Arsenal welcome Manchester United to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in what is the Premier League weekend’s most-anticipated fixture.
The Gunners won their opening two fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace respectively, but were held to a 2-2 draw by 10-man Fulham at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.
Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils haven’t been convincing in their opening three games of the season, yet managed to bounce back from the defeat at Tottenham by producing a comeback 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.
With a titanic clash between Arsenal and Man United expected at the Emirates Stadium, here are the key battles to watch out for.
#Oleksandr Zinchenko vs Antony
As Takehiro Tomiyasu was suspended against Fulham after being sent off against Crystal Palace, Mikel Arteta used Jakub Kiwior at left-back with Oleksandr Zinchenko fit enough to start on the bench. Zinchenko came off the bench in the second half and there is hope he could start from the off against Man United.
If he starts, the Ukrainian should operate as an inverted left-back, tucking in midfield to help the Gunners control the game. He could be rusty having not played much this season, something Antony will look to exploit from the right flank.
Across the opening two league matches, Antony came under a lot of criticism for his subdued performances but he came to life against Forest at Old Trafford. The Brazilian winger was lively, energetic and intent to make things happen from the flank.
This should have given Antony a lot of confidence, and if he can produce a performance of the same ilk against Arsenal, Zinchenko could face a tough time stopping him.
#Bukayo Saka vs Diogo Dalot
At the other end of the pitch, Bukayo Saka is a guaranteed starter on the right flank for Arsenal and he will be raring to cause problems for Diogo Dalot.
With Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia injured, Dalot started at left-back against Forest, and barring a few shaky moments, he did well. But facing Saka will be an uphill task, with the Arsenal winger starting the new season with a bang. He has netted two goals in three games, including the equaliser from the spot against Fulham.
The England international is tricky on the flank and his ability to advance with the ball from the flank and make incisive passes in the box can’t be understated. So, if Dalot intends to keep Saka under wraps, he has to be defensively secure and alert throughout the game.
#Bruno Fernandes vs Declan Rice
Bruno Fernandes was at the heart of Man United’s remarkable comeback victory over Forest at Old Trafford. The Red Devils’ skipper was sensational after the interval, grabbing an assist after a well-run set-piece routine that allowed Casemiro to score the equaliser, before netting the winner from the spot with just 15 minutes left.
At the Emirates, Fernandes will have a massive role to play. He will have the responsibility to control the midfield for the visitors. With Casemiro and Christian Eriksen likely to start behind him, the Portuguese’s vision to spot passes and rally forward in transitions can be dangerous, which is something Declan Rice will be tasked to stop.
Rice has quickly adapted to Arteta’s philosophy at Arsenal, providing leadership in the engine room while also working tirelessly to help out in defence across the three games. A tenacious tackler and a good reader of the game, the England international will look to stick close to the United skipper and nullify his threat.
It will be interesting to see who wins this midfield battle on Sunday.
