Arsenal - MU: The Red Devils obstruct the Gunners

Right after taking over from the dismissed Ruben Amorim, interim coach Michael Carrick transformed the Red Devils. In the previous round, despite facing the tough challenge of Man City, the 44-year-old English manager led MU to a 2-0 victory over one of the Premier League title favorites.

MU’s win was a clear testament to Coach Carrick’s influence, with no luck involved. Under this young coach’s leadership, Old Trafford’s team built an extremely tight defense, preventing Man City players from managing a single shot on target.

Offensively, MU played very sharply. Their attacks were fast, varied, and consistently threatening.

It can be said that MU is showing signs of revival after the managerial change. They are gradually shedding their weakened image to become more vibrant under Coach Carrick’s tenure.

This impressive performance, along with the derby win in Manchester, gives the Red Devils confidence when visiting Arsenal’s fortress.

After 22 matches, Carrick’s MU ranks 5th on the table with 35 points. They face a tough battle to secure a Champions League spot next season. Carrick’s true ambition is to lay the foundation for a squad capable of competing for the title within the next five years. This season, MU also does not play in European competitions, allowing them to focus fully on domestic matches.

Arsenal is in outstanding form with a 12-game unbeaten streak (9 wins). Despite performing well across competitions, Arsenal has shown signs of stalling in the Premier League, drawing 0-0 in their last two rounds.

This is a point the Gunners must be wary of against the Red Devils, who may drop points against lesser teams but show great resilience in big matches. This season, MU has beaten Chelsea, Liverpool, drawn with Tottenham, and recently caused Man City to suffer defeat.

The clash between MU and Arsenal is one of the most historic rivalries in English football, filled with countless memorable moments that have entered history.

Looking at head-to-head records, MU still holds a slight edge. However, in recent years, the power balance has shifted clearly, with the Gunners frequently dominating and overpowering their long-time rivals in direct encounters.

Under Mikel Arteta, the Gunners have won 67% of their 12 Premier League matches against MU (8 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses), the highest win rate of any manager facing MU at least 5 times.

If Carrick’s team defeats the Gunners, they will intensify the Top 4 race and make the Premier League title battle even more exciting. In the early 23rd round match, Man City beat Wolves 2-0, temporarily reducing the gap to Arsenal to 4 points.

On the sidelines, Mikel Arteta and Michael Carrick were direct rivals in the intense Arsenal-MU clashes between 2011 and 2016. Now, years later, these former midfield generals face off again as coaches.

Currently, Arteta’s Arsenal is the leading title contender in the Premier League, while Carrick’s MU is at a promising yet somewhat disappointing stage with fragile confidence.

The Super Sunday match between Arsenal and MU will kick off at 11:30 PM. The outcome of this showdown could shift the psychological momentum for both Arsenal and second-placed Man City. In fact, the scenario in London may significantly impact the remainder of the Premier League season.

Expected starting lineups for Arsenal and MU
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Magalhaes, Saliba, White, Odegaard, Rice, Zubimendi, Trossard, Gyokeres, Saka
MU: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo