Prediction: Arsenal vs Manchester United

Verdict: Manchester United draw not bet

Betting Odds: 7/4

Bookmaker: Bet365

Arsenal will have a mountain to climb in the Premier League this weekend as they look to make amends for the 2-0 defeat in the north London derby with another high-profile clash against exhausted Manchester United.

Arsenal

Just when it seemed that Arsene Wenger’s tactical change might have spurred Arsenal ahead – pun intended – the Gunners were given another slap in the face. This one has got to sting a lot as it came at the hands of their bitter north London rivals Tottenham, who quick-fired two second-half goals through Alli and Kane’s penalty to put Arsenal’s top-four chances in dire straits once again. The Gunners will be keen to make amends for a disappointing blow, but their task is rather difficult as they welcome another top-four chasing side, Manchester United. Arsenal are trailing Red Devils in fifth place by huge five points and a win is a must for Arsene Wenger’s men on Sunday afternoon. Truth be told, Arsenal do have a game in hand on their rivals and will look to make good use of it, but that is exactly why they cannot afford another set-back as it could possibly put an end to their top-four pursuit. Arsene Wenger is under a lot of pressure once again as his future is yet to be decided on, but more importantly it is the future of his two main stars – Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil – that has been debated over the past few weeks. Bayern Munich have expressed interest for the Chilean, whereas the German international has even been linked with Barcelona, so it seems that Gunners are set to have a busy and worrying summer ahead of them.

Team News

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that midfielder Granit Xhaka has picked up an injury that rules him out of the Manchester United clash, whereas forward Lucas Perez is also sidelined.

Defender Shkodran Mustafi has returned to full training, but it will be interesting to see whether Wenger will find a place for him in his newly styled three-man defense line.

Manchester United

Jose Mourinho’s man have played no less than seven Premier League matches during the month of April and the Portuguese tactician has made sure to voice his discontent over the tight schedule his guys have been put through. Three more Europa League games during the same month make the total number of games 10, which is more than enough. Fortunately, Red Devils managed to go through this run of games unharmed and without a single defeat and there is a something for Mourinho to be happy about. Manchester United came back victorious from their Europa League semifinal trip to Celta Vigo on Thursday. Marcus Rashford’s beauty free kick gave Red Devils a valuable lead ahead of the return leg in Manchester and this week’s triumph is bound to have a positive effect on the team’s morale. The forthcoming clash is bound to be an electrifying affair and it will be interesting to see how Mourinho will behave at Arsene Wenger’s ground, given the tumultuous history between the two men. Red Devils were beaten only once in their last five visits to Emirates and will sure hope to maintain the positive trend.

Team News

Midfielder Marouane Fellaini is suspended for the occasion, while Jose Mourinho will surely bemoan the fact Fosu-Mensah, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marcus Rojo and Luke Shaw will all be locked in the medical room.

Defender Phill Jones is recovering from his foot injury, but the forthcoming clash might come too early for him.

Key Factors to Consider

• Manchester United played 10 games in two competitions during April
• Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 12 matches in all competitions
• Last time Mourinho’s men suffered an EPL defeat was in October 2016
• Arsenal won only one of their last 5 home matches against man United
• Gunners are unbeaten in last five home matches in all competitions

Conclusion

We are in for a highly-contested clash between two great rivals who have a lot at stake and plenty to fight for. Arsenal are making a final push toward the top-four finish, whereas Red Devils are in it for prestige and bragging rights. Mourinho said his team will fight for Champions League spot through Europa League trophy, but he will be more than happy to frustrate his nemesis Arsene Wenger.

Verdict: Manchester United draw not bet

Verdict: Manchester United draw not bet

Betting Odds: 7/4

Bookmaker: Bet365