The football fans are set to have a cracker of a game at stake on Sunday as English Premier League table toppers travel to the Emirates Stadium to take on Arsenal. Both the teams come into the game in a contrasting manner as the hosts lost to Olympiakos in the Champions League while Manchester United defeated Wolfsburg in the European event.
Arsenal will be banking on their star Alexis Sanchez to deliver the goods for them as the Chilean International is in red hot form after scoring a hat-trick against Leicester City last weekend. Manager Arsene Wenger will be happy with the arrival of Francis Coquelin from injury.
Theo Walcott, who is expected to start the game ahead of Olivier Giroud should try and convert the majority of the chances that are created for him. Manchester United’s back-line is set to have a tough time as the guys like Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott will surely give United a run for their money. Mesut Ozil himself has created 29 chances this season.
On the other hand, the visitors will rely on Juan Mata and Anthony Martial to steal points from the tie. The Red Devils’ skipper Wayne Rooney is in a terrible form and now the onus is on the young Frenchman Martial to take the opportunity and make them count, just like he is doing ever since he came to Old Trafford this summer.
Memphis Depay needs to step-up for United to pose a threat to the strong Arsenal defence. It would be interesting to see where Matteo Darmian plays as Louis Van Gaal played him as a left-back and Antonio Valencia as the right-back after United were left without any left-backs. Repeating the same against Arsenal could prove costly because Sanchez operates from the left and playing Valencia against him would be a bad move. Instead, Ashley Young might be playing on the left with Darmian moving to his preferred right.
Team News:
Arsenal will be without Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere, Laurent Koscielny and Mathieu Flamini out for the game. In place of Koscielny, Gabriel Paulista will get the nod.
On the other hand, Manchester United won’t be without their regular left-backs Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojo.
PREDICTED LINEUPS:
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1):
CECH, MERTESACKER, GABRIEL, BELLERIN, MONREAL, COQUELIN, CAZORLA, RAMSEY, OZIL, SANCHEZ, WALCOTT
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1):
DE GEA, BLIND, SMALLING, DARMIAN, YOUNG, CARRICK, SCHWEINSTEIGER, DEPAY, ROONEY, MATA, MARTIAL