Arsenal Faces Crucial FA Cup Challenge Against Manchester United Amid Recent Struggles

Mikel Arteta's tenure at Arsenal has been largely successful, transforming the squad and rekindling the connection between fans and players. Despite this, his only major trophy remains the 2020 FA Cup. A recent 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in the EFL Cup has raised concerns. If Arsenal fails to overturn this deficit in February, their best chance for silverware might be the FA Cup, with Liverpool leading the league.

Arsenal faces a challenging FA Cup third-round match against Manchester United, who recently drew 2-2 at Anfield. This encounter marks the 16th FA Cup tie between these clubs, second only to Liverpool versus Everton. Notably, it's their first meeting in the third round. Arsenal has been eliminated twice in this round over three years, while United has knocked them out eight times.

The upcoming match will make Arsenal versus United one of seven fixtures played in all six rounds available to top-flight clubs. The Opta supercomputer favours Arsenal with a 71.4% chance of winning within 90 minutes. United's chances stand at 12.2%, with a draw possibility of 16.3%. Without replays, a draw would lead to extra time and possibly penalties.

Arteta's team struggled offensively against Newcastle, failing to score from 23 attempts. This was their second-highest shot count without scoring under Arteta, following a similar performance against West Ham in December 2023. Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber missed key opportunities as Arsenal recorded an expected goals (xG) tally of 3.09 but hit the target just three times.

Arsenal's attacking issues have persisted throughout the season. They average 1.37 goals from open play per game across all competitions, down from last season's 1.46 goals per game. Their xG per shot has also decreased from 0.13 last season to 0.11 this term when excluding set-pieces.

Arteta acknowledged comparisons to Stoke City's reliance on set-pieces but is likely dissatisfied with their open-play stagnation. Against top-half teams in the Premier League this season, Arsenal has won only two out of ten matches, contrasting with nine wins against bottom-half sides.

Manchester United's Recent Form

United recently drew against Liverpool after trailing 2-1 and could have won if not for Harry Maguire's late miss. Under Ruben Amorim, they have shown potential despite inconsistencies and remain capable of exploiting space on counter-attacks.

Bruno Fernandes exemplified this quality at Anfield after returning from suspension for a red card received against Wolves on Boxing Day. He created four chances during that match—twice as many as any other player—and assisted Lisandro Martinez's goal.

Players to Watch: Key Performers

Gabriel Jesus is one to watch for Arsenal; he scored six goals in his last six appearances across all competitions after netting just once in his first twenty outings of the season. However, he has only scored once in fourteen career appearances against Manchester United.

For Manchester United, Amad Diallo made history by becoming just their third player ever to score away at both Man City and Liverpool within one Premier League season—a feat previously achieved by Wayne Rooney (2004-05) and Robin van Persie (2012-13).

As these two historic clubs prepare for another FA Cup clash on Sunday at Emirates Stadium—the pressure mounts on both sides—to deliver strong performances amid high expectations from fans worldwide who eagerly anticipate witnessing yet another thrilling chapter unfold between these fierce rivals battling it out fiercely once more upon football’s grandest stage!