Manchester United vs Arsenal−Big Match Preview, [is it too much to ask for a classic?]
Manchester United v Arsenal ㄧ It doesn’t get much bigger than this in the Premier League.
With both teams in the hunt for the title, the history between Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho and the desperation for some club football after two weeks of boredom (aka the international break) the fixture is even more anticipated than normal.
So here’s some more to whet your appetite…
It’s a big game for Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford: With Zlatan Ibrahimovic suspended and Wayne Rooney a doubt (for both fitness and pictures in the newspaper reasons) it falls on the 18-year-old to get the goals. It’s thought he’ll play in the central striker position, providing him with an opportunity to stake a claim for the role.
Goal getter? He scored twice when these sides last met (Getty)
Likely line-ups…
Both teams have some serious concerns. For Manchester United it’s the absence of Ibrahimovic and possibly Rooney. Problems also remain at the back with Antonio Valencia, Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw (probably) unavailable. We’ve pretended to be Mourinho and come up with this XI…
Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez is a doubt – however Sanchez would probably try to play if he only had one leg so it’s tough to predict if he will feature or not. Hector Bellerin is definitely out though, joining Santi Cazorla, Lucas Perez, Chuba Akpom, Per Mertesacker and Danny Welbeck on the sidelines.
If you memorise one stat, memorise this…
Wenger has never beaten Mourinho in the Premier League. In 11 meetings they’ve drawn six while the Portuguese coach has won the other five.
Last time they met
Another match like the last one would do nicely (at least from a Manchester United and neutral’s point of view). Manchester United triumphed 3-2 thank to a brace form Rashford and another from Herrera. Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil did their best to peg United back in the Old Trafford meeting but it wasn’t enough.
Rashford scored twice when they last met
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho: "My record against any other manager is not important. What you get, you do it as a team.
"[Saturday] is a match between the two managers with the best record in the Premier League. Sir Alex Ferguson isn't here any more... I have three [titles], he [Arsene Wenger] has three...
"Does that mean we should be respected, even in periods where our results are not the best?
"I think Mr Wenger has that respect from all of you, I don't think I have, especially because my last Premier League title was 18 months ago, not 18 years ago."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger on his record against Jose Mourinho teams: "You know, we didn't lose always. We have beaten them and there were many draws as well.
"I think I have won against every manager in the world during my 20 years here and I do not make of this game a competition between two managers.
"It's between two clubs and two teams and I think I can understand that people want to create controversy, but it's not that that makes the audience. What will make the audience is the quality of the game."
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Arsenal are winless in their last nine Premier League games at Old Trafford, losing seven of those matches.
- However, the Gunners did win away to United in the FA Cup in 2015.
Manchester United
- United could draw a third successive home league game for the first time since a similar run between February and April 1992.
- A defeat would leave them on 18 points and equal their lowest tally after 12 matches of a Premier League season, set in 2004-05.
- Jose Mourinho has never lost a Premier League game against Arsenal, winning five and drawing six of his 11 previous meetings with the Gunners.
- Wayne Rooney has scored 14 times in all competitions against Arsenal during his career. He only has a better record against Aston Villa, with 15 goals.
- Rooney scored his first Premier League goal against Arsenal, while his first league goal for United and his 100th Premier League goal also came versus the Gunners.
- He needs two goals to equal Bobby Charlton as Manchester United's all-time top scorer with 249 goals in all competitions.
Arsenal
- Arsene Wenger's only win in 15 previous encounters as a manager in any competition against Jose Mourinho came in the 2015 Community Shield (D6, L8).
- Arsenal's only Premier League away defeat in 2016 came at Manchester United in February.
- They have lost just one of their last 21 top-flight matches.
- The Gunners are one of two Premier League sides yet to concede in the opening 15 minutes this season, along with West Brom.
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