Man Utd vs Arsenal 2-2 FT
Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 1:19 pm
TEAM NEWS
Manchester United are short of defensive options, and will hope Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly recover from respective foot and back problems.
Ashley Young serves a one-game suspension, Phil Jones is reportedly nursing an injury, and both Luke Shaw and Romelu Lukaku were forced off with knocks on Saturday.
Arsenal's Granit Xhaka is suspended after accumulating five yellow cards.
Playmaker Mesut Ozil is unlikely to feature because of back spasms.
We need "mad dogs", says Mourinho
Arsenal and Tottenham charged after melee
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
@Guymowbray: On 7 November, Manchester United won at Juventus. It was yet another win from behind that poured water on the fire of speculation about Jose Mourinho's future.
Four Wednesdays - and three Premier League games without a win - later, that fire is raging once more, amid stories of Mourinho's own rage after another comeback from defeat at Southampton.
Now, in a game that used to mean so much to both sides, United must start well for a change against a team for whom change looks to have been a good thing.
There's something more, well, 'Arsenal' about Arsenal again, and they'll fancy their chances of a first league win at Old Trafford for over 12 years.
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho: "We will have a very difficult match. They are a good team who have had a good run of results. But in spite of our selection issues, they know it won't be easy either.
"We don't need a miracle [to finish in the top four] at all. I think we need a good run of results and we don't need to waste points where we shouldn't be wasting them."
Arsenal head coach Unai Emery: "It will be a very big challenge for us and it will confirm our good moment, or whether we need more.
"It is very difficult to win there because they are a very big team with big players and have a big atmosphere pushing them, but it is an exciting match and my motivation is very big."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
Despite the contrast in both sides' form, I still have a feeling Manchester United will find a way to win the game.
They need the three points if they are going to have any chance of making the top four by the end of the year, which is Jose Mourinho's target.
Prediction: 2-1
Lawro's full predictions v The 1975 bassist Ross MacDonald
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
The 82 most recent league and cup encounters had featured one or both of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.
This will be the first meeting in which neither of the long-serving managers is involved since 23 August 1986, when the Gunners won 1-0 in a league game at Highbury.
Manchester United are unbeaten in 11 home league matches against Arsenal since September 2006 (W8, D3).
However, the Gunners did win at Old Trafford in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in March 2015.
Manchester United
United have conceded 23 goals in their opening 14 Premier League games - only the bottom five (prior to the latest round of matches) have a worse record.
Last season it took the Red Devils until 10 March - and 30 matches - until they conceded 23 league goals.
They have conceded six goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches this season, a joint-league high with Fulham.
Jose Mourinho's side are winless in three league games for the first time in 12 months.
Their only home league defeat this term was the 3-0 loss to Tottenham on 27 August.
Arsenal
A win would give the Gunners 16 away points - as many as they claimed in total on the road last season (W4, D4, L11).
They have already equalled last term's total of four away victories in the top flight.
Sunday's triumph against Tottenham was only Arsenal's fourth win in their last 29 league games against other sides from the established top six (D10, L15).
The Gunners are unbeaten in their last 12 league games (W9, D3), and 19 matches in all competitions (W15, D4).
They are one of four teams to have kept just two Premier League clean sheets this season (along with Manchester United) - only Fulham, with none, have worse record.
They have scored 24 second-half goals in the Premier League this season, more than any other side.
Arsenal have lost their last three midweek league games, conceding three goals in each defeat.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored with his last 10 shots on target in the Premier League - no goalkeeper has saved against him since West Ham's Lukasz Fabianski in August.
Manchester United are short of defensive options, and will hope Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly recover from respective foot and back problems.
Ashley Young serves a one-game suspension, Phil Jones is reportedly nursing an injury, and both Luke Shaw and Romelu Lukaku were forced off with knocks on Saturday.
Arsenal's Granit Xhaka is suspended after accumulating five yellow cards.
Playmaker Mesut Ozil is unlikely to feature because of back spasms.
We need "mad dogs", says Mourinho
Arsenal and Tottenham charged after melee
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
@Guymowbray: On 7 November, Manchester United won at Juventus. It was yet another win from behind that poured water on the fire of speculation about Jose Mourinho's future.
Four Wednesdays - and three Premier League games without a win - later, that fire is raging once more, amid stories of Mourinho's own rage after another comeback from defeat at Southampton.
Now, in a game that used to mean so much to both sides, United must start well for a change against a team for whom change looks to have been a good thing.
There's something more, well, 'Arsenal' about Arsenal again, and they'll fancy their chances of a first league win at Old Trafford for over 12 years.
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho: "We will have a very difficult match. They are a good team who have had a good run of results. But in spite of our selection issues, they know it won't be easy either.
"We don't need a miracle [to finish in the top four] at all. I think we need a good run of results and we don't need to waste points where we shouldn't be wasting them."
Arsenal head coach Unai Emery: "It will be a very big challenge for us and it will confirm our good moment, or whether we need more.
"It is very difficult to win there because they are a very big team with big players and have a big atmosphere pushing them, but it is an exciting match and my motivation is very big."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
Despite the contrast in both sides' form, I still have a feeling Manchester United will find a way to win the game.
They need the three points if they are going to have any chance of making the top four by the end of the year, which is Jose Mourinho's target.
Prediction: 2-1
Lawro's full predictions v The 1975 bassist Ross MacDonald
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
The 82 most recent league and cup encounters had featured one or both of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.
This will be the first meeting in which neither of the long-serving managers is involved since 23 August 1986, when the Gunners won 1-0 in a league game at Highbury.
Manchester United are unbeaten in 11 home league matches against Arsenal since September 2006 (W8, D3).
However, the Gunners did win at Old Trafford in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in March 2015.
Manchester United
United have conceded 23 goals in their opening 14 Premier League games - only the bottom five (prior to the latest round of matches) have a worse record.
Last season it took the Red Devils until 10 March - and 30 matches - until they conceded 23 league goals.
They have conceded six goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches this season, a joint-league high with Fulham.
Jose Mourinho's side are winless in three league games for the first time in 12 months.
Their only home league defeat this term was the 3-0 loss to Tottenham on 27 August.
Arsenal
A win would give the Gunners 16 away points - as many as they claimed in total on the road last season (W4, D4, L11).
They have already equalled last term's total of four away victories in the top flight.
Sunday's triumph against Tottenham was only Arsenal's fourth win in their last 29 league games against other sides from the established top six (D10, L15).
The Gunners are unbeaten in their last 12 league games (W9, D3), and 19 matches in all competitions (W15, D4).
They are one of four teams to have kept just two Premier League clean sheets this season (along with Manchester United) - only Fulham, with none, have worse record.
They have scored 24 second-half goals in the Premier League this season, more than any other side.
Arsenal have lost their last three midweek league games, conceding three goals in each defeat.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored with his last 10 shots on target in the Premier League - no goalkeeper has saved against him since West Ham's Lukasz Fabianski in August.