Man Utd vs Arsenal: Premier League Matchweek 28 Preview and Prediction

Manchester United vs Arsenal was once the Premier League’s defining rivalry. The battles between Sir Alex Ferguson’s United and Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal produced some of football’s most iconic moments, from Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira’s tunnel clash to Martin Keown taunting Ruud van Nistelrooy.

However, the gap between the two clubs has widened in recent years. Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, have been a consistent title contender, although they currently sit 13 points behind leaders Liverpool. Meanwhile, United have struggled for stability, often fighting just to secure Champions League qualification. Despite this, United have claimed two trophies in the past two seasons, while Arsenal have yet to lift silverware under Arteta.

Arteta’s tenure since December 2019 has provided Arsenal with the kind of stability United crave. In that time, United have cycled through three permanent managers—Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Erik ten Hag, and now Ruben Amorim—while also having an interim stint with Ralf Rangnick.

Sunday’s showdown at Old Trafford will be a significant milestone for Arteta as he manages his 200th Premier League game. The Spaniard boasts the highest win percentage (59%) of any Arsenal manager in the Premier League era, matching Wenger’s best points-per-game record (1.96). He has also excelled against United, winning seven of his 10 league meetings (D1 L2), giving him the highest win rate (70%) of any manager to face United at least five times.

However, Arsenal have hit a rough patch in the league, failing to score in their last two matches—a loss to West Ham and a draw with Nottingham Forest. The last time they went three consecutive league games without scoring while in the top two was November 2000. Nevertheless, they responded emphatically in the UEFA Champions League, demolishing PSV 7-1.

United, meanwhile, edged past Ipswich Town 3-2 in the Premier League but suffered an FA Cup disappointment against Fulham. Their 1-1 Europa League draw at Real Sociedad highlighted their squad’s injury struggles, with nine first-team players unavailable. While Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte might return, Arsenal also have injury concerns, missing key players like Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Martinelli.

Manchester United vs Arsenal Head-to-Head

United have lost their last four league meetings with Arsenal, their worst-ever run against the Gunners. Arsenal won this fixture 1-0 last season but hasn’t won consecutive league games at Old Trafford since 1979. A win for United would mark their 100th victory over Arsenal in all competitions, making for a fascinating clash at Old Trafford.

But if United do win, then they will claim their 100th victory against Arsenal in all competitions. The Gunners have not lost to any other team on as many occasions as they have United (99), while the Red Devils have only beaten Aston Villa more (106).

PREDICTION: Man Utd 0 vs Arsenal 2  (2DNB)

TOTAL ODDS: 9.80