Arsenal vs Manchester United as it happened: Granit Xhaka and Danny Welbeck see off weakened United
Relive all the drama from the Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium
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Arsene Wenger finally recorded a Premier League victory against Jose Mourinho as Arsenal kept their slim top-four hopes alive with a well-deserved win over Manchester United.
The under-fire Frenchman had failed to beat Mourinho in the pair's previous 12 league meetings but he got his first three points against the former Chelsea boss just when he needed it.
Granit Xhaka's deflected strike gave the hosts a lead at the start of the second half before ex-United striker Danny Welbeck scored his third in as many games against his former employers to secure a 2-0 win.
Arsenal remain sixth despite the win but will still harbour hopes of closing a six-point gap on Manchester City in fourth. The Gunners have a game in hand.
Relive all of the drama below...
What time does it start?
The match will kick off at 4.00pm on Sunday 7 May.
Where can I watch it?
It will be shown live on Sky Sports 1, with coverage starting at 3.30pm.
Highlights will be shown on BBC 1 at 10.30pm the same evening.
Preview
Wenger’s poor record against Mourinho is well documented, with just one victory over his Portuguese counterpart in his career which came in the 2015 community shield. That said, his squad is in good shape compared to United’s; the only fresh injury concern for the Gunners comes in the form of Granit Xhaka, who will miss the game due to an ankle injury sustained against Tottenham.
Marcus Rashford limped off against Celta Vigo in midweek while Ashley Young, a second half substitute, was brought off shortly after coming on with complaints of tightness in his hamstring, adding to the catalogue of injuries in the squad.
The managers will be keen to let their long standing rivalry take a back seat ahead of what is a crucial game for both sides. Both Arsenal and Manchester United are in need of improvements over the summer window, which will be made more complicated if Champions League qualification is not secured.
It’s a big game for…
Mesut Ozil: The seemingly languid playmaker has this week defended his style of play, stating that he ‘doesn’t care’ what people think of him. While it may be unfair to accuse the German of not caring, it is unquestionable that his performances of late, along with his teammates, have been sub-par.
If ever Arsenal needed their big players to stand up and be counted it’s now, and their supporters will be hoping Ozil does exactly that on Sunday.
Best stat…
Arsenal’s last home game against united ended in a 3-0 win, but United have not lost consecutive away games against Arsenal since November 2001. Wayne Rooney, who will likely feature thanks to United’s planned squad rotation, has scored more goals against Arsenal (11) than any other player in Premier League history.
Remember when…
Arsenal’s Sylvain Wiltord scored the only goal of the game to secure the Premier League title at Old Trafford in 2002.
Player to watch...
Ander Herrera: His ability is clear to see but the Spanish midfielder has been inconsistent during his time at United. In their recent win over Chelsea, Herrera was set the task of man-marking Eden Hazard and he did the job fantastically well, completely shutting the Belgian out of the game.
If he can contain Mesut Ozil, who he will face directly in the midfield, Arsenal could struggle to create chances and suffer as a result.
Past three meetings…
Manchester United 1 Arsenal 1
Premier League, November 2016
Manchester United 3 Arsenal 2
Premier League, February 2016
Arsenal 3 Manchester United 0
Premier League, October 2015
Form guide…
Arsenal: LWWWL
Manchester United: WDDWW
Odds
Arsenal to win: 19/20
Manchester United to win: 29/10
Draw: 27/10
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