ERIK TEN HAG'S Manchester United revolution is starting to take shape with his side heading into this Premier League clash against leaders Arsenal on the back of three successive victories.
The Dutchman started his reign with back-to-back defeats but a memorable Old Trafford win over arch rivals Liverpool has been followed by battling 1-0 triumphs over Southampton and Leicester.
The new manager has also been backed heavily in the transfer market with a big-money swoop for Ajax star Antony following another expensive deal with Real Madrid for experienced midfielder Casemiro.
Cristiano Ronaldo is also staying at Old Trafford after rumours of a move away so Ten Hag suddenly looks to have a squad that's more than capable of pushing for a top-four finish.
While United's start to the season has been a rollercoaster ride, it has been plain sailing so far for Arsenal, with the Gunners winning the first five Premier League fixtures.
Having thrown away a Champions League spot at the end of last season, it was crucial the Gunners got off to a good start in the new campaign after making some shrewd moves in the transfer market.
The signing of Gabriel Jesus in particular seems to have galvanised Mikel Arteta's side but they have yet to meet one of the traditional “big six” and this trip to Old Trafford will be us a better idea of their credentials to mount a serious challenge.
Arsenal have been playing some tremendous football though and their midweek win over Aston Villa also showed they have character. The Gunners recovered from a freak leveller late on to seal a 2-1 triumph, bringing up one of Slips Tips' bets in the process.
If they can follow that up with another win in Manchester then fans will start to believe that this team could be capable of something special.
How the bookies view it
This is a hard one to call with both sides hitting form and it's reflected in the odds. Manchester United are slight favourites at 18/11 with SBK while Arsenal are 9/5 at the same firm and the draw pays 13/5 with Betfred.
Recent head to head
Arsenal have held the edge in this fixture of late, with Man United winning just once in the last seven meetings. But that victory did come last term when the Gunners last visited Old Trafford, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a double in the 3-2 triumph.
Players to watch
Bruno Fernandes is looking back to his best for Manchester United and always offers a goal threat from midfield. The Portuguese star is 13/5 at Bet365 for anytime scorer which looks good value.
Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard has been leading by example this term, netting three times already, and is 22/5 at SBK for another strike. Unibet also price him at 19/20 just to have a shot on target and that looks good value.
Anything else catch the eye?
This fixture doesn't have the same edge it did when Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson were at the helm but it can still get tasty at times. Seven yellows were flashed in the last meeting and one of them went to Granit Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder is usually good value for a card and that bet pays a decent 13/8 with Bet365 here.
United have tightened up at the back since Ten Hag dropped Harry Maguire and paired Raphael Varane with Lisandro Martinez. They've conceded just once in three games so I'd be surprised if this was a goalfest. Under 2.5 match strikes appeals at 23/20 with Ladbrokes while the half-time draw also looks good at 27/20 (SportNation).
This English Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal will be played on Sep 4, 2022 and kick off at 16:30. Check below for our tipsters best Manchester United vs Arsenal prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
