With the Gunners currently on a nice run of games in the Premier League, Saturday’s match at the Emirates Stadium v Manchester United takes on a whole new meaning.
Arsenal has moved back into the league’s top 10 once again, and hope springs eternal the club can continue this upward projectory in the weeks ahead.
Saturday will not be an easy assignment for Mikel Arteta and his squad. Manchester United have been in good form of late, despite their 2-1 loss to Sheffield United on Wednesday.
A few question marks surround the Gunners starting XI, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will probably miss the match due to family issues, and Kieren Tierney could be a question mark as well, even though he has trained this week. This kid is a gamer, so I expect to see him on the pitch Saturday.
The other question mark is the status of newcomer Martin Odegaard. I don’t think Arteta would put him in the starting XI due to our current good chemistry, however, I do expect to see the 22-year-old late in the game.
So, with that said, here is my starting XI v the Red Devils this weekend…
[4-2-1-3]
Martinelli, Lacazette, Saka
Smith Rowe
Xhaka, Partey
Tierney, Gabriel, Holding, Bellerin
Leno
Projected final score:
ARSENAL 2 – Manchester United 1
Mikel Arteta said on Friday Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber are all in contention to be in the squad for Saturday’s match.
According to Graeme Bailey of TEAMtalk, Arsenal has intensified their interest in Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams as a top summer priority. 
Fabrizio Romano is reporting Calum McFarlane will be the Chelsea interim manager until the end of this season.
Arsenal Women have confirmed Manu Zinsberger will leave the club at the end of this season. The Austrian goalkeeper has totaled 51 cleans sheets in 143 appearances for the Gunners.
Stat of the Day: David Rays has made 53 saves and had 15 cleans sheets in 33 appearances this season for Arsenal.
American movie star Anne Hathaway on the Gunners title chances, “They better. I believe in Arsenal.”
Gabriel Magalhaes, “We need to be strong on Sunday, We are at this club to play these kind of games.”
Ten Premier League managers have been sacked this season, including three at Nottingham Forest, and two each at Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
