Man Utd vs Arsenal preview, team news, line-ups and prediction

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Arsenal know anything but a win will all-but end our Premier League title hopes when we take on Manchester United at Old Trafford on March 9th.

A once promising season has been derailed and Arsenal are left with the prospect of missing out on silverware once again. We’re still in the Champions League and have a winnable last-16 tie against PSV Eindhoven on the horizon, but with a tough route to the final that will see us come up against the likes of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and PSG, it’s difficult to see us making a real impression in Europe.

Arsenal crashed out of both domestic cup competitions and now need a miracle to overhaul Liverpool in the Premier League title race. Saturday’s devastating 1-0 defeat at home to West Ham coupled with Liverpool’s win over Man City on Sunday has left us 11 points adrift in second place. We do hold a game in hand, but even an eight point deficit will be nigh-on impossible to overcome given our injury problems in attack.

The decision not to buy attacking reinforcements in January has bitten us hard. Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz suffered serious injuries just days after the window closed to join Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka on the sidelines. This has left Mikel Arteta with a threadbare attack to choose from, and no recognised striker available for the rest of the season. It’s a disastrous situation and with the transfer window closed, not one we can get ourselves out of with new recruits. Arteta needs to find an internal solution, but realistically we just don’t have the resources to catch Liverpool.

It will require an almighty collapse from the Merseysiders if we’re to stand a chance. But Arsenal also need to worry about the clubs below them as our top four place is far from assured. We need to beat Man Utd to cement our place in the Champions League spots and even with a limited attack, Arsenal can go to Old Trafford confident of getting a result.

Man Utd have endured a nightmare campaign and currently sit 15th in the table after drawing 2-2 at Everton at the weekend. They haven’t improved since Ruben Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag as manager, and Arsenal will want to avenge the unfortunate FA Cup exit to the Red Devils back in January.

How to watch

Unsurprisingly, the game has been chosen for live broadcast and will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event at 4.30pm UK time on Sunday March 9th.

Fans can also follow all the action live at the Emirates Stadium by having a ticket for the game. Being one of the most high profile matches of the season, this game will be sold out but supporters can still buy Manchester United vs Arsenal tickets through trusted reseller sites such as Seatsnet.com.

Team news

Arsenal continue to have crippling injury problems in attack that have derailed our title hopes in recent weeks. Gabriel Jesus won’t play again this season and may not return until late 2025 after suffering an unfortunate ACL injury in the FA Cup game against United in January.

Bukayo Saka has been out for the last three months following hamstring surgery. The England winger is edging closer to making his return to training but he’s still some weeks away from being available for selection again so he’ll miss the trip to Manchester.

Gabriel Martinelli is another attacking absentee for Arsenal. The Brazilian has been out with a hamstring injury in recent weeks and isn’t expected to return in time for the trip to Old Trafford so he’ll be another huge miss for the Gunners.

To compound matters, Kai Havertz has been ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing a hamstring during the clubs warm-weather training camp in Dubai earlier this month. The German’s absence leaves Arsenal without a recognised striker.

Takehiro Tomiyasu won’t play again this season after undergoing surgery on a troublesome knee injury that’s kept him out for the vast majority of the campaign. Myles Lewis-Skelly will miss Arsenal’s game against Nottingham Forest due to suspension but he’ll be available for the trip to United.

As fans with Manchester United tickets will point out, United also have their own fair share of injury issues. Lisandro Martinez is out for the remainder of the campaign with a serious knee injury while Amad Diallo is also facing months on the sidelines with an ankle injury.

Luke Shaw has endured a torrid injury-plagued season once again and he’s remains a doubt to face Arsenal. Kobbie Mainoo and Tobias Collyer are doubts for United while Mason Mount is another doubt due to a thigh problem.

Jonny Evans is struggling with a back injury and could miss the visit of Arsenal while second choice goalkeeper Altay Bayindir is another injury doubt.

Possible Line-ups

Arsenal have very few options to rotate in attack so the only big decisions for Arteta will be in the full-back positions. Ben White is available again and pushing Jurrien Timber for the right-back spot while Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori are battling for the left-back berth.

Thomas Partey, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard should all start in midfield with Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard supporting the make-shift Mikel Merino up front.

For United, Harry Magurie should continue in defence along with Matthijs de Ligt. Garnacho could get the nod in attack along with Rasmus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes. If Mainoo is fit, he could start in midfield along with Manuel Ugarte.

Possible Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Nwaneri, Trossard, Merino

Possible Man Utd XI: Onana, Mazraoui, Maguire, De Ligt, Dorgu, Mainoo, Ugarte, Dalot, Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund.

Predicted score

Arsenal’s attacking woes have blunted our threat going forward but we still have a solid defence and midfield to call upon. We should be able to dominate United in at least two areas of the pitch, and hopefully we still have enough quality in the final third to create a few chances against a poor Man Utd team.

It’s rarely an easy game at Old Trafford and this is always a feisty contest given the history between the two clubs, so we’ll need to be on top form to get a result. As long as we keep things tight at the back, I’m hoping we can nick a win. Man Utd 1-2 Arsenal

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