Manager Mikel Arteta described Arsenal’s win at Chelsea on Wednesday as a “great night” for the club

TEAM NEWS

Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette may start after he featured as a late substitute in the win over Chelsea following his recovery from Covid.

Takehiro Tomiyasu is in contention to make his first appearance since January after returning to training.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba could miss the rest of the season with the calf injury sustained in the defeat at Liverpool on Tuesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane and Scott McTominay are all available.

LAWRO’S PREDICTION

After a run of poor performances, Arsenal looked a really good side in their win over Chelsea on Wednesday.

It was an outstanding display all round, and part of it was down to the way the Gunners were much quicker and fitter – the Blues looked flat.

United, meanwhile, just didn’t turn up at Anfield and got the result they deserved. Their fans will be hoping for a reaction after such a dismal display but I’m not convinced this team are capable of one.

The only thing that is stopping me going for an Arsenal win is that they have been in a position before where they had a grip on fourth place – in fact, they could almost have guaranteed it by now.

They have not dealt with that scenario very well in the past few weeks so I am not convinced things will be different this time.

It has to be said, though, that United are all over the place at the moment. With the players he has available, we don’t know how Ralf Rangnick will pick a team and decide on a formation. A point would be a very good result for them in the circumstances.

Prediction: 1-1

Lawro’s full predictions v Parquet Courts singer Austin Brown

Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe celebrates after scoring in the Premier League meeting with Brentford in February

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

  • Arsenal are unbeaten in their last three Premier League home games against Manchester United, winning two and drawing one.
  • The Gunners could keep clean sheets in four consecutive home league meetings for the first time.
  • Manchester United’s 3-2 victory in December ended a six-game winless run against the Gunners in the Premier League. They can complete their first league double over Arsenal since 2018.

Arsenal

  • Arsenal have already equalled their total number of 18 Premier League victories from last season.
  • They have recorded 32 points at the Emirates Stadium. Only Liverpool (42) and Manchester City (38) have won more at home.
  • However, Arsenal have lost three of their seven home league fixtures in 2022. They lost four in total in in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
  • Arsenal have let in 39 top-flight goals this season, already equalling their total conceded in 2020-21.
  • The Gunners could lose league matches on three consecutive Saturdays for the first time since 1992.

Manchester United

  • Manchester United lost four of their last seven matches in all competitions.
  • However, they have triumphed in all five Premier League fixtures this season against their closest rivals for fourth place – Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham United.
  • The Red Devils could lose four successive top-flight away games for the first time since a run of six defeats from December 1980 to March 1981, which included a 2-1 loss versus Arsenal.
  • They can equal the club Premier League record of failing to score in three successive away fixtures, set from March to April 2005.
  • United have conceded 48 Premier League goals this campaign, their second-highest tally after the 54 they let in across the entirety of 2018-19.
  • They are unbeaten in their last 13 Premier League games in London (W8, D5), since a 2-0 loss at Arsenal in January 2020.
  • Since Cristiano Ronaldo re-joined the club, United have won only one of the seven matches in all competitions without him (D3, L3).
  • Ronaldo is one short of becoming the fourth player to score 100 Premier League goals for the club, after Wayne Rooney (183), Ryan Giggs (109) and Paul Scholes (107).
  • This match is 18 years and 173 days since Ronaldo scored his first Premier League goal against Portsmouth on 1 November 2003. The longest gap between a player’s first and 100th goal in the competition is 17 years and 91 days by Giggs.

Choose your Arsenal formation and starting line-up. It’s up to you how to approach it – you could go for the team you WANT the boss to pick or the one you THINK he will.

Choose your Manchester United formation and starting line-up. It’s up to you how to approach it – you could go for the team you WANT the boss to pick or the one you THINK he will.

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