Hard to make sense of what happened to Manchester United last night, but that’s football. They just lost at home, to the team that by some measures had the worst first half of the season in Premier League history. And this shocking upset came just hours after United was sitting at the very top of the table. At least there is little to no time to think about it, as a visit to Arsenal is scheduled for Saturday.
It’s not hyperbole to say that the direction of their season hangs in the balance here. Do United get up off the matt and achieve a result? Or is this the start of a downward spiral that ends their title chase?
Manchester United at Arsenal FC FYIs
Kickoff: Sat Jan 30, 5:30pm, Emirates Stadium, London
Team News for Both Sides: go here
Starting XI Predictions: United Arsenal
Premier League Form Guide: United LWDWW Arsenal WWDWW
Table Position: United 2nd, 40 pts Arsenal 9th, 30 pts
Referee: Michael Oliver VAR: Paul Tierney
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
Look for United to field a much stronger team here than they did against Sheffield in midweek.
Manchester United Starting XI Prediction at Arsenal FC
David De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw; Fred, Scott McTominay, Paul Pogba; Bruno Fernandes, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford
Prediction: United 2, Arsenal 1
Having just been humbled twice, in midweek vs Sheffield, and earlier in the season when they lost this reverse fixture, United will have a whole to prove. I’m thinking Solskjaer will get them to rise up and meet the moment.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.