There is no time to dwell if you are Manchester United and there is no time to settle if you are Arsenal. That’s because these two giants of yesteryear clash in a fixture of the utmost importance to both sides’ top-four aspirations. It’s the early kick-off in the Premier League this weekend as Arsenal host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.
As I have already alluded to, the midweek round was a very different experience for both sides. Arsenal traveled to Stamford Bridge with their top-four hopes hanging by a thread and produced a tremendous performance to defeat their rivals from West London 4-2.
It was a very different story for Manchester United. The Red Devils traveled down the M62, hoping to wipe the memory of the reverse fixture at Old Trafford from the footballing public consciousness. What transpired was, arguably, an even more insipid performance as their fiercest rivals trounced them.
Humiliated by Liverpool for a second time this season, this time going down 4-0.
Arsenal vs Manchester United FYIs
When is it? Saturday, April 23 2022 12:30 pm PM Local Time.
Where is it? Emirates Stadium, London.
Team News: Arsenal United
Starting XI Predictions: Arsenal United
Who’s in form? Arsenal (LWWWW) Man Utd (LLLDW)
What are the odds? Arsenal (+110) Man Utd (+255) Draw (+250)
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Team News
It will delight Arsenal that they picked up no fresh injury concerns in their victory over Chelsea. They would have been doubly delighted at the sight of Japanese full-back Takehiro Tomiyasu back in full training at Colney. I feel like the medical team will want to exercise caution with the right-back’s return from injury.
It would surprise me if he was not on the bench for this fixture. Here’s what gaffer Mikel Arteta had to say prior to the Chelsea match regarding how close the defender was to a return to the matchday squad –
“Tomi is very, very close. Whether this game is going to be too early for him or not, again we will decide it today after the training session.”
Elsewhere, there is not a lot of fresh news to report. Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey are both out until the end of the season.
A knee injury in training a couple of weeks back struck Scotsman Tierney down.
He has since had surgery that rules him out for the rest of the season. Ghanaian international Partey is out of action with a thigh injury sustained against Crystal Palace and is also not expected to take part in any games between now and the end of the season.
The stakes might not be as high as they used to be for fixtures between these two sides, but the importance of this game cannot be understated. A loss for either would be near-fatal to their top-four hopes this season.
Stuart Kavanagh is an up-and-coming sports journalist from Melbourne, Australia. Along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, he is also the co-host of the ‘After Extra Time’ podcast. Football mad, he is always down for debate and discussion at @stueyissickofit on Twitter.