Arsenal vs Manchester United: Match preview, what to expect, key players

Manchester United will begin the defence of their FA Cup title with a clash against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium today.

United are winless in their last five games across all competitions but did well to secure a draw against Liverpool at Anfield in their previous game.

The Red Devils will seek to build on that momentum to beat Arsenal and progress to the next round.

The Gunners lost to Newcastle United in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final last Tuesday but are in better form than United.

They have won three of their last five games across all competitions.

Match Preview

Arsenal have won the last six games when facing the FA Cup holders.

They have been eliminated twice in the third round in the past three seasons. They have not been knocked out at this stage consecutively since the 1994/1995 and 1995/1996 campaigns.

United have an impressive record against Arsenal in this tournament, winning three of their last four games against them.

They have also knocked out the Gunners more than any other team in the competition’s history.

This will be manager Ruben Amorim’s third meeting with Arsenal this season. He lost the previous two encounters against them, one at United and another at Sporting CP.

Amorim will be without Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, Jonny Evans and Mason Mount for the encounter.

Amad Diallo has shaken off the knock he picked up against Liverpool and should be in the matchday squad.

Arsenal will be without star man Bukayo Saka, but they will have Raheem Sterling back in contention after illness.

What to expect

The game could pan out like the last time they met based on how they have played recently, particularly with how United have set up in big games.

Possession was evenly shared between the two sides the last they met.

Arsenal struggled to create chances from open play the last time out. They relied heavily on set pieces through which they scored their goals.

Having scored two goals from set pieces, they will seek to exploit the same tactic again.

Man United struggled to create chances in the previous game, registering just 0.22 Expected Goals (xG).

They scored twice against Liverpool in their last game and should be able to show more attacking intent in this fixture.

Key Players

Arsenal

Declan Rice: He is one of Arsenal’s best set-piece takers and recorded an assist against United in the last game. The quality of his deliveries could influence the scoreline.

Martin Odegaard: He is the Gunners’ primary source of creativity in Saka’s absence. He ranks second for most key passes per game in Arsenal’s squad in the league this season.

Man United

Amad Diallo: The Ivorian forward has been United’s best player this season. He is the only player to have won the club’s Player of the Month award twice.

Harry Maguire: The English defender ‘gave everything on the pitch’ against Liverpool. He is expected to play a crucial role in this game.

Stats from bbc.com & sofascore.com.

Article written by Henry Thornton .