Arsenal predicted lineup vs Man Utd - Premier League
- Arsenal welcome Manchester United to the Emirates
- Gunners have a few injury concerns from the weekend
- Gabriel likely to play despite half-time withdrawal against West Ham
It was a warm-weather training camp in Dubai that ignited the Gunners last season, and the November international break has seemingly had a similar effect in 2024/25.
Arsenal's stuttering start to the campaign now seems a distant memory. Mikel Arteta's side are purring again and scoring goals at will. They've won their last three games by an aggregate score of 13-3 and are keeping themselves in the title discussion despite Liverpool's current supremacy.
A fixture against Ruben Amorim's Manchester United represents a tricky challenge given the competence of the Portuguese coach, but Arsenal only recently made light work of the blueprint Amorim installed in Lisbon as they thumped Sporting CP 5-1 in the Champions League.
Arteta has a few injury complaints to consider heading into Wednesday's game, and here's the starting XI he's projected to pick for United's visit.
Arsenal predicted lineup vs Man Utd (4-3-3)
GK: David Raya - Raya may not be racking up clean sheets at will, but the Spaniard's performances week-by-week are superior to last season. He's a calming presence between the sticks and exactly what Arteta looks for in a shot-stopper.
RB: Jurrien Timber - The Dutchman is an absolute marvel and a critical figure in Arsenal's backline. He looks considerably more comfortable on the right compared to the left.
CB: William Saliba - The novelty of Saliba's brilliance has worn off, with the French defender continuing to produce standout performances weekly. Could have his work cut out for him against the movement of Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford.
CB: Gabriel - Gabriel is dealing with a niggle which forced him off at half-time on Saturday, but it'd be a big surprise if the injury kept him out of Wednesday's game. The Brazilian has two goals in his last two outings.
LB: Riccardo Calafiori - The Italian's minutes are carefully being managed by Arteta, who will keep him in the team against United so he can duel the in-form Amad Diallo.
CM: Thomas Partey - Partey's first injury setback of the season saw him miss Saturday's win, but the fact he travelled with the squad was a positive sign. He could return to the XI as quickly as Wednesday night.
CM: Declan Rice - With Mikel Merino likely to miss out due to a knee injury, Rice is a shoo-in for United's visit.
CM: Martin Odegaard - The key facilitator of Arsenal's renaissance has typically thrived against the Red Devils in the past, scoring in the corresponding fixture last season. Odegaard is working his magic every time he receives possession at the moment.
RW: Bukayo Saka - A major beneficiary of Odegaard's return, Saka has remarkably already recorded ten Premier League assists this season and is hunting down the cursed record which hasn't been broken in over 20 years.
ST: Kai Havertz - Havertz has two in two ahead of Wednesday's bout, with Odegaard's presence allowing him to occupy a more central position and focus on attacking the box. His movement will be crucial in disrupting United's back three at the Emirates.
LW: Gabriel Martinelli - Arteta could rotate here with Martinelli an unused subsitute at the London Stadium. The Brazilian has re-entered some goalscoring form in recent outings.