Arsenal vs Manchester United preview

Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Arsenal vs Manchester United in the Premier League on New Year's Day (kick-off 8pm).

Team news

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka will be assessed after he missed the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea through illness.

Calum Chambers looks set for a spell on the sidelines after hobbling off with a knee injury during the 2-1 defeat, joining Rob Holding (knee), Kieran Tierney (shoulder), Sead Kolasinac (ankle) and Sokratis Papastathopoulos (head) in missing out.

Dani Ceballos is back in full training, however, while Gabriel Martinelli and Hector Bellerin could return.

Paul Pogba is expected to return to the Manchester United squad after missing the win against Burnley on Saturday. Diogo Dalot is also in contention with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw expected to return after being rested at the weekend.

However, Axel Tuanzebe, Marcos Rojo and Scott McTominay will be absent with Eric Bailly and Timothy Fosu-Mensah also long-term omissions - although the former has now returned to training.

Opta stats

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• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last three Premier League meetings against Manchester United (W1 D2) - they've not gone four without defeat against them since February 1999 (W3 D1).
• United have lost three of their last four away Premier League games against Arsenal (W1), as many as they had in their previous 13 trips to the Emirates/Highbury in the competition (W4 D6 L3).
• This is the third top-flight meeting between Arsenal and United on New Year's Day, with the Red Devils winning 2-0 in both previous such games (1912 and 1949).
• When playing their first league game of a calendar year at home, Arsenal haven't lost since 1985 (1-2 vs Tottenham), winning 13 and drawing eight since.
• No team has won more Premier League games on New Year's Day than Arsenal (9).
• United have won their first league game in each of the last four calendar years. Their last such defeat came in 2014 at home to Spurs (1-2).

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• Arsenal are looking to avoid losing five consecutive home matches in all competitions for the first time in their entire history.
• United haven't won three consecutive Premier League games since a run of six in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first six games in charge. The Red Devils have lost their last two away league games in London (0-2 vs Arsenal in March 2019 and 0-2 vs West Ham in September 2019).
• Marcus Rashford has been involved in 16 goals in 20 Premier League appearances this season (12 goals, four assists), though he hasn't scored in any of his last seven appearances against Arsenal in the competition since scoring twice against them on his league debut in February 2016.
• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored in Arsenal's 1-1 draw with United in the reverse fixture this season, as well as netting in this exact fixture last term. The last Arsenal player to score in three successive Premier League games against United was Thierry Henry in November 2001.

Charlie Nicholas' prediction

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I cannot give up on them, but Arsenal cannot buy a win at the moment. Yet it does seem more promising. There is more fight in there, no confidence, but there is a shape and a tendency to go and try to squeeze the ball.

Mesut Ozil is playing better, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still scoring goals and Bukayo Saka has been class at left-back despite being an attacker. You cannot plan for the Bernd Leno howler; the defence was better but still vulnerable, as were the midfield protectors.

Man United are getting good results, while the counter-attack is so dangerous at the Emirates. I am going to stick with Arsenal, as they can get at the full backs here and the defence. It seems more pleasant to watch but the table looks awful for Arsenal.

Arsenal need a win; it is not about closing the gap to the top four as that is fantasy for them this year. Mikel Arteta started with a draw and a harsh defeat so it is time for them to get a win. United will be very dangerous on the counter-attack, but Reiss Nelson has been decent, and Arteta could give Nicolas Pepe a start. He may just be ready to come and do something.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-2 (25/1 with Sky Bet)

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