This article is part of our Soccer Picks series.
Arsenal and Manchester United meet Wednesday at Emirates Stadium in London for their 241st all-time encounter. Each side is facing a quick turnaround for the midweek fixture after securing victories over West Ham United and Everton, respectively, in Gameweek 13.
Manchester United are flying high after smashing Everton 4-0, their first Premier League victory under new manager Ruben Amorim. Arsenal will hope to maintain their imperious attacking form that has seen the Gunners score five goals in consecutive fixtures.
Arsenal sit second in the Premier League table with 25 points, level with third-place Chelsea, while Manchester United are just off that pace, tied in ninth place with 19 points from their first 13 fixtures.
Premier League Predicted & Confirmed Lineups
Premier League Schedule and Fixture Difficulty Ranker
HEAD TO HEAD
Arsenal and Manchester United have met on 240 occasions, dating back to 1894 when Arsenal, then known as Woolwich Arsenal, drew 3-3 in a League Division Two fixture versus United, then known as Newton Heath. Arsenal triumphed in both fixtures versus Manchester United during the 2023/24 Premier League campaign by an aggregate score of 4-1.
Manchester United lead the all-time series, having won 101 times and drawn on 50 occasions. United's most recent victory over the Arsenal was a 3-1 victory at Old Trafford in September 2022.
ODDS
Moneyline
DraftKings: ARS -220 Draw +370, MUN +550 (PROMO CODE)
FanDuel: ARS -230 Draw +370, MUN +600 (PROMO CODE)
BetMGM: ARS -200 Draw +340, MUN +525 (BONUS CODE)
Bet365: ARS -223 Draw +350, MUN +600 (BONUS CODE)
LINEUP NOTES & INJURY NEWS
Arsenal
Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta must continue to navigate their way through injuries to their backline. Gabriel, who serves as the physical and emotional heart of the defense, is a doubt for the clash after leaving the weekend's 5-2 victory over West Ham United at halftime due to the recurrence of a knee injury. Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White remain out as each recover from long-term knee injuries. In Gabriel's absence, Riccardo Calafiori could slide into central defense, freeing up the left-back role for young Jakub Kiwior.
In the midfield, Mikel Merino's injury plagued first season at the Emirates continues after suffering a knee injury in the build up to the fixture versus West Ham. Holding midfielder Thomas Partey also missed out on Saturday's action after what the club as deemed "muscle issues." Each are considered late decisions for Wednesday's tilt versus Manchester United. In Partey's absence, Arteta opted for a midfield trifecta of Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Jorginho to navigate the center of the park.
Manchester United
Manchester United enter the fixture looking to plug holes in a lineup that will see midfielder Kobbie Mainoo and defender Lisandro Martinez each unavailable due to suspension after picking up their fifth yellow cards in United's victory versus Everton. Christian Eriksen hasn't played the last two matches and is a doubt as well, meaning Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro seem most likely to start in the midfield.
A replacement for Martinez in a three-man defensive unit is a more murky proposition for the new manager. If fit, Jonny Evans is the most likely suspect to fill the role. However, the veteran has missed their previous two fixtures with an undisclosed injury. In the potential absence of Evans, a return to the starting XI for former club captain Harry Maguire could be in the offing or even Luke Shaw as one of the three center-backs.
FORMATIONS
Ruben Amorim has implemented his 3-4-3 system at old Trafford with Diogo Dalot and Amad Diallo operating as wing-backs, patrolling the flanks of the pitch while Matthijs De Ligt has looked comfortable in the center of United's backline of three.
During his time at Sporting CP, Amorim asked his squads to press aggressively once dispossessed. While United may be veering from the passive tactics of their former manager Erik ten Hag, successfully implementing an aggressive press against an experienced and well-drilled Arsenal squad will be a high bar to clear for a squad who has had only weeks to absorb the new manager's tactics.
Arsenal have faced injuries in multiple areas of the pitch this season. Nevertheless, Arteta has continued to roll out a base 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 in each fixture, depending on whether he prefers to play with a striking partnership or with a No. 10 behind his striker. Over their last four fixtures, Arteta has opted for a 4-2-3-1 shape with either Kai Havertz or Gabriel Jesus being flanked by Bukayo Saka and either Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli.
As United look to acclimatize their play to Amorim's liking, expect some growing pains as they shift to a new formation. With United players learning the wing-back position extemporaneously and with question marks in their backline, I expect Arsenal to bypass the likes of United's midfield stalwart Casemiro and test their mettle down the flanks.
RECENT FORM
Arsenal (WWWDL) are in fine form, having scored 13 goals over their most recent three fixtures (all competitions) and conceded just three goals in return. Their 26 goals scored are tied for second most in the Premier League through 13 fixtures, two behind the top-scoring outfit, Tottenham.
Manchester United (WWDWW) have taken the sacking of Erik ten Hag and appointment of Ruben Amorim in stride. The Red Devils are unbeaten in six successive matches (all competitions) and are tied for the second-best defensive record in England, conceding just 13 goals over their 13 league fixtures.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Amad Diallo: Diallo has appeared in each of the three matches since Amorim has taken the helm at United (two league starts). Over that span, he's taken seven shots (two on goal) and registered three assists while maintaining his defensive discipline and chipping in five tackles (five won) with seven clearances. With Diallo likely playing on the opposite flank of Bukayo Saka, he should be able to continue to brandish his license to join the attack when United are in possession.
Kai Havertz: When Havertz scores goals, they tend to come in bunches. It's no surprise that the return of Martin Odegaard has coincided with an uptick in form from Arsenal's target forward. He's bagged goals in back-to-back fixtures (all competitions) from four total shots. He's scored five times over 12 Premier League appearances (12 starts), putting him on pace to exceed his 12 goals over 37 appearances (30 starts) he registered during the 2023/2024 Premier League campaign.
BETTING PICKS & PREDICTION
Premier League Odds Comparisons
Man of the Match: Martin Odegaard
With Manchester United still finding their footing under a new manager and experiencing attrition in the backline due to suspension and injury, I expect Odegaard to be vital in attack, as Arteta will leverage his skill set to solidify an undermanned midfield and spray the ball out to streaking wingers. The midfielder has made five appearances (four starts) in his return from injury, creating 13 chances, scoring once and assisting two goals.
Result: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United
UPCOMING EPL FIXTURES
Arsenal: Dec. 8 at Fulham
Manchester United: Dec. 7 vs. Nottingham Forest
