Arsenal host Manchester United this Sunday at Emirates Stadium in Matchweek 23 of the 2025/26 Premier League, carrying the weight of league leaders and the recent label of best team in the world, handed out by Pep Guardiola. With 50 points, four clear of Manchester City, the Gunners face a fifth-place United on 35, a side trying to turn a rare moment of calm into a real push for momentum this season.
The derby arrives with opposite realities. On one side, an Arsenal team unbeaten in 12 matches and also sitting atop the Champions League league phase, the only club with a perfect record. On the other, a Manchester United already out of every cup competition, with no European soccer and putting all their chips on the Premier League under new management.
Arsenal lean on consistency to extend their grip
Mikel Arteta’s side are coming off a big midweek 3–1 win over Inter Milan at the San Siro, a result that kept the English club on top of the Champions League standings. Even without Calafiori, Hincapie, and Dowman, Arsenal arrive confident, backed by numbers that jump off the page.
They’re unbeaten in 12 games across all competitions, plus four straight home wins over Manchester United in the Premier League, their longest such run against the Red Devils. The Gunners also didn’t allow a single shot on target in their last two league matches, something they’ve already managed five times this season.
Arteta owns a strong record against United. In 12 Premier League meetings, he’s won eight, a 67 percent success rate, the highest of any manager who’s faced the club at least five times.
There’s one curious wrinkle, though. Arsenal’s last two league games ended 0–0. A third straight scoreless draw would put the club into rare territory in the competition.
Manchester United try to turn relief into a surge
United are living a very different story. Knocked out of both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, the club now has only the Premier League left to play for. The coaching change brought an immediate lift, highlighted by last Saturday’s 2–0 win over Manchester City in Michael Carrick’s debut on the touchline.
Since Ruben Amorim’s departure, United’s attacking metrics have improved, leading the league in xG, shots, and shots on target, along with posting the best xG differential over that stretch. It’s still a small sample, but it points to a more aggressive approach.
For the derby, Zirkzee remains a question mark after taking a knock against City, De Ligt is still sidelined with a back issue, and Mazraoui could be rested due to fatigue. Sesko may return to the starting lineup, while Matheus Cunha is an option off the bench.
Recent history doesn’t favor United. They haven’t beaten Arsenal in six Premier League matches and have lost their last four trips to the Emirates. Carrick, however, carries one good memory, his only previous Premier League win as United manager came against the Gunners back in 2021.