Arsenal

Arsenal vs Manchester United: Statistical Preview, Head-To-Head Record & Form Guide

Manchester United play their first game since becoming 2012/13 Premier League champions as they visit the Emirates to play Arsenal. Here’s a statistical preview

by
Barrie's View
April 28, 2013

On Sunday Manchester United play their first game since becoming 2012/13 Premier League champions on Monday night at Old Trafford.

Arsene Wenger’s side will give their rivals the guard of honour at the Emirates Stadium but their mind will be on a valuable 3 points to help them qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Tottenham’s 2-2 draw at Wigan on Saturday means that Arsene Wenger’s side have a 1 point lead over their north London rivals, both with four games to play.

Manchester United can set Premier League records for most wins in a season by winning three of their last four games, and most points by winning all of their remaining fixtures. Chelsea (home), Swansea City (home) and West Brom (away) follow.

Here is a look how both teams fare statistically ahead of Sunday’s kickoff:

Form

Arsenal
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Arsenal are the hottest team in the Premier League right now, picking up 16 points from a possible 18. Of these five wins, only West Brom (8th) and Swansea City (9th) are current top half sides, and they were held 0-0 at home to 6th placed Everton.

Per Mertesacker has scored the Gunners’ only goal in their last two matches, heading home from close range following a set piece in a 1-0 victory over 10-man Fulham last weekend.

Wojciech Szczesny has returned to the first team by keeping back-to-back clean sheets. In those two games, the Arsenal defence only allowed Everton and Fulham a combined 5 shots on target.

Arsenal’s 0-0 draw at home to Everton ended their four-game winning streak at the Emirates.

Manchester United
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Manchester United’s 2-1 home loss to Manchester City was only their fourth Premier League defeat of the season. They have picked up 7 points from a possible 9 since, including Monday night’s 3-0 thrashing of Aston Villa.

Robin van Persie scored a hat-trick in that match and has now scored in three successive matches for the Red Devils, propelling him to first place on the top scorers chart. The Dutch striker is looking to become the first player to top score in successive Premier League seasons since Thierry Henry between 2004-06. RvP could also become the third player to have topped the chart for two different clubs, after Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers & Newcastle United) and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Leeds United & Chelsea).

Wayne Rooney has 12 league goals this season but has not scored since a 1-0 victory over Reading in mid-March. The former Everton player has 10 Premier League goals versus Arsenal, with only Robbie Fowler having scored as many against the Gunners since 1992.

David de Gea has kept 8 clean sheets in his last 10 Premier League games. Only Manchester City and West Ham have been able to breach the Manchester United defence since January. Neither Nemanja Vidic or Rio Ferdinand featured on Monday but are available should Sir Alex Ferguson wish to replace Jonny Evans and/or Phil Jones.

The champions have won 18 of their last 22 Premier League games and are unbeaten in their last 10 on the road.

Head-to-head

Manchester United have won the last three meetings between these two sides, including a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford earlier this season.

Robin van Persie scored inside 3 minutes at Old Trafford following a mistake from Thomas Vermaelen in the Arsenal defence. Jack Wilshere was sent off midway through the second half for two yellow cards, and 2 minutes after his dismissal Patrice Evra doubled the lead. Santi Cazorla scored a consolation deep in stoppage time.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side won by the same scoreline at the Emirates Stadium last season. Antonio Valencia and Danny Welbeck scored either side of Robin van Persie’s equaliser. Both Valencia and Welbeck have just 1 goal each in the Premier League this season.