Arsenal aim to pile more misery on Man Utd in Old Trafford showdown | OneFootball

Arsenal head to Old Trafford with a chance to prove their title ambitions are still alive.

Liverpool’s 16-point lead makes the Premier League crown feel like a distant dream, but Arsenal cannot afford to lose focus. With Manchester United in crisis, this is the perfect time to make a statement.

United’s season has been a disaster. They sit 14th in the table, their FA Cup defence is over, and their Europa League campaign is hanging in the balance. A 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad on Thursday did little to lift the gloom.

Defensive frailties have haunted them. They have conceded multiple goals in six of their last seven home league games and have not won back-to-back Premier League matches all season.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are in control of this rivalry. They have won the last four league meetings with United, including a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford last season. A win on Sunday would mark their first consecutive league victories at the ground since 1979.

For Mikel Arteta, this match carries extra significance. It will be his 200th Premier League game in charge of Arsenal, and only four managers — Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, and Jurgen Klopp — secured more wins in their first 200 games.

But those names have something Arteta does not: a Premier League title. “A trophy, for sure,” he said when asked about his next major goal. “We try our best, have a lot of energy, and I’m still very driven to have more success.”

His team delivered a brutal reminder of their attacking firepower in midweek, smashing PSV Eindhoven 7-1 to set a Champions League record. That performance was a warning to any opponent.

United, though, have a habit of delivering when least expected. “There’s a history of that at the football club,” Arteta admitted. “The players they have, the club that they have… we know the difficulty of the match.”

But Arsenal cannot afford to let doubts creep in. With just 11 league games remaining, every point matters. The title race may not be in their hands, but they must keep the pressure on Liverpool.

Sunday is a chance to take another step forward. Arsenal must take it.