Manchester United scored a late equaliser at Anfield to end a four-match losing streak last weekend, but Ruben Amorim has no time to dwell on that result as he is thrown right back into the deep end with a trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal in the FA Cup third round.
The Gunners suffered EFL Cup defeat in midweek at the hands of the in-form Newcastle, but they are odds-on to bounce back as they hunt for a record-extending 15th FA Cup win and a first since the 2019/20 season.
For their opponents, the FA Cup represents one of the two remaining opportunities for silverware this season after a disastrous first half to the campaign.
Tips
BET £10 GET £30 IN FREE BETS WITH TALKSPORT BET
Spotlight Tip Bet Builder – was 23/4 now 7/1
Gunners can prevail over old rivals
Arsenal suffered a first-leg defeat in the EFL Cup semi-final in midweek, but that same Newcastle side put Manchester United to the sword in their final game of 2024 and Arsenal should be able to bounce back on Sunday.
The Gunners’ Premier League title prospects were given a helping hand by the Red Devils last weekend as they held league leaders Liverpool to a draw but, while vaguely promising, that result does not dispel the sense of chaos around the Old Trafford club.
Prior to that they had lost four successive games in all competitions and they find themselves all the way down in 13th, with some corners whispering about the potential of a genuine relegation battle.
That being said, Manchester United have scored 19 goals in their 12 matches under Amorim, and they should at least be able to do what they failed to do at the Emirates at the start of December and find the net against an uncharacteristically leaky Arsenal defence.
The Gunners have kept just one clean sheet in their last six matches but, with four wins in this period and four successive competitive wins against Manchester United, Mikel Arteta’s side should triumph, even if they do concede.
Corner drought at the Emirates
Only Manchester City (61) have allowed their opponents fewer corners than Arsenal (62) in the Premier League this season, and Sunday could see a continuation of the corner drought we have seen at Arsenal recently.
Their last four games have produced just 26 corners in total and every one of them featured fewer than 10 corners, with the maximum tally in this period being seven.
Manchester United have been more heavily involved at the corner flag, but two of their last four games have gone under 9.5 corners and they failed to win a single corner in their trip to the Emirates last month.
BET £10 GET £30 IN FREE BETS WITH TALKSPORT BET
talkSPORT BET Offer
Sign Up Offer: Bet £10 and get £30 in free bets – CLAIM HERE
T&Cs: 18+ New customers only. Opt in via mobile or app & bet £10+ on any football market at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 6x £5 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply, see below. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Odds correct at time of publish and subject to change*
18+ New customers only. Opt in via mobile or app & bet £10+ on any football market at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 6x £5 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply, see below. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- GamCare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org