Arsenal vs Man United pre-season friendly preview
Arsenal and Manchester United are gearing up for a tantalising pre-season friendly on Saturday evening at the SoFi Stadium in California.
This marquee match-up will see both teams fine-tune their tactics and showcase their summer signings as they build towards the upcoming 2024/25 Premier League season.
For Arsenal, the clash against United represents another step in their pre-season preparations ahead of their curtain-raiser against Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 17.
Mikel Arteta’s men will be looking to carry forward the momentum from their impressive second-place finish last season, where they once again proved to be Manchester City’s closest challengers.
Meanwhile, Man United enter this pre-season with a renewed sense of optimism.
After a turbulent season that culminated in an appalling eighth-place finish, the Red Devils are determined to turn the corner under manager Erik ten Hag.
The FA Cup triumph provided a glimmer of hope, and United’s recent transfer activity suggests a commitment to rebuilding the club into a domestic and European powerhouse.
This pre-season clash promises to be a fascinating encounter, with both teams boasting exciting young talents alongside established world-class players.
Following the Community Shield clash against local rivals Man City on August 10, United will officially kick off their Premier League campaign by welcoming Fulham to Old Trafford.
The Red Devils’ summer signings have sparked excitement among the fans, showcasing the club’s ambition to re-establish themselves as title challengers.
Fans have already started buying Man Utd tickets from seatsnet.com in preparation for the new campaign. They’re eager to witness a revitalised United side compete for major honours.
However, the focus will shift to the upcoming showdown against Premier League rivals Arsenal, who will be hoping to challenge Man City for the league title for the third year running.
This weekend’s friendly will offer a valuable glimpse into both sides’ tactics and the early form of their new acquisitions.
Match preview
Arsenal kicked off their eagerly anticipated summer tour of the United States on Wednesday evening. They played out a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth before winning 5-4 on penalties.
Fabio Vieira’s well-taken goal in the 18th minute put Arteta’s side in the driving seat, but Bournemouth fought back resolutely, levelling the score through Antoine Semenyo in the 73rd minute.
The match served as a valuable workout for both sides as they build towards the new season.
The Gunners will take on Man United and Liverpool in their final two matches in the United States before heading back to England for friendlies against Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon.
The tour offers Arteta the opportunity to assess his squad’s fitness and experiment with different tactical systems ahead of another potential Premier League title challenge against Man City.
Arsenal have had a quiet summer thus far. David Raya’s arrival on a permanent deal from Brentford is their only major piece of business thus far, but they’re expected to ramp up their activity in the coming weeks.
Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori is close to joining the club from Serie A outfit Bologna in a deal worth around £40 million, but Arteta is keen to bolster his squad further.
Arsenal are still looking to sign a midfielder and a wide player, while talks about recruiting a prolific striker has also made the rounds this summer.
The Gunners have been linked with a move for Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino, while the club are still keeping an eye on Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams.
Man United kicked off their pre-season campaign with a mixed bag of results as the club looks to rebuild after a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Premier League last season.
Ten Hag’s side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Norwegian side Rosenborg in their opening friendly but bounced back with a 2-0 victory over Scottish Premiership giants Rangers.
The Red Devils now embark on a tour of the United States, where they will face Arsenal, Real Betis, and Liverpool before returning to England for the Community Shield clash against Man City on August 10.
United then kick off their 2024/25 Premier League campaign against Fulham six days later, and the pressure is mounting on the Red Devils to significantly improve on last season’s dismal showing.
The club has already bolstered their squad with the signings of Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna and Leny Yoro from Lille, but the transfer window is far from closed.
A central midfielder and another centre-back are seen as priorities, but United will likely need to offload players before making significant incomings.
United have been linked with a move for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte and Fiorentina ace Sofyan Amrabat. They also retain an interest in Bayern Munich centre-back Matthijs de Ligt.
With a busy summer of transfer activity anticipated, the coming weeks will be crucial for the club’s ambitions for the upcoming campaign.
Ten Hag will be hoping that his squad can hit the ground running when the competitive action begins.
Team news & potential line-ups
Arsenal are still missing several key players, including Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, David Raya, and William Saliba, alongside Aaron Ramsdale.
They’re all absent due to their involvement in the latter stages of the 2024 European Championship.
However, Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz are set to link up with the squad ahead of the showdown against Man United, so there’s a decent chance they could be involved in the match.
Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu will miss out due to injuries.
Despite the number of absentees, the Gunners should still have enough firepower to face United, with Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Jorginho, Jurrien Timber, Jakub Kiwior, and Oleksandr Zinchenko expected to start.
Karl Hein will retain his spot between the sticks, but Emile Smith Rowe is unlikely to be involved, with the midfielder reportedly closing in on a move to Fulham.
As for Man United, new signing Yoro, who impressed in his debut against Rangers, is expected to retain his place in the starting XI.
The Red Devils have a number of players absent due to international commitments, with Bruno Fernandes, Lisandro Martinez, and Luke Shaw among those missing.
However, there is some good news for Ten Hag, as Christian Eriksen, Rasmus Hojlund, and Scott McTominay have made the trip despite their involvement in Euro 2024.
Tyrell Malacia remains injured, while the club will have to wait a little longer to see new striker Zirkzee in action.
Amad Diallo caught the eye with a strong performance against Rangers and looks set to keep his place in the team.
The likes of Casemiro, Mason Mount, Hojlund, and Marcus Rashford are also expected to feature in the high-profile friendly.
Arsenal potential starting line-up:
(4-3-3): Karl Hein; Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Martin Odegaard; Patrick Viera, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard.
Manchester United potential starting line-up:
(4-3-3): Andre Onana; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Leny Yoro, Jonny Evans, Harry Amass; Casemiro, Scott McTominay, Mason Mount; Amad Diallo, Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford.
