Who: Manchester United vs Arsenal
What: English Premier League
The place: Outdated Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, August 16 at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT)
The way to comply with: We’ll have all of the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 4:30pm (15:30 GMT) prematurely of our stay textual content commentary stream.
Arsenal face a direct take a look at of their Premier League title credentials towards a revamped Manchester United.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a better have a look at the sport.
How does the season form up for Arsenal?
Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to maintain digging for gold.
The Gunners have completed as Premier League runners-up for the final three seasons, sparking criticism of their failure to recover from the road within the title race.
Arsenal blew vital leads when Manchester Metropolis pipped them to the trophy in 2023 and 2024, earlier than Liverpool left the injury-plagued north Londoners trailing of their wake final season.
Arsenal’s title frustrations are mounting, with followers questioning whether or not Arteta is the proper man to finish their drought after profitable solely the 2020 FA Cup since he took cost in December 2019.
However the Gunners confirmed their potential final season, with a run to the Champions League semifinals that ended with a slim defeat towards eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.
And, buoyed by a number of recent signings value greater than 180 million kilos ($244 million) in whole, Arteta is satisfied they’ll lastly get their palms on the Premier League silverware this season.
“You retain digging, digging, digging, and it’s a must to be digging as a result of sooner or later the gold goes to be there,” he informed reporters on Friday.
“For 3 seasons, we’ve had extra factors than [nearly] another crew on this league, which is unbelievable.
“You have got the consistency, however now we’ve got to do it in a season, to finish with extra factors than another crew.
“That’s the target. After I’ve been taught, after I’ve been educated, that’s it.”
Hampered by accidents to Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz at varied levels final season, Arsenal lacked a leading edge and have been held to 14 attracts in contrast with Liverpool’s 9.
That was a vital edge as Arsenal completed 10 factors behind the champions.
Who did Arsenal signal this summer time?
In an try to insulate Arsenal towards one other fitness-related collapse, Arteta has introduced in Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres, Actual Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, Chelsea winger Noni Madueke and Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard.
After bemoaning Arsenal’s failure to signal Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins as Liverpool pulled away through the January window, the Spaniard is a much more upbeat determine on the eve of the brand new season.
“I believe we’ve got nice versatility, very completely different qualities in relation to the opposition, so we’re very proud of that,” he stated.
Arteta stated that “too many” groups have a legit shot at profitable the Premier League for his liking, some he even suspects will “shock everyone”.
Whether or not that was a touch that United, who suffered their worst season since 1973-74 final time period, might emerge as contenders after their summer time spending spree stays to be seen.
Arsenal have been linked with a transfer for United’s new striker Benjamin Sesko earlier than deciding to guess on Gyokeres for a payment that might rise to 66 million kilos ($89.5m).
The Swede netted 97 instances in 102 video games in two years at Sporting, a lot of which got here underneath United’s present supervisor, Ruben Amorim.
How is the season shaping up for Man Utd?
As an alternative of being reunited with Gyokeres, Amorim overhauled his assault with the signings of Leipzig’s Sesko, Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo and Wolves ahead Matheus Cunha at a mixed price of greater than 200 million kilos ($271m).
United, who haven’t received the title since 2013, needed to spend huge to erase the stench of their putrid marketing campaign.
Amorim’s crew completed a dismal fifteenth within the top-flight, and squandered an opportunity to qualify for the Champions League with a toothless 1-0 defeat towards fellow underachievers Tottenham within the Europa League last.
The strain is on Amorim, who changed the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, to ship main enhancements in his second season.
Amorim is aware of Sesko will probably be key to that concentrate on and believes the 22-year-old Slovenian is able to rise to the problem.
“I don’t want to inform Ben, ‘Ben, that is Manchester United, a whole lot of strain. Each recreation is like do or die’,” Amorim stated.
“He’s all the time fascinated with soccer. He’s actually obsessed about that.”
Head-to-head
That is the 244th assembly between the golf equipment, with United profitable 99 of these video games and Arsenal profitable 89.
The final two conferences led to 1-1 attracts, though a kind of was within the FA Cup with United advancing on penalties.
The Purple Devils haven’t crushed the Gunners since December 2022, a 3-1 house win lead by a Marcus Rashford double.
The Gunners have received 4 of the six following conferences.
Manchester United crew information
Defenders Lisandro Martinez (knee) and Noussair Mazraoui (hamstring) are each damage absentees for United.
Joshua Zirkzee and Andre Onana have, nevertheless, each recovered from knocks and can be found for choice.
Arsenal crew information
Arteta has stated that the brand new signings, Gyokeres and Zubimendi, are each “match to play”.
Leandro Trossard has had a groin downside however is anticipated to get better in time for choice. Gabriel Jesus stays a long-term absentee with an ACL damage, however in any other case, Arteta has a full squad to select from.
Manchester United predicted beginning lineup
Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko
Arsenal predicted beginning lineup
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli