Man Utd vs Arsenal live on December 2, 2021: Gunners eyeing historic win vs the Red Devils

December 2, 2021 By Ali M.

Topics: TV Schedules, Manchester United, Arsenal, English Premier League

The Gunners could climb up to fourth with a win at Old Trafford but will have to overcome a Red Devils side keen on turning their season around.

Preview

The midweek action in the Premier League continues on Thursday, with the standout fixture of Matchweek 14 set to take place on that day. That game is none other than Man United vs Arsenal, with the Gunners gearing up for a highly-anticipated Old Trafford showdown at 3:15 p.m. ET.

Both sides are battling it out for a top four spot, with this match-up being a crucial showdown in this season's race to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. This is the unfortunate situation Man United, in particular, find themselves in despite being tipped as one of the favorites for the 2021/22 Premier League title.

The Red Devils' form tells you everything you need to know about their season. Cristiano and Co. have won only once in their last eight English top-flight fixtures, a run that has resulted in the Old Trafford side dropping to eighth, trailing league leaders Chelsea by a whopping 15 points.

As a result, the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came as little surprise. Losing 4-1 away to relegation-battling Watford was the final straw, but for many, that decision came too late. Ralf Rangnick has since been appointed as the Norwegian's replacement, with the iconic German tactician set to take over on a six-month interim basis before being promoted to an advisory role for the following two years.

Unfortunately, the former RB Leipzig boss will not be available for this showdown due to visa complications, with next weekend's clash with Crystal Palace being earmarked as his debut. This means Michael Carrick will continue deputizing, which might not be the worst thing given that he has overseen two crucial results: the 2-0 win at Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League and the 1-1 draw away to Chelsea over the weekend.

As for Arsenal, they have the golden opportunity to move up to fourth on Thursday. West Ham's 1-1 draw with Brighton on Wednesday leaves the Hammers only a point ahead, meaning the Gunners can leapfrog their London rivals.

The north London giants have enjoyed a lovely turnaround in form, having been bottom of the league with zero points and zero goals scored after Matchday 3. Fast forward to round 14 and Mikel Arteta's side are only a win away from entering the top four.

However, the season is long and the true test will be whether Saka and Co. can maintain the Champions League push until the end of the season. Arsenal recently faltered at Anfield, losing by a whopping 4-0 at Liverpool not too long ago, but have since bounced back, beating Newcastle 2-0 over the weekend. That victory took their run to seven victories and one loss in their last 10 league games.

A triumph at Old Trafford would see Arteta's youthful side move two points ahead of West Ham and an eye-catching eight ahead of Man United. However, the Gunners do not enjoy the best of records at the Theatre of Dreams! Make sure to catch this game live.

Team news

Man United: Harry Maguire is back from suspension and is thus likely to return to the lineup, meaning Eric Bailly could return to the bench. Luke Shaw is a doubt and could thus miss this tie while Varane, Cavani, and Pogba remain on the sidelines. Cristiano Ronaldo, who was benched in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea, should return to the lineup, meaning one of Rashford or Sancho is destined to be dropped if Carrick sticks with a similar formation.

Arsenal: Granit Xhaka and Saed Kolasinac are the only two confirmed absentees, but question marks linger over the availability of Bukayo Saka after the young Englishman limped off the pitch in the 2-0 win over Newcastle. Martinelli came on for the Three Lions starlet and scored a lovely goal, meaning he could be given a shot in the trip to Old Trafford. Another interesting point is whether Lacazette should start ahead of Aubameyang, with the latter struggling to find the back of the net as of late.

Key stats

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last six league encounters with Man United and look to go seven matches without defeat against their rivals for the first time in history.
The Gunners won 1-0 in their last trip to Old Trafford but have not triumphed in back-to-back Theatre of Dreams visits since February 1979.
The Red Devils have failed to score in their last three meetings with the north London giants but have since signed Cristiano Ronaldo, who has netted a whopping 10 times in 16 outings this season.