MANCHESTER UNITED OUT TO PUT STOP ON ARSENAL PATH TO WINNING TITLE
Since the days when Arsenal and Manchester United were fighting for Premier League crowns with such intensity that confrontations between the teams invariably reached a boiling point, the match has lost its sparkle. Between 1996 and 2004, they split the championship nine times, with Arsene Wenger's Arsenal winning three times and Alex Ferguson's United winning six.
Arsenal hasn't won the English championship since their Invincibles dominated in 2003–04, whereas United has been a dwindling power since Ferguson's tenure ended with the 2012–13 triumph.
Arsenal has created a seven-point lead at the top above faltering Manchester City and Aston Villa, and they are hot favourites to end that lengthy wait this season after three consecutive runners-up finishes. They host United on Sunday, and although their opponents are once again out of the running for the championship, the game has abruptly changed from being what most people thought would be a simple home victory to one that might bring back memories of the past.
Another chapter of United's misery ended with the dismissal of manager Ruben Amorim this month, but last weekend's shocking response was triggered by the appointment of former player Michael Carrick on a caretaker basis until the end of the season.
With Carrick's team tearing apart Pep Guardiola's title challengers with the kind of daring game that has eluded them for so long, United's 2-0 "thrashing" of City at Old Trafford appeared to put an end to the gloom at once.
In their last six league encounters with United, Arsenal has won five and drawn one; however, they did lose an FA Cup penalty shootout at home at this time last year.
"I think for Michael his game plan is simple, exactly the same way as you've just played against Manchester City," United's record scorer Wayne Rooney stated this week. Although Mikel Arteta's Arsenal team has a comfortable lead at the top, they have drawn their last two league games 0-0 and will be cautious of a United team that will be eager to prove last weekend was no flash in the pan.
Despite being 15 points behind Arsenal, United is in fifth position, one point behind fourth-place winners Liverpool, and they have real prospects of making it to the Champions League following their previous exclusion from Europe this season. In the lead-up to Christmas, City defeated Arsenal, but a terrible run of results has forced them to catch up once more.
Their season has been in danger of collapsing after three straight Premier League draws prior to the loss at Old Trafford and Tuesday's Champions League humbling at Bodo Glimt.
They should be able to start over at home on Saturday against Wolverhampton Wanderers, the bottom team, but nothing will be taken for granted because the visitors are showing signs of life. After a draw at Crystal Palace and their first home loss of the season against Everton last week, Unai Emery's Villa also need to quickly recover. On Sunday, Villa will travel to Newcastle United, which will be difficult.
Relegation-threatened West Ham United will host Sunderland at the London Stadium on Saturday in an attempt to launch their escape attempt after last week's morale-boosting victory at Tottenham Hotspur. They are five points behind Nottingham Forest, who play seventh-place Brentford on Sunday, in 18th place.
Even though England's top five are once again set to qualify for Europe's top club competition, Liverpool knows they are fighting for a spot in the Champions League for the upcoming season when they travel to Bournemouth on Saturday night.
Despite welcoming back Mo Salah on his comeback from the Africa Cup of Nations, Arne Slot's team is only two points clear of Chelsea, who visit Crystal Palace on Sunday, and barely ahead of United after four straight draws.
After Tottenham Hotspur defeated Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday, manager Thomas Frank bought himself some time. However, on Saturday, the Dane will be back in the spotlight when they play second-from-bottom Burnley.