The FA Cup third round takes place over the weekend and the standout fixture takes place at 3pm on Sunday, January 12, as Arsenal entertain Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.
The tie is one of just two all-Premier League match-ups in this round and will be broadcast live on BBC One.
The FA Cup will probably be viewed as a welcome distraction by both Arsenal and holders Manchester United, although both will have hoped for a kinder third round draw.
The Gunners sit in second spot in the Premier League table but face an uphill battle to overhaul Liverpool, who are six points clear with a game in hand. Mikel Arteta’s side also suffered a blow in midweek as they lost the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final 2-0 to Newcastle at this ground.
Ruben Amorim has found life tough in these early stages of his career as Manchester United manager and the Old Trafford outfit head to North London seeking to end a five-game winless run, with four losses. United go into the competition as the defending champions, while Arsenal won the last of their record 14 FA Cups in 2020.
Arsenal and United have shared an intense rivalry over the years but in recent seasons it has become a little one-sided. The Gunners have won each of the last four competitive meetings and going back further United have just two wins in the last 12.
Arteta’s men ran out 2-0 winners when these sides met at the Emirates in the league in early December and on the balance of play they could have perhaps won by a greater margin.
The midweek cup defeat to Newcastle was Arsenal’s first home loss of the season and they should be able to respond to that setback by beating a Manchester United side who have won just two of their last 12 away games across all competitions, losing two of their last three.
Arsenal forward Kai Havertz had managed three goals in four games prior to a brief absence due to illness and he looks a decent anytime scorer option.
Havertz had a poor game by his standards in the defeat to Newcastle in midweek but he still managed four attempts on goal and he remains a key man in the Gunners frontline so he could be the man to fire them into the fourth round.
Arsenal’s strong home run has been built on solid defensive foundations and they have managed five clean sheets in their last seven assignments at the Emirates, including one against their opponents on Sunday when they met in December.
United have conceded at least twice in each of their last five games and Arsenal have scored at least three goals in four of their last five wins across all competitions – and exactly three in three of those games.
The hosts need some kind of response after the defeat to Newcastle and they can send out a bit of a statement by beating the defending champions convincingly as they begin their quest for FA Cup glory.
Correct score bets can be difficult to navigate but 3-0 seems about right here and 10/1 looks a fair price, given the contrasting fortunes of these two teams.
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