{"id":389260,"date":"2026-01-25T06:21:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T06:21:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/389260\/"},"modified":"2026-01-25T06:21:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T06:21:19","slug":"arsenal-vs-manchester-united-premier-league-teams-start-lineups-football-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/389260\/","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal vs Manchester United: Premier League \u2013 teams, start, lineups | Football News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Who: Arsenal vs Manchester United
What: English Premier League
Where: Emirates Stadium, London, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, January 23, at 4:30pm (16:30 GMT)
How to follow: We\u2019ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport<\/a> from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.<\/p>\n

Premier League leaders Arsenal are the hot favourites to lift their first English title since 2004, but face an unlikely \u2013 and unpredictable \u2013 threat from a rejuvenated Manchester United on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list<\/p>\n

Even before the sacking of Ruben Amorim as manager, the Red Devils were showing signs of life, having lifted themselves from the 15th-place finish they suffered last season to challenging for a Champions League place this term.<\/p>\n

The Gunners hold a four-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, following their win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, but do hold a game in hand, and they were done a sizeable favour last weekend by United, who beat their cross-city rivals.<\/p>\n

That performance, under Michael Carrick\u2019s interim management, has lit a fire under Sunday\u2019s match to evoke memories of clashes when the Gunners and the Red Devils were the two teams to be stopped either side of the turn of the century.<\/p>\n

Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the highly anticipated \u2013 and likely highly-charged \u2013 encounter.<\/p>\n

Arsenal must be wary of reinvigorated Manchester United<\/p>\n

Ahead of Sunday\u2019s match against United, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta flagged \u200dconcerns over their opponents\u2019 renewed intensity under Carrick.<\/p>\n

United beat second-placed Manchester City 2-0 in a thrilling derby<\/a> display, which allowed Arsenal to extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points. Arteta, though, acknowledged that his team will now be heavily tested.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, with Michael coming in, it\u2019s going to bring new ideas; the intensity rises up \u2013 you could see [it] in the Manchester derby with their behaviour and the game that they \u200dplayed,\u201d Arteta said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe expect a tough match, but we will adapt to that for sure. We are at home, and we know how important that is going to be for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

How do Arsenal shape up for Manchester United\u2019s visit?<\/p>\n

Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres are competing for a place in the starting lineup after both forwards impressed in Tuesday\u2019s 3-1 Champions League win against Inter Milan<\/a>. Jesus scored twice, while substitute Gyokeres also found the net.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were waiting for that with \u200bthe amount of games that are coming up, and they are all \u200cgoing to have opportunities and minutes, so great to have them back and, especially, to have them in good form,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Arteta \u200calso addressed Arsenal\u2019s decision to send teenage midfielder Ethan Nwaneri on loan to Olympique de Marseille.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end, you have to be thrown to the sharks \u200cin an incredible atmosphere and club. It\u2019s going to make so \u2060much good,\u201d Arteta said of the move.<\/p>\n

Arsenal \u2018far from perfect\u2019 despite topping Premier and Champions leagues<\/p>\n

Arteta said his side had room for improvement, despite being unbeaten in their last 12 matches and winning all seven of their Champions League games this season, while Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola called Arsenal the \u200cbest team in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re the team that wants to be constantly better. We are doing a lot of things right, but we are far from perfect, and our only aim is to sustain \u200dthe level we are doing and try to improve again,\u201d Arteta said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to dominate all the phases in the game if we want to have the chance to win major trophies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Manchester United must not get carried away at Arsenal<\/p>\n

United may \u200chave lifted the mood around Old Trafford with their derby win over City, \u200dbut \u200dCarrick on Friday urged his squad to balance renewed confidence with caution ahead of their trip to north London.<\/p>\n

Carrick\u2019s attack-minded side swept away the gloom hanging over the club with second-half goals from Bryan \u200bMbeumo and Patrick Dorgu last weekend, underlining their dominance against a disappointing City whose title \u200dhopes suffered a significant setback.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been a good week: a big result, a big performance and a big uplift with the feeling inside the stadium,\u201d Carrick said ahead of Sunday\u2019s clash.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is finding a balance \u200dbetween getting the \u2060encouragement and confidence from the game and performance, and keeping level-headed and keeping our feet on the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have got another big game coming up. One game does not make you a great team, but it gives us a great foundation to build on.<\/p>\n

\u201c[I\u2019m] looking forward to the game; it\u2019s a big challenge. They\u2019re a very \u200bgood team. They have so many strong points to their game. They \u200care where they are for a reason, we\u2019re fully aware of that,\u201d the 44-year-old Englishman added.<\/p>\n

Casemiro still integral to United, despite imminent departure<\/p>\n

Carrick also addressed the future of Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who announced on Thursday that he will leave the club at the end of the season, \u200cwhen his contract expires.<\/p>\n

Although the 33-year-old has a one-year extension option, a team source said the club has chosen not to \u200cactivate it.<\/p>\n

Casemiro arrived at Old Trafford from Real Madrid in \u20602022 for about 60 million pounds ($81.11m) and played a key role in United\u2019s 2023 League Cup triumph, scoring in the final, as well as being part of their 2024 FA Cup win.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Casemiro announcement was for clarity as much \u200cas anything,\u201d Carrick said. \u201cIt was decided before I arrived; it wasn\u2019t a knee-jerk decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the type of personality and character he is, it shows with his performance last week, where he is mentally, \u200dand what it means to be here and finish the season strong.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had the conversation with him. He\u2019s desperate to do well and finish well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mainoo can be United\u2019s main man for years to come<\/p>\n

With Casemiro on the way out, Carrick was eager to turn his attention to Kobbie Mainoo, who he said has the quality and character to become a key player for the club after a frustrating spell during Ruben Amorim\u2019s reign.<\/p>\n

Mainoo started for the first time in the Premier League this season in the win against City.<\/p>\n

The 20-year-old had, however, shot to prominence in the 2023\/24 season under Erik ten Hag, scoring as United beat City in the FA Cup final and playing a starring role in England\u2019s run to the Euro 2024 final.<\/p>\n

However, he struggled for game time during Amorim\u2019s ill-fated 14-month spell as the Portuguese coach defied calls to play Mainoo alongside club captain Bruno Fernandes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis club needs young players coming through and being the foundation for what it means, not just for the players or the squad, but for the club and for the supporters,\u201d said Carrick at his pre-match news conference ahead of Sunday\u2019s trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that is something that we need to grasp, and we need to keep building on.<\/p>\n

\u201cKobbie is a prime example. To come through so quickly and have the rapid rise, to play in some unbelievably big games and impact those big games at such a young age, shows an awful lot of quality, and in the terms of the character, and to be able to handle it.<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of a career is a few ups and downs, and sometimes, it goes in different trajectories. But I think we\u2019ve seen last week what Kobbie can bring.\u201d<\/p>\n

What effect did United\u2019s win against City have on Carrick\u2019s team?<\/p>\n

Victory over City lifted fifth-placed United to within one point of the Premier League\u2019s top four. With fourth-placed Liverpool\u2019s defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday, the Red Devils can move two points clear in fourth with victory against the Gunners.<\/p>\n

The mood around Old Trafford was also transformed by the positive performance. Carrick is hoping it can be the foundation towards a positive end to the season as United aim to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in three years.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a big result, big performance and a big uplift with the feeling inside the stadium,\u201d added Carrick.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s getting that balance between taking the encouragement and the confidence from the game, and keeping level-headed and our feet on the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne game doesn\u2019t make you a great team, but it gives us a great foundation to build, so there\u2019s a lot of confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

What happened last time Arsenal played United?<\/p>\n

Manchester United provided a stern test for Arsenal in the first Premier League meeting of the season, with Amorim\u2019s side the better of the teams but the Gunners seeing off the challenge<\/a> with a 1-0 win.<\/p>\n

Riccardo Calafiori scored the only goal of the game at Old Trafford in the 14th minute.<\/p>\n

Head-to-head<\/p>\n

This will be the 255th meeting between two of English football\u2019s great rivals, with United winning 99 of the matches. Arsenal have emerged victorious on 90 occasions.<\/p>\n

Arsenal team news<\/p>\n

Arsenal have this week welcomed the return of \u200cRiccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie to training following injuries.<\/p>\n

Arteta was unsure whether Calafiori, out since last \u200dmonth with a \u2060muscle injury, and Hincapie, who suffered a groin injury earlier this month, will be ready to join Arsenal\u2019s defence this weekend after returning to training on Friday.<\/p>\n

The manager added that forward Kai Havertz is nearing full recovery, leaving winger Max Dowman as the sole player sidelined by injury.<\/p>\n

Arsenal\u2019s possible predicted lineup (4-3-3)<\/p>\n

Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard<\/p>\n

Manchester United team news<\/p>\n

Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt remains United\u2019s biggest absentee, remaining sidelined with a back injury.<\/p>\n

Joshua Zirkzee has picked up a knock, so he will have to pass a medical. Noussair Mazraoui is expected to be available, having returned from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he was a defeated finalist with Morocco.<\/p>\n

Manchester United\u2019s predicted starting lineup (4-2-3-1)<\/p>\n

Lammens, Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, Mainoo, Casemiro, Diallo, Fernandes, Dorgu, Mbeumo<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Who: Arsenal vs Manchester UnitedWhat: English Premier LeagueWhere: Emirates Stadium, London, United KingdomWhen: Sunday, January 23, at 4:30pm…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":389261,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[591,218,59,57,58,50,217,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-389260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-kingdom","tag-europe","tag-football","tag-gb","tag-great-britain","tag-greatbritain","tag-news","tag-sport","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=389260"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389260\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/389261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=389260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=389260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=389260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}