United’s Unbeaten Run Threatened by Arsenal’s Top Four Charge
Manchester United will be aiming for a 26th consecutive unbeaten Premier League game when they travel to the Emirates to play Arsenal on Super Sunday. Jose Mourinho’s side have set a new club record for the highest number of games without a loss in the top flight in a single season, and another this weekend would match that of Nottingham Forest in the 1977-78 season.
The signs look favourable for United as Arsene Wenger has only beaten old foe Mourinho once in his career – winning the Community Shield in 2015 – and has never done so in the Premier League (W0 D7 L5).
However, United are expected to field a second string team as Mourinho prioritises the Europa League title over pushing for a top four place In the Premier League. United could win their next four Premier League games and still finish fifth in the league. On the other hand, they only have to win two Europa League games to qualify for the Champions League.
United’s expected wholesale changes will put severe pressure on Arsene Wenger who would probably prefer to be playing United’s first team. It’s 40 years since Arsenal and Man Utd played
Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over United at the Emirates last season is their only win in 11 Premier League games against them (D4 L6). United haven’t lost consecutive away Premier League games against Arsenal since November 2001.
Alexis Sanchez is two goals away from scoring his 50th Premier League goal for Arsenal, becoming the 8th player to do this for the Gunners.
Sanchez needs just one goal to register his best-ever return from a single campaign in Europe’s big five leagues (currently on 19, tied with 2013/14 for Barcelona). However, just six of his league goals have come at home this season in the Premier League (32%) despite playing at the Emirates on 16 occasions in 2016-17.
Wayne Rooney has scored more Premier League goals against Arsenal than any other player in Premier League history (11).
This will be Arsene Wenger’s 58th match as Arsenal manager against United in all competitions. It’s the side the Frenchman has faced most often with the Gunners, but also the side he’s got the lowest win rate against (29% – minimum of 15 games).
