The fierce rivalry that exists between Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho will be reignited this evening as Arsenal take on Manchester United in the star fixture this week in the premier league.
This will be the 18th meeting between Wenger and Mourinho.
Though it is the Portuguese manager that has the clear upper hand in the overall meetings, Wenger enjoys the most recent winnings; beating Mourinho twice and now looking for a third consecutive home win on Saturday.
Arsenal will be without club-record signing Alexandre Lacazette when they welcome premier league rivals Manchester United to the Emirates Stadium, but another Alex in Nigeria’s Iwobi is expected to be in action.
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Team news
Alexandre Lacazette has made a surprise recovery from a groin injury to lead the Arsenal line against Manchester United at the Emirates this evening.
Here are lineups for both teams
Arsenal starting XI: Cech, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal, Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac, Ozil, Sanchez, Lacazette.
Substitutes: Mertesacker, Wilshere, Giroud, Ospina, Iwobi, Welbeck, Coquelin.
Manchester United starting XI: De Gea, Lindelof, Smalling, Rojo, Valencia, Pogba, Matic, Young, Lingard, Martial, Lukaku.
Substitutes: Mata, Blind, Rashford, Romero, Ander Herrera, Darmian, McTominay.
Kick off.. Arsenal get the game on
Manchester United win first corner
GOAL Manchester United scores through Valencia
Just four minutes into the game.. Arsenal already trailing..slack defending by the gunners
Alexis Sanchez wins a free kick for Arsenal
Kick taken but hits the Manchester United wall
Goal!! Jesse Lingard doubles United’s lead
Injury blow for Arsenal and Iwobi getting set to come in
It is on record that 21 – Antonio Valencia has never lost in any of the 21 previous Premier League games in which he has scored. Is it over for Arsenal already?
Good defending by United as Arsenal look to.reduce the deficit
Lacazette gets a touch to a Ramsey strike and loops the ball towards goal only to see it land on the roof of the net, although the linesman’s flag was raised.
Mesut Oezil from Arsenal passes the ball in the box, but it’s intercepted by an opponent
Surprisingly Arsenal have had 69% of possession compared to the away team’s 31%
Free kick to Arsenal but Ozil’s attempt headed out by Young
Chance.. Arsenal fluffed a glorious opportunity
ARSENAL almost punished by a counter attack by United but Cech makes the final save
SHOT.. Ozil with a low drive but De Gea makes the catch
Iwobi blasts the ball wide from the edge of United box.
Arsenal trying to walk in to United’s net.. not working so far though they have come pretty close
Sead Kolasinac releases a shot, it’s parried by David De Gea but he can’t hold onto it
Three minutes added time
Brave defending.. Lukaku almost scored an own goal
Half Time Arsenal 0-2 Manchester United
ARSENAL with 14 attempts and half of it on target have no goal to show for their efforts.. it Is yet to be seen if they will muster a comeback in the second half
Second half gets underway
GOAL.. Arsenal pull one back
Lacazette with the goal that has given Arsenal a huge lifeline
Fantastic shot by Iwobi and great save from De Gea
De Gea is phenomenal! Another double save
Ozil tries to whip in a cross but De Gea intercepts swiftly
Yellow card for United’s Rojo.. rash challenge on Sanchez
Matic on the turf after been headed by Koschenly
The Serbian is back in action
Xhaka gets a warning from the Referee after a challenge on Lingard
GOAL... Lingard gets his second goal and United’s third
Pogba with the assist and Mourinho no doubt is excited Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United
Martial taken out but seems unhappy
Herrera in a tactical switch
Second half possession.. Arsenal 77% while United with 23%
Yellow card for Arsenal man Bellerin
Red Card.. PAUL Pogba with a rash tackle on Bellerin
Pogba out of Manchester derby after that needlneedless tackle
Lingard leaves the field to be replaced by Matteo Darmian in a tactical substitution
Giroud also in for Kolasinac
Manchester United looking like they have parked the bus now
Another brilliant parry by De Gea
Arsenal penalty shout waved off .. complaints by Sanchez gets him a yellow card
Undisputed. DE Gea is man of the match
Five minutes added time
Chance… Aaron Ramsey shoots over the bar
Ashley young comes out for Rashford
Arsenal 33 attempts.. United 8
Full Time.. Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United
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