The Guinness Made of Black Match of the Weekend: Arsenal vs. Manchester United

The Premier League Match of the Weekend for Gameweek Eight is a renewal of an old rivalry, as the Gunners welcome the Red Devils to the Emirates Stadium

Guinness Made of Black Match of the Weekend: Arsenal vs. Manchester United
Where: Emirates Stadium, London
When: 16:00 (GMT +1), Sunday, October 4
A chapter will be added to one of the Premier League’s greatest rivalries on Sunday, as Arsenal welcome Manchester United to North London. This contest is our Guinness Made of Black Match of the Weekend.
For much of the Premier League era, United and Arsenal were the two outstanding sides in the division, finishing in the top two positions for five of the six seasons between summer 1997 and summer 2003.
In recent seasons, however, their dominance has waned, with first Chelsea and subsequently Manchester City emerging as the division’s prevailing forces.

There have been signs of a reversal in fortunes in recent weeks, with United returning to the top of the table—for the first time in 110 weeks—with their recent triumph over Sunderland. Arsenal, too, have overcome early-season struggles (at least in the league) to race into the top four.
A 5-2 demolition of Leicester City last weekend was a glorious exhibition of the firepower and creative menace available to Arsene Wenger. Could the French manager’s array of attacking talent ensure that the Gunners pull one over their bitter rivals and end the weekend on top spot?

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Or will United, purring since David De Gea was restored to the backline, continue their excellent recent form and establish themselves as bona fide title contenders?

Opta Facts

• Arsenal have won just one of their last 13 Premier League fixtures against Manchester United (D4 L8).
• Manchester United are unbeaten in four away games against Arsenal – they’ve never gone five without a loss away to the Gunners in the Premier League era.
• Arsenal have a lower win percentage against Manchester United in the Premier League (24%) than versus any other opponent in the competition.
• Wayne Rooney has netted 11 times in 25 Premier League games against Arsenal. The only sides he's scored more goals against in the competition are Newcastle (12) and Aston Villa (13).
• Rooney scored his first ever Premier League goal (Oct 2002), his first Premier League goal for Man Utd (Oct 2004) and his 100th Premier League goal (Jan 2010) against the Gunners.
• Arsenal have the two players to have created the most goalscoring chances in the Premier League so far this season; Mesut Ozil (29) and Santi Cazorla (28).
• Since making his PL debut back in August 2012, Santi Cazorla has provided more Premier League assists than any other player (32).
• Theo Walcott has netted 12 goals in his last 13 Premier League starts for the Gunners.
• Louis van Gaal has lost just one of his five meetings with Arsene Wenger (all comps), losing in the FA Cup last season after winning one and drawing one in the PL and winning one and drawing one in the 1999/00 Champions League group stages with Barcelona.
• Anthony Martial has been directly involved in four goals in his first three Premier League games, netting three and assisting one.

Arsenal, playing in front of their home fans, surely need the victory more.
While United overcame their disappointing return to the Champions League—and a defeat away at PSV Eindhoven—with a victory over Wolfsburg, Arsene Wenger’s side come into Sunday’s heavyweight fixture on the back of another miserable defeat.

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Having lost their opening Champions League bout against Dinamo Zagreb, Arsenal’s future in the competition hangs in the balance after they were defeated 3-2 by Olympiacos in London on Tuesday evening. With a double-header with Bayern Munich to come, the Round of 16 looks a long way off for Wenger's troops.
The Greek giants exposed a myriad of weaknesses in Wenger’s side, and Louis van Gaal’s side will be quietly confident that, with the likes of Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney and Memphis Depay on board, the league leaders can trouble the Gunners’ uncertain defence.

Sport 07:14