetings in this ground came from a spot-kick winner as well from now Chelsea man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2020.
MUN vs ARS Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: De Gea
DEF: Dalot, Gabriel, L Martinez, Malacia
MID: Sancho, Fernandes, Xhaka
FW: Jesus, Rashford, Martinelli
Captain: Gabriel Jesus
Vice-captain: Gabriel Martinelli
Diogo Dalot has made more tackles in the first five Premier League games than any other teammate with 13.
Marcus Rashford has made 5 goal contributions in 13 meets against Arsenal. He has 2 goal contributions in 5 starts this season
Gabriel Jesus has yet to score or deliver an assist against Manchester United but has managed 6 goal contributions (3 goals, 3 assists) in the five Premier League games for Arsenal.
Gabriel Martinelli has created 12 chances more than anyone in an Arsenal shirt to add to his 3 goals so far. He has 1 assist in three meetings against United.
