While they aren’t as much of a draw as they were in the Fergie-Wenger era, the matches between Arsenal and Manchester United still present one of the top rivalries in English football. Both sides have struggled in recent seasons and still cling on to the hope of winning one of the Champions League spots. The two rivals lock horns at the Emirates on Wednesday, the 1st of January 2020, in what promises to be an enthralling encounter.
The Mikel Arteta era is in full flow, but the Gunners only have one point to show for their efforts in two matches – a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth and a loss at home to Chelsea. The latter was particularly heart-breaking, conceding two goals in the last 10 minutes of the game, thanks to a Bernd Leno mistake that was converted by Jorginho and a Tammy Abraham goal. The loss against Chelsea was the Gunners’ third consecutive loss at home, and a loss against the Red Devils would make it four in a row – something that hasn’t happened since 1959. The Gunners’ form is nothing to write home about; they’ve only one won game in twelve – a win over the out-of-form West Ham a few weeks ago. Surely Mikel Arteta’s men are running out of the Champions League, and are looking over their shoulder so as not to be dragged into a relegation battle (haha!). That said, the table is really tight at the moment, and a good run of results can do wonders, especially with the inconsistencies of other teams such as Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United. In the past six meetings between the two clubs, Mikel Arteta’s men have only won once – a 2-0 victory at the Emirates in March 2019.
In the last six EPL matches, the Red Devils have strung together a series of impressive results, enabling them to sit in fifth place on the EPL table; the only blip within that run is a 2-0 loss to Watford at Vicarage road. The six-match run includes wins over Tottenham, Manchester City, Newcastle and Burnley, as well as a 1-1 draw at Everton. Ole’s men have scored eleven goals and conceded six goals in that run. The Manchester-based team is certain to have enough motivation against Arsenal: firstly, keeping the pressure on fourth-placed Chelsea and, secondly, just because it’s a rival match. The Red Devils have fared relatively well against big teams this season, owing to their predominantly counter-attacking system. The likes of Rashford and Martial also seem to be hitting top gear at the right time, and would be looking to compound the North London club’s misery. That said, the Red Devils are not particularly noted for their away performances, having struggled a lot this season on the road.
The Gunners is struggling with injuries, especially to the backline. Calum Chambers was withdrawn in the match against Chelsea and adds to a long list of absent defenders. Man Utd also have their injury worries, including the absence of McTominay.
Manchester United had a good recent head-to-head over the Gunners, winning three of the last six meetings (one loss and two draws). The Gunners, on the other hand, will be determined to stem the run of consecutive home losses. Matches between the two clubs, typically, have goals, with both teams scoring in four out of the last five matches. The matches between the two teams also typically feature over 2.5 goals; three of the last five have ended with more than 2.5 goals. You can read our Arsenal vs Manchester United betting tips and predictions in full on our betting tips page.
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