Preview: Arsenal v Manchester United | Pre-Match Report | News

We’re aiming to mark the 500th competitive men’s fixture at Emirates Stadium by doing something we’ve never achieved in our league history - beating Manchester United four times in a row.

The Red Devils head to our corner of north London on Wednesday night (8.15pm UK) having lost seven of their last nine Premier League trips to our home, including each of the last three. They’ll be hoping their new manager bounce under Ruben Almorin will help buck that trend, but they run into us amid some great form.

13 goals in three wins since the return of domestic football has seen us reinvigorated and ready for the challenge posed by one of our historic rivals, as we embark on a relentless run of fixtures for the rest of 2024 with a spring in our step.

Amorin’s unbeaten start

Having received public backing from the owners in the summer, reshaped his coaching team and spent £180 million on new players, Erik ten Hag was dismissed two months into the campaign having won just three of his first nine league fixtures, leaving United 14th in the table and without a win in their first three Europa League games.

While Amoroin was being poached from Sporting CP, Ruud van Nistelrooy was handed the reins temporarily and went unbeaten in his four games at the helm, before Amorim began his tenure with a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town. That was followed by a 3-2 win over Bodo/Glimt in Europe, before Everton were put to the sword 4-0 on Sunday, leaving the Red Devils ninth going into this round of fixtures.

However just one win from eight away games in all competitions has been clinched all campaign, and that came at rock-bottom Southampton who missed a penalty to take the lead and had a player sent off.

What the managers say

Arteta: "You can see [Amorim's] fingerprints, you know what he wants to do straight away, I think he’s been very clear. He’s been very successful with Sporting, it’s remarkable after so many years what he achieved there, especially in the way he did it and the way his teams have been playing. He brings energy to the club, to the players, new ideas and that’s always something that’s positive.

"It’s still very early in the season. Any team that has the capacity to put five or six wins in a row is going to be up there [at the top of the league] because it’s so tough and you see every week how all the teams are struggling to maintain winning, winning and winning. So I think anything is possible."

Amorim: “Everything now is a test without so many minutes to train, trying to manage minutes for players. Some players have come off after 60 or 70 minutes, so everything is a test. It's hard for us at United to say but [Arsenal] are at a different point in their team.

“It's important to be brave. Not pressing all the time higher, we have to understand the moments of the game. We want to dominate some moments because we know in this match it's hard to control to whole game.”

Team news

Thomas Partey and Mikel Merino sat out Saturday’s win at West Ham United and continue to be assessed, as does Riccardo Calafiori who picked up a knock against the Hammers and came off 10 minutes into the second half.

Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu definitely miss out with their knee issues.

United’s win against Everton ended up being a costly one as Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez picked up their fifth bookings of the campaign and are suspended for the trip to north London.

Summer signing Leny Yoro broke his foot against us in pre-season action but could be in line for his debut after recovering, while Victor Lindelof is set to miss out with a hamstring injury.

Talking tactics

Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme: Amorim has immediately deployed the 3-4-2-1 system that worked so well for him at Sporting. In the short term that shape may look a little lop-sided, with Amad Diallo pushed into a very advanced position as the right wing-back while Diogo Dalot is a touch more reserved on the opposite side.

The new boss will also demand greater intensity in and out of possession, and his Sporting side was noted for its terrific defensive organisation and ability to produce fast, devastating attacks on transitions.

Amorim’s success has been built around a philosophy that sees his team play out from the back, moving the ball through the thirds with sharp, short passes, and into the feet of their twin No10s, a choice between Bruno Fernandes, Alejandro Garnacho and Mason Mount. Fernandes is a chance-creating machine and is in the division’s top five for key passes in open play.

United have also been much improved from set pieces in 2024/25, scoring four goals from dead-ball situations, but their central midfield has lacked the compactness and athleticism required to stop opponents playing through them. This has led to them failing to register any wins in the last two and a half seasons against the big six away from home.

Facts and stats

Our last three Premier League home games against Manchester United have seen us score three times in each. The last team to do so in more consecutive home league games against the Red Devils were ourselves, seven times in a row between 1970 and 1978.

United have won six of their last seven midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Premier League games, with these producing 38 goals in total (F23 A15).

The Red Devils have won just two of their last 18 Premier League away games against London sides, with both of those victories coming against Fulham.

Mikel Arteta has won six of his nine Premier League games against Manchester United. Of all managers to face them at least five times in the competition, he has the highest win rate (67%).

Bukayo Saka has had a hand in five Premier League goals against United (3 goals, 2 assists). Only Thierry Henry (12 – 8G 4A) has been involved in more against the Red Devils for us.

Marcus Rashford has scored four of Man Utd’s last five Premier League goals against us. He has more goal involvements against us (10 – 6 goals, 4 assists) than he has against any other side in the competition.

Leandro Trossard could become our first birthday scorer since Mesut Ozil against Swansea City in October 2016 and the first to net specifically against Man Utd on his birthday since Nwankwo Kanu in the 1999 Charity Shield.

Match officials

Sam Barrott is the man in the middle for this fixture, and we’ll be hoping he continues to be a good luck charm as we have won on all three occasions he has refereed us so far, following on from the 4-3 and 6-0 wins at Luton and Sheffield United last season, and our 4-2 success against Leicester City in September.

A month later the 31-year-old oversaw Man Utd for the first time as they beat Brentford 2-1 at Old Trafford. He has shown 49 yellows in his eight top-flight matches this term, and two penalties - both in the recent Southampton v Liverpool game.

Referee: Sam Barrott
Assistants: Lee Betts, Ian Hussin
Fourth official: Rob Jones
VAR: Jarred Gillett
Assistant VAR: Adam Nunn

Recent visits from United

United’s record at our home in recent years has been poor, having not won on each of their last six visits, and losing the last three. In September 2023 they looked set for victory when Garnacho netted late on but it was ruled out for offside, and we recovered by netting stoppage-time goals through Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus to clinch a 3-1 victory.

Another dramatic game occurred nine months earlier when we again tasted late success with a 3-2 success. Eddie Nketiah netted twice - including a 90th-minute winner - and Bukayo Saka scored a wonderful strike from range to see us overcome Ten Hag’s team.

The season before, we ran out 3-1 winners when strikes from Nuno Tavares, Saka again and a goal of the season effort from Granit Xhaka grabbed the three points.

Live coverage

Tune into Live From N5, streamed on Arsenal.com and the official app an hour before kick-off where Nicole Holliday and Timbsy host a jam-packed matchday show!

Alessia Russo will pop by to give her thoughts on the game against her former club and preview Sunday’s Emirates Stadium clash with Aston Villa, while singer Mabel and Saracens rugby union stars Maro Itoje and Andy Onyeama-Christie complete another star-studded line-up.

They’ll look back on everything you may have missed on social media this week, while Frimmy’s out and about welcoming the team to Emirates Stadium, asking our supporters the Question of the Day, and testing their knowledge of big goals with a round of Invisigoals.

Then at kick-off time, live commentary comes from Dan Roebuck and Adrian Clarke to keep you up-to-date with all the goings-on.

You can also find out which broadcasters are showing the action wherever you are in the world.