Premier League: Arsenal vs Manchester United match preview

A look ahead to this weekend’s clash at the Emirates Stadium

Danny Welbeck swapped Manchester United for Arsenal on transfer deadline day and is set to face his old club at the Emirates on Saturday (Getty Images)

Arsenal will be hosting the first clash this season with Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United this Saturday. A win for United means they will overtake Arsenal while victory for the Gunners could mean they break into the top four again. Van Gaal could be missing up to 12 players after Angel Di Maria, Luke Shaw and Daley Blind all picked up injuries on their international duty.

Goalkeeper David de Gea and Michael Carrick both also returned with injuries. United’s list of injuries only adds more misery to their terrible start to the season having only collected 16 points out of 11 games and currently sitting in 7th. Arsenal’s Oliver Giroud and Mikel Arteta look fit to return to the squad, but Mesut Özil is still recovering from a serious knee injury.

All eyes will be on Danny Welbeck who moved from Manchester to North London last summer and Robin van Persie doing exactly the opposite two years ago. The decision to sell Welbeck was criticised by many including Sir Alex Ferguson’s former coach Rene Meulensteen who said: “'I had him from when he was 8, 9 years of age and I think the best of Danny is yet to come.”

Robin van Persie became top-scorer of the Premier League and won the title in his first season in Manchester but has only shown a lack of form into this season so far. Rooney will hope to keep up the good form he has been showing lately and is keen to break Robbie Fowler’s record against the Gunners. Rooney has scored 10 Premier League goals against the Gunners but his last one dates back to 2011 when he scored a hat-trick.

Radamel Falcao is still unclear whether he is fit to play. Louis van Gaal will provide further details on Fridays press conference.

KICK-OFF: 17:30

PAST THREE MEETINGS:

Arsenal 0 Manchester United 0, Premier League, February 2014.

Manchester United 1 (Van Persie) Arsenal 0, Premier League, November 2013.

Arsenal 1 (Walcott) Manchester United 1 (Van Persie), Premier League, April 2013.

STATS:

All time series: 78 wins for Arsnel, 48 draws and 92 wins for Manchester United

Largest victory: Manchester United 8 -2 Arsenal (28 August 2011)

Manchester United has won 13 league titles, Arsenal 3

ODDS:

Arsenal to win 2.15

Draw 3.5

Man United to win 3.5

TV: Sky Sports 1 at 5.30pm/