(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Manchester United get back to Premier League action when they take on Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
United head into the game in buoyant mood following their impressive 5-0 thrashing for RB Leipzig on Wednesday night which has seen them take control of Group B having won both their matches in the Champions League so far.
However, Old Gunnar Solskjaer will be keen to translate that form to the Premier League as Man Utd currently sit 15th in the table having taken just 7 points from their opening 5 games following last weekend’s draw with Chelsea.
Arsenal have also been inconsistent so far this season as they have lost three and won three of their six games so far and head to Old Trafford off the back of consecutive Premier League defeats to Leicester and Man City.
Mikel Arteta’s side did ease to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Dundalk in the Europa League on Thursday night but the Gunners boss knows he needs a positive result against Manchester United to get their domestic campaign back on track.
Team news
Man Utd will be without Alex Telles as the left-back is still isolating after testing positive for COVID-19 so Luke Shaw should keep his place in the back four along with Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Eric Bailly remains out through injury and Jesse Lingard isn’t likely to be involved despite returning to training. Anthony Martial completes his three-match suspension so Marcus Rashford should be recalled to line-up alongside Mason Greenwood up front.
Bruno Fernandes is expected to come back into the Man Utd starting eleven after being rested in midweek so Donny van de Beek will drop out but Paul Pogba may have done enough to keep his place.
Arsenal will be without David Luiz as he’s still nursing a hamstring injury that he sustained last weekend while Rob Holding, Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari are all still working their way back to full fitness.
Arteta is set to recall his big-guns with the likes of Bernd Leno, Gabriel, Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney, Thomas Partey, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette expected to be recalled after being rested on Thursday night.
Expected line-ups
Prediction
Man Utd 1-1 Arsenal: The Gunners have won two of their last three Premier League games against Manchester United but haven’t won at Old Trafford in their last 13 attempts so that’s something Arteta will want to change.
Arsenal will take confidence from the fact United have struggled in the league on home soil so far this campaign having lost to Crystal Palace and Tottenham by an aggregate score of 9-2 before drawing with Chelsea.
However, Solskjaer’s side were in excellent form last time out when they thrashed Leipzig so we don’t see Man Utd losing this game if they produce anything like that sort of performance again.
We expect a hard-fought game but feel Arsenal will take away a point following a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
