Michael Owen has predicted that Arsenal and Manchester United will share the spoils when Unai Emery’s side travel to Old Trafford on Monday evening.
Both clubs have had frustrating starts to the season in the Premier League, but Arsenal will be encouraged after their 5-0 thumping of Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
Meanwhile, United – who were defeated away at West Ham last weekend – narrowly avoided a huge upset on Wednesday night as Rochdale took them all the way to a penalty shootout.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s young side eventually prevailed over their League One opposition to reach the Carabao Cup fourth round, but it was hardly the performance they would have hoped for ahead of their much-anticipated clash with the Gunners.
Former United and England striker Owen admits he would be ‘surprised’ if Arsenal fail to find the net at Old Trafford and believes the match will likely finish in a scoring draw.
In his BetVictor column, Owen said: ‘After their loss at West Ham on Sunday, Manchester United have now lost seven of their last 15 games in the Premier League – as many as they had in their previous 40 games in the competition.
‘Arsenal continue to frustrate and excite in equal measure, but they came from behind twice to beat Aston Villa on Sunday and they were a man light for the whole of the second period.
‘United kept a clean sheet against Leicester City in their last home league game, but I would be surprised if the Gunners did not find the back of David de Gea’s net in what promises to be a fascinating game between two clubs desperate to return to the automatic Champions League places this term.
‘Unai Emery will have been delighted by the return from long term injury of Rob Holding and Hector Bellerin in the midweek 5-0 League Cup success over Nottingham Forest.
‘Add the impressive belated debut of summer signing Kieran Tierney and two goals from Brazilian teenage striker Gabriel Martinelli, and the suggestion is that the Gunners’ boss is going to have one or two difficult, but welcome, selection decisions to make in the weeks and months to come.’
United have received a welcome injury boost ahead of the match, with Anthony Martial expected to be available following a thigh problem.
However, Marcus Rashford, Diogo Dalot, Angel Gomes all remain sidelined for the Red Devils.
On Rashford’s fitness, Solskjaer told MUTV: ‘He’s recovering.
‘He’s not very, very bad so we hope to see him before the international break.’
Asked about Dalot and Gomes, Solskjaer added: ‘They are injured.
‘They haven’t trained the last couple days, unfortunately.
‘Hopefully they can be back for Alkmaar next week, that is what we are hoping.’
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