It is more than 40 years since Arsenal and Manchester United did not meet during a season.
The enduring Premier League rivals clash for the first time this campaign on Saturday when United travel to the Emirates Stadium.
With Manchester City not in action until Sunday, United can close the gap at the top of the table to five points with victory at the Emirates.
The Red Devils arrive in the capital with a spring in their step following the 4-2 win against Watford last time out.
However, Arsene Wenger will have other ideas and the Gunners can reel in their opponents with three points in north London.
Find out what United boss Jose Mourinho thinks of the game below, as he previewed the clash at the Emirates - and also let us in on some key injury news...
That's all folks
And with that folks, we’re done for the day.
Tomorrow we’ll be back with all the action from Arsenal vs Manchester United for you to follow.
Today, we’ve got a World Cup draw to focus on.
We’ll see you on the flip side.
Pogba on why he hates training
Paul Pogba has opened up about training under Jose Mourinho - and revealed there is a part of it both he and his Manchester United teammates despise.
Mourinho helped revolutionise football management with his style of coaching, and, in the process, built a formidable reputation for leaving no stone unturned in the way he prepared for every game.
Unlike previous Premier League bosses before him, who would focus on their own team ahead of a match, Mourinho would look at the opposition and set his side up accordingly.
It should therefore come as no surprise that parts of Mourinho’s training sessions can be quite mundane, as Pogba revealed.
Key points
- Nemanja Matic an injury doubt
- Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Marouane Fellaini all OUT
- Arsenal game NOT ‘must-win’
- Mourinho ‘not totally worried’ by Man City’s points lead
- Attack with 11, defend with 11.
That's all folks...
And with that, I believe we’re done.
The Special One is off to put in more work on the training ground.
Key points coming shortly...
On City's lead atop the Premier League
So, another late winner for City in midweek.
Is Jose worried?
“I don’t worry, totally.”
That settles that one then!
On United vs Arsenal
Between them, they have 16 of 25 Premier League titles.
Here’s Jose on United vs Arsenal:
“I think I remember big matches but not specifically.
“I remember even before me coming to England for many years it was about Manchester United and Arsenal for the title.”
Mourinho on taking risks
“It depends with what you think about risk, I think in the beginning of football, the guy who decides to say defenders, attackers, this guy was bad, because everybody has to defend and attack, especially in modern football.
“So for me you can say what you want, my goalkeeper needs to know what to do when his team has the ball, how to attack, and my striker needs to know how to defend and what to do. This is simple, for me it’s simple.”
“I think I will always try to play the best possible team, even the CL match was a must win match I think I would forget it, I would go for the game one game at a time and I would go for the most important game now, is tomorrow and is diff enough for you to be not focused and not be thinking about other things.”
We attack and defend with 11!
In seven games away to the Premier League’s established big six sides since joining United, Mourinho has presided over three draws and four losses, with nine goals conceded and only one scored.
Despite that, Mourinho said United will travel to Arsenal with the right balance between attack and defence, rejecting the notion he will send his side out with the sole remit of not losing.
“When we have the ball we are going to attack with 11 players because the goalkeeper knows what to do when we have the ball and when Arsenal have the ball we will defend with 11.”
NOT a must-win says Mourinho
So Arsenal vs Manchester United.
So long one of the Premier League’s biggest matches.
According to Jose, it’s not must win tomorrow.
Indeed, Jose has compared the battle between City and United to the rivalry between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe after watching a film of their tennis rivalry on Thursday.
“I play a game at a time,” said Mourinho. “I play a game at a time and is the way to do it, is the way to do it.
“Yesterday I was watching an interesting movie, Borg vs McEnroe, and Borg’s coach was telling him that all the time - ‘one point at a time, think about just one point’.
“I tell my players to just think about the game. It’s just the game, it’s Arsenal, we don’t think about how many points we are behind, it’s just Arsenal.
“It’s difficult enough for us to be focused on other things, so just focus on this.”
Asked if United were cast in the role of McEnroe and City Borg, Mourinho said:
“No. I love tennis, but I don’t play tennis.”
Fellaini, Bailly, Jones all OUT!
Phil Jones, Eric Bailly and Marouane Fellaini remain sidelined for the trip.
There’s also the news over Matic.
“Matic is a doubt.
“I hope he can but I cannot guarantee he is selected to go, let’s see the feeling before the match, let’s see the warm up, I hope he can, I want to, he wants to, but I cannot guarantee, and Fellaini is not travelling with the team.”
On Jones:
“He is not available.”
On Bailly:
“He is also not available.”
Here's Jose!
Right then.
Jose in the house.
Let’s get cracking shall we...
Before the presser
Right then.
Mourinho has spoken to MUTV before today’s press conference and has remarked that Nemanja Matic is a doubt for Saturday’s clash at the Emirates.
The Serbian was withdrawn early during the win over Watford.
Given his performances for United, his absence would be a big blow.
Why Arsenal vs Man United is the Premier League's first "billion pound game"
Manchester United’s Saturday trip to Arsenal is the Premier League’s first “billion pound game”, according to financial analysts Vysyble.
The two sides have won a combined 16 Premier League titles since the league’s inception in 1992.
And according to Vysyble, the two sides’ combined turnover ensures this weekend’s clash at the Emirates is a record breaker.
The claim is based on the Arsenal posting revenues of £424million in 2016-17, while United earned a record £581million; double-digit percentage increases for both, based on the previous year.
In a statement, Vysyble’s Roger Bell said:
“This is a remarkable achievement for the Premier League in terms of reflecting the success in driving revenues via lucrative TV rights deals.”
Pogba hopes for no Lacazette
Paul Pogba hopes countryman Alexandre Lacazette is missing for Manchester United’s clash against Arsenal on Saturday.
The Gunners striker has scored seven goals in 15 appearances since making his £52.7million move to north London in the summer.
Pogba has played alongside Lacazette for France and knows all too well about the trouble he can cause up top.
But the Frenchman suffered a groin injury during Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Huddersfield and Arsene Wenger confirmed he “could be out for a while”.
Mourinho changes United transfer plans
Anthony Martial’s brilliant form this season has forced Jose Mourinho to scrap his transfer plans.
The 21-year-old, who struggled under the Manchester United boss last season, has been terrific for the Red Devils this campaign.
Martial has scored eight goals in 20 appearances, already matching his tally from last term in less than half the games.
United were keen to sign Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic in the summer, and this in part down to Mourinho’s frustration with the forward last season, according to the Independent.
The report adds that Mourinho would have even considered trading the Frenchman in a bid to get a hold of the Croatian.
However, Martial’s brilliance this season has not only deterred United’s interest in Perisic, but also cooled the club’s links with Antoine Griezmann and Gareth Bale.