Premier League: Manchester United vs Arsenal | Match Preview, Stats & Odds

A midweek Champions League demolition job has reset Arsenal’s momentum, their 7-1 victory over PSV serving as the perfect tonic before they travel to Old Trafford this Saturday. The Theatre of Dreams has increasingly become a playground of nightmares for the home side – and the timing couldn’t be worse for Ruben Amorim’s side as they welcome title-chasing Arsenal.

Manchester United languishing in 14th place with a negative goal difference while Arsenal sit second, clinging to title hopes as Liverpool threaten to disappear over the horizon. Though recent stumbles against West Ham and Nottingham Forest have left the Gunners 13 points adrift of the summit, Sunday’s match represents more than just another Premier League fixture – it’s a battle for pride, momentum, and ambitions.

Key Details

• Date: Sunday, March 9, 2025
• Kick-off: 16:30 (UK Time)
• Venue: Old Trafford
• Where to Watch: Sky Sports

Current Form

Manchester United’s Season

The Red Devils find themselves navigating unfamiliar waters. Fourteenth place in March represents a crisis for a club accustomed to the top 8 at minimum, and their defensive emergency threatens to transform the remainder of their campaign into an exercise in damage limitation.

Two wins from their last seven games in all competitions tell its own story, the 1-1 Europa League draw with Real Sociedad merely the latest chapter in a season of underwhelming performances. Bruno Fernandes continues his resistance movement with 6 goals and 7 assists, but even his presence hasn’t been enough to elevate a squad performing below expectations.

The numbers paint a stark picture – 33 goals scored against 39 conceded, a negative goal difference that would have been unthinkable in past seasons. Seven clean sheets provide light consolation for a defence that leaks 1.44 goals per match. Their biggest win of the season – a 4-0 victory over Everton in December – seems a distant memory among more recent disappointments.

Arsenal’s Season

The Gunners arrive at Old Trafford demonstrating why they’re Liverpool’s most credible challengers, despite the gap at the summit. Their statistics tell an impressive story: 15 wins from 27 matches, a defensively robust 0.85 goals conceded per game, and 51 goals scored (1.89 per match).

Mikel Arteta has constructed a team with balance at its core – defensive solidity complemented by creative fluency. Bukayo Saka’s 10 assists underline his growing status as one of the Premier League’s elite creators.

The 7-1 Champions League win over PSV – featuring six different goalscorers – suggests they’ve rediscovered their attacking verve after a four-game span where they scored just twice. If that ruthlessness transfers to domestic competition, United’s backline could face a long afternoon.

Manchester United vs Arsenal: Recent Head-to-Head Meetings

This fixture, once the defining rivalry of the Premier League era, has transformed into full Arsenal dominance. The contemporary reality is brutally one-sided: five consecutive Arsenal victories with an aggregate score of 12-3.

Most striking is United’s inability to breach Arsenal’s defence in their last three encounters. Their last goal against the Gunners came in September 2023, a solitary Marcus Rashford strike in a 3-1 defeat. The FA Cup match in January (3-0) followed the December league meeting (2-0), results that seem to confirm a shifting power dynamic between these historical rivals.

Statistical Insights & Facts

• Arsenal average 2.7 chances created per match compared to United’s 1.89
• Bruno Fernandes leads United with 6 goals and 7 assists, while also contributing 59 tackles
• Arsenal have kept clean sheets in their last three meetings with Manchester United
• United have scored 1.22 goals per match this season, compared to Arsenal’s 1.89

Premier League | Manchester United vs Arsenal: Odds

7bet provides the following odds for the next Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal.

Please note that these odds are accurate at the time of publishing. Make sure to check the latest odds before placing your bet.

The Match-Up

The Old Trafford atmosphere promises to be electric, oscillating between expectation and uncertainty. United supporters sense the need for a statement performance, while the visitors know another victory would maintain pressure on Liverpool while driving another nail into their historical rivals’ season.

Gary Neville, ever the optimistic United loyalist, predicts a 1-1 draw: “Manchester United are playing so poorly at the moment but they do sometimes lift their game against big opponents. I think that will be the case on Sunday.” His former club will need that big-game mentality in abundance against an Arsenal side growing in confidence.

For Amorim, the equation seems clear: find a way to unlock Arsenal’s defence while containing their newly rediscovered attacking fluency. The battle between United’s Mazraoui and Arsenal’s Partey could prove decisive in the midfield, while Bruno Fernandes must shoulder creative responsibilities against one of the league’s most robust defensive units.

Arteta, flush from Champions League success, remains cautious: “It obviously gives us a lot of joy, confidence and belief. But this is football, it’s not what we did three days ago, or today, it’s about what we’re going to do tomorrow, or at Old Trafford.”

With Liverpool threatening to disappear over the horizon, Arsenal cannot afford another slip, while United desperately need a result to preserve rapidly diminishing European hopes. Old rivalries, contrasting fortunes, and Premier League drama – Saturday promises it all.

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