Man Utd vs Arsenal predictions as Gunners warned over dreadful Old Trafford record

Man Utd vs Arsenal predictions as Gunners warned over dreadful Old Trafford record

Manchester United take on Arsenal on the opening weekend of the Premier League season on Sunday, and we asked out team how they see the game going

Mikel Arteta and Ruben Amorim will go head-to-head at Old Trafford (Image: PA)

Arsenal need this season to be their season, while Manchester United just need theirs to not be a mess.

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Both sides collide in the headline act on the opening weekend of the 2025-26 Premier League, with new signings on both sides desperate to impress. Ruben Amorim has remodelled the United attack by adding Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, while Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hopes he's finally landed the No.9 the club have craved in the shape of Viktor Gyokeres.

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It may be just the first game of the season but there already feels like there is a lot on the line for both, so we asked our team how they see the game going.

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Alex Richards

Mikel Arteta may have been wrong about Arsenal having more Premier League points than anyone else in the past three seasons, but one thing the Spaniard isn't mistaken about is that it's win or bust for the Gunners this season.

The Spaniard has been backed to strengthen again in the summer and now has the No.9 he wants in Viktor Gyokeres. Where Arsenal are concerned, there is no more building. They simply have to win the title now.

Of course, that doesn't mean they will. Liverpool and Manchester City, perhaps even Chelsea, will have a major say. But anything other than the trophy for Arteta isn't quite enough. Whether they live up to that pressure, we'll have to wait and see.

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United have made major changes over the summer. Those new signings will be looking to gel quickly for Ruben Amorim, himself under pressure to ensure that last season's 'free hit' doesn't extend into 2025-26.

But on opening day, expect Arsenal to look to lay down a marker and do just that. I'd expect them to be too strong at Old Trafford and issue a statement of intent. Prediction: Man Utd 1 Arsenal 3

Mikel Arteta will be desperate for a win at Old Trafford (Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Mark Jones

Arsenal have been dealt a tough start to the season, and as well as Old Trafford they'll also go to Anfield and St James' Park before September is out, while they'll host Manchester City as well

For Mikel Arteta it could come to represent an uncomfortable flashback to last season, and the pressure really is on the Gunners to start well and look as though this year could finally be the year.

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There's pressure on Ruben Amorim as well of course, there always is when you manage Manchester United, but its isn't quite the same. United fans are desperate to see progress, and so they'll be cheering on anything and everything positive that they see on Sunday. The atmosphere will be quite intense.

There have been some truly woeful United teams in recent years, but Arsenal have still only won twice at Old Trafford since 2006. They don't like going there, and this will be a difficult day for them. Prediction: Man Utd 1 Arsenal 1

Ruben Amorim is going into his first full season at United (Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag)

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Nathan Ridley

Rarely do United start the Premier League season with a defeat and I don’t think we’ll see one today. Ruben Amorim’s team have had an injection of attacking talent and they’ll surely be more used to his system after a summer on the training ground.

United’s new front three of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha - if they all start - will be difficult to handle for Arsenal, who won’t have been able to study them as a trio. I of course have to balance that with the fact that the Gunners are the best team in the country when it comes to defending, so I can’t seem them getting blown away.

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I’m going for a draw which will have the home side feeling optimistic for the season ahead and puts early pressure on Mikel Arteta. 1-1 with goals from Bruno Fernandes and Gabriel Martinelli. Prediction: Man Utd 1 Arsenal 1

Benjamin Sesko could make his United debut against the Gunners (Image: PA)

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Daniel Orme

Let’s not forget, Manchester United were truly awful last season. Arsenal were far from that. While they’ve not managed to get to where they want to be just yet, the Gunners simply know what they are doing under Mikel Arteta. And they’ve now got the missing link that they’ve been needing for some time: Viktor Gyokeres. It’s really hard to envisage a situation where United manage to stop Arsenal from scoring given the amount of talent they have in their attack. And that will immediately put the hosts on the backfoot. Fans will point to United’s outlay on their attack as reason for optimism - and that should certainly make them better this season. But it won’t come right away, it might take time for all of their big name new signings to gel. That’s something they can’t afford if they’re to get a result against the Gunners. So, it’s tough to see past a relatively straight-forward Arsenal win at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. Prediction: Man Utd 0 Arsenal 2

Viktor Gyokeres has been brought in to add goals to Arsenal (Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Jenny Brown

After the seemingly never-ending striker transfer sagas both Mikel Arteta and Ruben Amorim have got their men - actually they got each other's top targets. And if narrative has taught us anything it will be down to Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko to send the other club a message. Other tired cliches are available.

Arsenal are currently the more cohesive unit, however Old Trafford has not been a happy hunting ground for the Gunners having won just two of their last 18 Premier League games there. Manchester United have added £200m worth of talent to their squad and have looked good throughout pre-season. But it may not be quite enough to take all three points.

United and Arsenal have drawn each other in each of their last two meetings and I expect them to repeat that again. Prediction: Man Utd 2 Arsenal 2

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