Preview: Arsenal vs. Manchester United - prediction, team news, lineups

The 2 astir palmy clubs successful FA Cup past collide successful a blockbuster third-round brushwood connected Sunday afternoon, arsenic Arsenal big defending champions Manchester United astatine the Emirates.

The Gunners boast an unrivalled 14 triumphs successful the contention but person disappointed since past conquering the cupful successful 2020, portion the Red Devils endeavour to clasp the crown they clinched courtesy of their shock occurrence versus Manchester City respective months back.

Match preview

© Imago

A contention that volition everlastingly clasp a peculiar spot successful the hearts of Gooners crossed the globe, the FA Cup has provided the Arsenal faithful with immoderate of their astir cherished memories implicit the years, from the trio of triumphs during the twilight of Arsene Wenger's reign to the Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang-inspired beating of Chelsea 5 years back.

However, since lifting the trophy aloft astatine Wembley during the tallness of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gunners person seen their FA Cup powers wane, suffering 2 third-round and 2 fourth-round exits implicit the past 4 seasons and falling astatine this nonstop hurdle to Liverpool successful 2023-24.

Sticking with the taxable of knockout disappointments, Mikel Arteta's men statesman their quest for FA Cup crown fig 15 having surely thrown distant their chances of EFL Cup stardom, losing 2-0 to Newcastle United successful the archetypal limb of their semi-final connected Tuesday evening.

While Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon took their chances with aplomb, Arsenal wasted countless openings to breach the Magpies' backline en way to their archetypal location decision of the play successful immoderate competition, 1 that came aft an arsenic disheartening 1-1 Premier League gully astatine Brighton & Hove Albion.

The past clip Arteta's broadside suffered back-to-back losses astatine the Emirates Stadium, the 2nd decision successful that series was coincidentally their FA Cup third-round beating astatine the hands of Liverpool past January, but the 14-time FA Cup winners are well-versed successful ripping the trophy retired of the holders' grasp.

© Imago

Indeed, Arsenal person beaten the squad holding the FA Cup successful each of their past six tourney games against the defending champions, and Arteta has already got 1 implicit upcoming visitant Ruben Amorim since the Portuguese took the Red Devils reigns, overseeing a 2-0 Emirates success conscionable a substance of weeks ago.

Since succumbing to Arsenal's set-piece expertise connected that occasion, Man United person been walking successful thing but a wintertime wonderland, starring to unironic speech of the 20-time English champions being progressive successful a relegation dogfight with fractional of the play gone.

However, the Red Devils commence their FA Cup rubric defence having unexpectedly stole a constituent disconnected of runaway leaders Liverpool successful past weekend's 2-2 stalemate, 1 that could person seen Amorim's men permission arsenic the astonishment victors had Harry Maguire not spurned a magnificent accidental close astatine the death.

As praiseworthy arsenic Man United's Merseyside show was, that gully prolonged their winless series successful each competitions to 5 matches - during which clip they person conceded astatine slightest 2 goals successful each crippled - and Amorim's men person gone without a cleanable expanse successful each of their past 9 contests.

On the different hand, the Red Devils person lone conceded successful 1 of their past 10 FA Cup third-round matches - advancing from each 1 - and the holders person travel up trumps successful 3 of their past 4 FA Cup showdowns with Arsenal, including a 3-1 Emirates triumph successful 2019 wherever Alexis Sanchez returned to haunt his aged employers.

Arsenal signifier (all competitions):

Manchester United signifier (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

It should beryllium arsenic you were connected the wounded beforehand for Arsenal this weekend, wherever Arteta volition person to header without 4 right-sided options successful Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Ethan Nwaneri (muscle), Ben White (knee) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) erstwhile again.

The Gunners brag altered his attacking look yet again successful the EFL Cup nonaccomplishment to Newcastle, arsenic Leandro Trossard started connected the close flank, but the Belgian was substituted conscionable earlier the hr people and is astatine hazard of ceding his spot to Gabriel Jesus; Raheem Sterling has recovered from unwellness but is improbable to beryllium considered for a starting spot.

Riccardo Calafiori for Myles Lewis-Skelly connected the near is different alteration that the Arsenal brag mightiness beryllium expected to make, and determination is simply a flimsy accidental that on-loan goalkeeper Neto - ineligible for the EFL Cup - could marque his Gunners debut.

Man United besides came retired of their travel to Liverpool with nary caller concerns connected the fittingness front, but wantaway attacker Marcus Rashford was swiftly removed from the matchday squad again, albeit owed to unwellness alternatively than simply being expelled by Amorim.

The England planetary should person had ample clip to combat disconnected his bug by the clip Sunday's crippled rolls around, but his campy are moving tirelessly to unafraid him a desired exit earlier the January model slams shut, truthful it remains to beryllium seen whether helium makes the chopped successful North London.

Mason Mount (thigh), Victor Lindelof (unspecified) and Luke Shaw (calf) marque up a trio of definite absentees for Amorim, who has not been acrophobic to marque a multitude of changes from crippled to crippled but volition surely beryllium tempted to instrumentality with the aforesaid look from Anfield.

Arsenal imaginable starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Rice, Merino; Jesus, Havertz, Martinelli

We say: Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United (a.e.t, Arsenal to triumph connected penalties)

Newcastle's exceptional antiaircraft enactment astatine the Emirates indispensable beryllium applauded, but Arsenal fto themselves down with atrocious finishing and mightiness conflict conscionable arsenic overmuch against a Man United broadside whom they needed 2 corners to decision successful December.

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