Arsenal-Man Utd: United Look to Compound Gunners Misery

United travel to London to face Arsenal today in order to prepare for their lunch time fixture against each other on Saturday.

In more recent history this tie has been the juiciest of them all. Saturday's fixture may lack some of the consequence that many of the previous corresponding fixtures possessed, but I expect both teams to be stuck in and provide a good show as always.

United haven't lost a match in nearly two months, Arsenal have not won a game in over two weeks. I suspect that Sir Alex Ferguson will be shifting his squad to be in all out attack-mode when the first whistle blows at the Emirates, to take full advantage of the struggling Gunners.

Emanuel Adebayor is out of the match due to injury, Robin van Persie is serving suspension, and Theo Walcott is doubtful. Arsenal injury woes beg the question "who is going to step into an attacking role for the Gunners?"

The attacking side of the ball isn't the only side with injury doubts, captain William Gallas is probable missing with a hamstring issue, former United man Mikael Silvestre has a broken nose and goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is facing a stomach virus that could see him watching from the stands.

United will still be without right back Wes Brown and Darren Fletcher is dealing with an impact injury. Paul Scholes won't be back in action until the middle of December, and the injury plagued Owen Hargreaves has been sent to America to see a knee injury expert. The rest of the squad is fit, and ready for the challenge that awaits them in London.

Cristiano Ronaldo looks to be at 95 percent fitness, his venomous strike caused Celtic keeper to cough up a rebound that saw the forehead of Ryan Giggs before finding the back of the net to get a crucial point in Champions League action on Wednesday.

There are still lingering questions as to which two strikers provide the best attacking options against particular teams. With Ferguson keeping Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov out of the starting team in Glasgow on Wednesday, I would venture to guess that they will start on the bench at the Emirates.

Last year's corresponding fixture happened just a week earlier in October, and was a classic Arsenal v United tie. Wayne Rooney but the black-clad Red Devils ahead just before halftime, but a mental lapse allowed the Gunners to equalise just after the second half had opened.

Then a brilliant run by Patrice Evra played Cristiano Ronaldo in and he finished brilliantly and that looked to have sealed the three points. Arsenal weren't finished and got a scrappy equaliser in extra time to steal the two points from United.

I suspect that while it's been 53 weeks since that happened, the memory will still be fresh in the players' minds and will especially be on the mind of their manager. Depending on the squad that Arsene Wenger puts on the pitch, it could be another knock down, drag out fight.

Prediction: Arsenal 1 Manchester United 3