by OLD TRAFFORD (Sporting Alert) — Radamel Falcao leads the attack for Manchester United in the absence of Wayne Rooney, while defender Chris Smalling will captain the side for the first time
Falcao looks lively today. Lots of movement by the Colombian in trying to unsettle the Arsenal backline.
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4 – Arsenal could become only the fourth team in history to beat Manchester United twice at Old Trafford in the same season. Target.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 17, 2015
Manchester United take on Arsenal at Old Trafford with third place in sight and manager Louis van Gaal made three changes to side that featured in the last outing.
Former Arsenal skipper and striker Robin van Persie is on the bench, so too is Angel Di Maria after both players was omitted from the squad for the win over Crystal Palace last week.
Arsenal are once again unchanged for the sixth successive time and “for only the second time (January 1994 the other),” according to Opta Stats, while former Man United forward Danny Welbeck failed to recover from an injury and didn’t make the match day squad.
6 – Arsenal have named the same team in six consecutive Premier League games for only the second time (January 1994 the other). Settled.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 17, 2015
Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Alexis Sanchez, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud all start again for Arsene Wenger’s side.
A win for Arsenal would see them keeping the pressure on Manchester City in the race for the runner-up spot in t he Premier League standings.
The Gunners have a game in hand and will play that fixture in midweek against Sunderland.
Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Jones, Rojo, Blind, Mata, Ander Herrera, Fellaini, Young, Falcao. Subs: Valdes, Di Maria, Januzaj, van Persie, McNair, Blackett, Wilson.
Arsenal: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud. Subs: Szczesny, Gibbs, Gabriel, Rosicky, Wilshere, Walcott, Flamini.
