Arsenal v Man Utd may have lost the poise and fiery spirit of the late 1990s and early 2000s, but it remains one of the most exciting games in football.
Many wars have been fought between these historic enemies and the pendulum has often swung dramatically between North London and the red half of Manchester. Another continuation takes place on Sunday afternoon in the third round of the FA Cup – a first duel in the competition since 2019.
Neither team goes into the game in top form and there is uncertainty surrounding the weekend’s clash, even though hosts Arsenal go into the game as favorites.
But what do previous meetings say about the upcoming battle at Emirates Stadium? Let’s relive the five most recent meetings between Arsenal and Man Utd.
It’s been just over a month since the last fight between these old rivals. The arena was the Emirates Stadium and it was another ill-fated trip to north London for Man Utd, who lost at Tottenham Hotspur two weeks later.
It was certainly not a classic part of Ruben Amorim’s first defeat as Man Utd manager, with Arsenal’s set-piece qualities taking center stage. Two corners paid off as Jurrien Timber and William Saliba got on the scoresheet in the second half.
Man Utd only had two shots on target and didn’t create any great chances, while Arsenal also had no chance in an unspectacular affair from open play.
Arsenal were desperate for their first Premier League title in two decades in the closing stages of last season and their penultimate game came at Old Trafford. It’s not a venue that has often proven successful for the Gunners before, but Erik ten Hag’s uninspiring Red Devils made life too easy for their opponents.
Leandro Trossard’s 20th-minute strike was all that separated the teams after the final whistle and the victory ensured Arsenal won the Premier League title race until the final day. Manchester City secretly supported their local opponents in this clash, but were ultimately disappointed.
At the end of the following weekend, however, this hardly mattered as Man City’s victory over West Ham United on the final day of the match secured another title for Pep Guardiola’s team.
Arsenal may have used up all the drama of this game in the first meeting between the two teams in 2023/24. A meeting between the giants earlier in the season ended 1-1 until the dying embers of stoppage time, with Alejandro Garnacho having a likely winner ruled out in the 88th minute due to an incredibly minor offside position.
But set pieces once again proved Arsenal’s trump card as Declan Rice fired home Bukayo Saka’s powerful pass in the sixth minute of added time, which was deflected in by veteran centre-back Jonny Evans. Five minutes later the wild celebrations in the Emirates were repeated.
This time it was a Man Utd set piece that played into Arsenal’s hands. The Gunners quickly repelled a free kick and ran away as they tried to take a crucial two-goal lead in the 101st minute. Gabriel Jesus converted the counterattack, took the points and scored the first goal against Man Utd.
The start of a four-game winning streak for Arsenal in this game came at the start of 2023. Another home triumph in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side made it too late once again as they broke Man Utd’s hearts.
In a thrilling encounter that began with Marcus Rashford’s first goal, momentum changed regularly before Eddie Nketiah equalized just seven minutes later. The tide turned in the second half when Lisandro Martinez equalized for Man Utd with a header, six minutes after Saka had scored for the hosts.
Arsenal dominated for long periods and appeared to miss a prime opportunity, but Nketiah’s 90th-minute effort secured a deserved late win for the Gunners, who had an expected goals ratio of 3.25 compared to 0.36 for the visitors.
You have to rewind to September 2022 when Man Utd beat Arsenal in a competitive game for the last time. In fact, it has been so long since Antony actually scored on his debut and Old Trafford thought they had witnessed the emergence of an all-conquering new recruit. That didn’t quite go according to plan.
But regardless of Antony’s subsequent deterioration, Man Utd took all three points thanks to the Brazilian’s opener. Gabriel Martinelli’s shot was ruled out for a questionable foul early in the game, but Saka eventually equalized on the hour mark.
That equalizer didn’t last long, however, as Rashford’s brace within nine minutes settled an even contest.