Arsenal vs Man United Premier League preview, team news and prediction

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Arsenal and Manchester United are set to face off in the Premier League this weekend, with the Red Devils eager to showcase continued progress under new manager Michael Carrick .

Arsenal currently sit above United in both the league standings and underlying performance metrics, and they also hold the recent advantage in this fixture, having won the last two league meetings between the sides. Recent form further highlights this gap: Arsenal are unbeaten in their last six matches, recording four wins and two draws, while United have managed two wins, three draws, and one defeat over the same period.

The Gunners are enjoying an impressive unbeaten streak, now stretching to 12 matches with ten victories and two draws. Their home form has been especially formidable, as Mikel Arteta’s men have not lost at the Emirates since May 2025, when Bournemouth claimed a 2-1 win. Defensively, Arsenal have been rock-solid on home soil, ranking among the league’s best for clean sheets and conceding very few goals at the Emirates. Their matches also feature one of the lowest "both teams to score" percentages in the division.

Manchester United, on the other hand, arrive with just one win in their last five outings. That victory, however, was a significant one: in Michael Carrick’s managerial debut, United defeated rivals Manchester City 2-0 in a commanding display . While this result offers hope of a new era at Old Trafford, Arsenal’s dominance—especially at home—presents a daunting challenge that may be too great for even an improved United side to overcome.

With Carrick at the helm, United’s recent results may not fully reflect the team’s current trajectory, as the tactical setup has shifted since his arrival. In their last five matches, United have seen both teams score in four games, while only two have featured over 2.5 goals, suggesting a more disciplined defensive approach compared to earlier in the season.

Overall, while Manchester United may be on the rise under new management, Arsenal’s consistency and strength at the Emirates make them firm favourites heading into this weekend’s clash.

Mikel Arteta faces a potential selection headache ahead of this tricky home fixture: should he start Viktor Gyokeres or Gabriel Jesus up front? The likelihood is that Gyokeres will get the nod at the Emirates, as Jesus logged more minutes in midweek against Milan—though he did find the net twice, compared to the Swedish striker’s single goal off the bench. Until recently, Jesus had been limited to substitute appearances as he worked his way back from an ACL injury, but he’s quickly closing the gap on Gyokeres’s goal tally despite having played around 1,400 fewer minutes across the Premier League and Champions League.

On the injury front, Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie, and Max Dowman were all absent from Tuesday night’s squad, casting serious doubt over their availability for the weekend.

For the visitors, Michael Carrick may opt to stick with the same starting XI that secured a statement win over Manchester City last Saturday. Noussair Mazraoui is back in the fold following his Africa Cup of Nations campaign, but the match is likely to come too soon for the injured Matthijs De Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee. As a result, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez are expected to continue as the central defensive pairing, unless Carrick decides to give youngsters Leny Yoro or Ayden Heaven a chance on this big stage. At left-back, Luke Shaw should retain his spot unless Patrick Dorgu—who has impressed as an attacking midfielder recently, including in the last match—returns to his former defensive role.

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