Manchester United host Arsenal FC on Sunday in the Premier League weekend’s headliner fixture. There is some team news for the hosts as Alex Telles, the left back acquired from FC Porto at the tail end of the summer transfer window, has tested positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, he’s showing no symptoms and should be back before too long.
Go here for more on that. Obviously won’t be available this weekend versus Arsenal, and neither will Phil Jones, but manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said that the much maligned central defender still has a future with the club.
Man United vs Arsenal FC FYIs
Kickoff: Sunday, November 1, 11:30 a.m. ET, 16:15 GMT, Old Trafford
Stream: fuboTV (USA), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)
Arsenal FC Starting XI Prediction, Team News: go here
Odds: (+105) Manchester United win, (+245) Arsenal win, (+260) Draw
Referee: Mike Dean
Jones hasn’t featured since January, and he’s been left out of requisite team roster lists, but OGS says he could be back in action before the end of the calendar year.
“Phil has been injured and had an operation,” Solskjaer said at his press conference on Friday. “He’s working really hard to be back and hopefully he’ll get fit in December.
“When you’re injured you can’t get into the squad. He’s working really diligently to get back in the squad now.”
So with that in mind (also remembering that Anthony Martial is suspended, let’s look at how United might set ’em up in the first team on Sunday.
Manchester United Starting XI Prediction (4-3-3) vs Arsenal FC
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Matic, Pogba, Bruno Fernandes; Greenwood, Cavani, Rashford
Prediction: United 2, Arsenal FC 1
United are coming into this one riding high. They thrashed RB Leipzig 5-0 yesterday in UEFA Champions League play.
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.