Arsenal vs Manchester United Preview & Prediction: Gunners Seek Historic Success in Iconic Fixture

The latest chapter of a rivalry that defined an era in English football pits Premier League pacesetters Arsenal against top-four hopefuls Manchester United for the 245th time.

Europe’s attention turns to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday late afternoon as the Gunners’ pursuit of their first league title since the 2003/24 season resumes after another impressive European victory.

Gabriel Jesus’ first-half double set the tone for Arsenal’s 3-1 win at Inter Milan on Tuesday, maintaining their flawless record in this season’s UEFA Champions League (W7).

Fresh off securing automatic qualification for the round of 16, Mikel Arteta’s men return to Premier League duty, seeking a way back to the win column after a pair of scoreless draws against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

Standing in their way are Michael Carrick’s Man Utd, whose disappointing four-game winless run in all competitions came to a halt last weekend when they beat Manchester City 2-0 at Old Trafford.

Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu inspired Carrick to a dream touchline debut in what was probably Casemiro’s last appearance in the Manchester derby, as he announced his departure at the end of the season.

That win fired the Red Devils to fifth in the standings, only a point adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool ahead of this mouth-watering showdown in North London.

Tide Turned

Man Utd boast a clear-cut lead in the all-time record against Arsenal, having won 102 of the previous 244 meetings between the sides against the Gunners’ 91 (D51).

However, Arteta’s men have recently turned the tables on the Red Devils, especially when it comes to league clashes in the capital, beating United in their last four top-flight duels at the Emirates.

Despite that dismal run and the fact that they conceded at least twice on each occasion, United can take heart from beating the Gunners in their last away fixture in the FA Cup.

Still, Carrick’s men are staring down the barrel of an unwanted piece of history, as they could fail to beat Arsenal in seven consecutive league games for the first time ever.

Then, it’s no wonder that many leading bookmakers view the visitors as 9/2 outsiders to throw a spanner in Arsenal’s title quest. On the other hand, the Gunners are priced at 1/2 to extend their imperious home streak.

Contrasting Fortunes

Arsenal have been virtually unplayable at the Emirates, where they last suffered defeat in May, stringing together an impressive 17-game unbeaten run in all competitions since (W15, D2).

It’s part of the reason they’ve established themselves as the leading title candidates, but that’s not the only factor behind their dominance, which stretches well beyond London.

Tuesday’s triumph at San Siro extended Arsenal’s unbeaten sequence in all competitions to 12 matches (W10, D2) since a 2-1 loss at Aston Villa at the beginning of December.

Whether Man Utd could reluctantly help Man City whittle down a seven-point gap on Arsenal remains highly questionable, given their disjointed form away from Old Trafford.

Carrick’s charges are winless across their last three road fixtures (D2, L1), two of which saw them concede precisely two goals, including a shock 2-2 draw at Burnley in their most recent such outing.

Prediction

According to talkSPORT, Arsenal created history on Tuesday, marking their seventh consecutive win in UEFA competition for the first time since the club was founded in 1886.

That feat probably best illustrates the home side’s soaring confidence heading into this encounter against a Man Utd side desperate to build on their statement win over Man City last time out.

It would take a brave man to write the Red Devils off before the kick-off, yet the Gunners appear to be perfectly positioned to douse Carrick’s optimism and bring him back down to earth.

United won’t go down without a fight, but they should still go down.

Arsenal to Win

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