Arsenal and Manchester United are set to face off in a mouthwatering FA Cup third-round tie at the Emirates on Sunday.
Having gone 13 games unbeaten, Mikel Arteta’s side slumped to their first home defeat of the season against Newcastle in midweek to leave their hopes of reaching the Carabao Cup final hanging by a thread.
United, meanwhile, ended their four-game losing streak with a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend.
And while their winless run extended to five games in all competitions, Ruben Amorim will surely be encouraged by how his side performed against the runaway league leaders.
Both sides now turn their attention to the FA Cup, with United the defending champsions after their upset win against Manchester City at the end of last season.
Looking for an improved display after their gun-shy performance in their midweek loss, Arsenal may make some subtle tweaks to their starting XI.
Gabriel Jesus has six goals in his last six games and could be parachuted back into the starting XI after being benched against Newcastle.
Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Traossard will be expected to flank the striker, with Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri still facing spells on the sidelines with their respective injuries.
Raheem Sterling returned to the squad against Newcastle after missing the festive period with a knee injury but was an unused substitute as his frustrating spell at the Emirates continues.
Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain sidelined for Arteta in defence who may choose to bring Riccardo Calafiori back in for youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back.
United, meanwhile, appear to have most of their squad available for Sunday’s clash and may look to keep a settled starting XI to build on their impressive showing against Liverpool.
Mason Mount remains injured with a thing injury, although Amorim confirmed that defensive duo Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelof are closing in on a return to full fitness.
Marcus Rashford missed the draw with Liverpool due to illness but the forward still appears a long way from Amorim’s first-team plans as his future at Old Trafford hangs in the balance.
Predicted Arsenal XI to face Man Utd
Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Odegaard, Rice, Trossard, Jesus, Martinelli
Predicted Man Utd XI to face Arsenal
Onana, Yoro, Maguire, Martinez, Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot, Amad, Fernandes, Hojlund
Where to watch Arsenal vs Man Utd? Kick-off time and TV channel
Arsenal vs Manchester United kicks off at 3pm GMT on Sunday, January 12.
Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch the game live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with coverage starting at 2.35pm.
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