Arsenal vs Manchester United

Emirates Stadium forms the backdrop for a mouth-watering Premier League showdown between eternal rivals Arsenal and Manchester United. 

Arsenal came flying out of the traps from November’s international break, winning all three competitive matches by 3+ goal margins, including a stunning 5-2 triumph at West Ham last weekend. Back-to-back landslide league victories over Crystal Palace and the Irons following a rotten four-game winless patch (D2, L2) have slightly rekindled Arsenal’s title hopes, keeping them within a nine-point distance from pacesetters Liverpool. Given the Reds’ formidable form this season, the Gunners have no margin for error in this iconic fixture as they bid to post a fourth consecutive home league win against Manchester United for the first time in club history. Mikel Arteta’s side could equal another significant milestone, looking to score 3+ goals in a fourth successive top-flight H2H in North London for the first time since the 1970s. 

On the other hand, new Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is moving the club in the right direction, guiding the Red Devils to a three-game unbeaten streak (W2, D1) after taking over from Erik ten Hag. A thumping 4-0 home win against Everton at the weekend equaled United’s biggest league triumph since August 2021, setting them up nicely for this trip, even though Amorim admitted the performance was ‘far from perfect.’ United’s form has notably soared since parting with Ten Hag, with the club suffering just one defeat across their last 12 competitive outings (W6, D5). However, there’s ample room for improvement outside Old Trafford, given the visitors have won none of their six away matches (D5, L1) since dispatching Premier League basement boys Southampton in mid-September.