Manchester United vs. Arsenal: Team News, Live Stream, TV Info, Ticket News

During the last years of the Sir Alex Ferguson reign, Manchester United vs. Arsenal became a practically guaranteed home win. Before Danny Welbeck broke United hearts in the FA Cup last season, Arsenal had not managed a win at Old Trafford since 17 September 2006. 

How things have changed. Arsenal go into this one as comfortable favourites according to the bookmakers. Louis van Gaal's side managed a European win in midweek, something Arsene Wenger's men were unable to do, but the relative quality of FC Midtjylland and Barcelona might just have had something to do with that.

James McNicholas breaks down the battle between the two managers for B/R here, but Wenger was not in battling mood when he said of Van Gaal, per TeamTalk.com: 

"

I do not want to speak too much about Man United because we are more focused on us and preparing for an important game. Of course he (Van Gaal) has my respect and my sympathy.

What can you do? Not a lot but do your job and use your potential of resistance to stress and focus on your job.

"

Van Gaal returned to a favoured theme in his pre-match press conference, criticising the media. He said, per Paul Wilson of the Guardian:

"

Manchester City lost 5-1 against Chelsea, and they do not get the same level of criticism. So they put a second team out, but what am I doing now [against Midtjylland]? It is unbelievable. We never lose with such a difference. You have to analyse the results of Manchester United. We have only lost one game 3-0—Arsenal and they’re on another level. 

"

Of course, the most painful part of that for United fans will be the suggestion that Arsenal are somehow on "another level." The three-part transition from Arsenal as arch-rivals to Arsenal as perennial victims of United's superiority to Arsenal as dominant opponents appears to be complete, in Van Gaal's eyes at least.

Date: Sunday, February 28, 2015

Time: 2.05 p.m. GMT/9.05 a.m. ET

Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, England

TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK Only)/NBCSN and Telemondo (U.S. only)

Live Stream: Sky Sports Go (UK Only)/NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. only)

Form Lines

Manchester United: WDLLWW

Arsenal: WDWWDL

Team News

BBC Sport report that United are monitoring the progress of David De Gea, Chris Smalling and Anthony Martial, all of whom missed the tie against FC Midtjylland on Thursday night. 

Van Gaal told reporters (h/t ManUtd.com) that he expects De Gea to be fit saying: "I expect [De Gea can return] because I saw the way he was today [Thursday]." 

United were without 14 players as they demolished the Danish champions. The other 11 players missing were Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Luke Shaw, Matteo Darmian, Phil Jones, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Marouane Fellaini, Adnan Januzaj, Wayne Rooney and Will Keane.

Marcos Rojo featured as a late subsitute against Midtjylland, and it will be intriguing to see whether he gets a starting berth if Smalling is unavailable.

Wenger has given an update on the Gunners' injury situation, per Arsenal's website. Gabriel is due to face a fitness test to decide on his availability. On Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wenger said:

"

We lost Oxlade-Chamberlain on Tuesday night. It’s not [a recurrence of a previous injury]. Not at all. It’s a new injury. He has been cut in two by Mascherano and he did his knee. We have to see how big the damage is in his knee. He is consulting a specialist at the moment. Hopefully we will have good news. How long is he out for exactly? I don’t know. 

"

When asked whether former United player Danny Welbeck would start, Wenger said: 

"

I haven’t picked my team yet for Sunday. I cannot tell you that now at the moment. He is back in the squad but we still have to be cautious with him. He is still in the squad and he is not completely over his knee problem. He has done really well and is very fit. I have to analyse that.

"

Finally Wenger confirmed: "Everyone else is the same as before, so there’s no [Tomas] Rosicky, [Santi] Cazorla or [Jack] Wilshere."

Predicted Lineups

United's potential back four has a distinctly thrown-together look about it. The two young full-backs were impressive against Midtjylland but face a much sterner test here. Van Gaal will have a decision to make in midfield if Smalling is fit—should he stick with Ander Herrera and Morgan Schneiderlin or keep Michael Carrick in the side but in midfield rather than in defence? 

Up front, Marcus Rashford will look to build on his brilliant debut, assuming Martial is not recovered in time to play.

There should be no big selection dilemma for Wenger. If Welbeck is fit, he could perhaps be preferred to Olivier Giroud, but the Arsenal manager's tone did not seem to suggest that was likely. 

Players to Watch

Memphis Depay has a chance to build on his superb performance against Midtjylland. Van Gaal said, per FourFourTwo:

"

I have seen a fantastic performance from Memphis, everyone has seen that – I think he was also spectacular. I hope he will also show that against Arsenal; it's another level, but I am very confident he'll do it. 

I'm very happy for him. He can play fantastic so maybe it's a turning point. You never know. I hope it is, with all my heart. I hope he shall show it also against Arsenal.

"

Of course, many eyes will also fall on Rashford. With a brace on his competitive debut, the 19-year-old will be hoping to make a similar impression against more storied opposition.

In Arsenal's last eight games, they have scored just six goals. Giroud has not scored in any of those games—how Wenger could do with getting him firing again. 

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Of course, Arsenal's star man this season has been Mesut Ozil. A truly remarkable 17 assists have come from his average of 4.6 key passes per 90 minutes played in the league in 2015/16. For context, the next highest average—among players who have played more than five games—is West Ham United's Dimitri Payet with 3.9 per 90 minutes on average. 

Key Battle

United will have to keep Ozil quiet if they want any chance of a favourable result. With that in mind, the key battle here will likely take place in the lines between the centre of United's midfield and their defence. That was the space in which Arsenal operated so effectively in the 3-0 win at the Emirates Stadium earlier this season.

Schneiderlin's battle with Ozil will be key to this—his physical presence in deep-lying midfield should hamper Arsenal's ability to carve United open as easily as they did in London.

Ticket News

For ticket information on all Premier League games, visit the official site or go to the ticket page on the home club's official website.

Odds

Manchester United: 23-10

Draw: 231-100

Arsenal: 6-4

Odds for the game correct at the time of writing, per Odds Shark.

All statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com.