January 8th 2025.
It's an exciting weekend for football fans as Arsenal and Manchester United are set to go head to head in a highly anticipated FA Cup third-round match at the Emirates on Sunday. After an impressive 13-game unbeaten streak, Mikel Arteta's side suffered their first home defeat of the season against Newcastle, putting their hopes of reaching the Carabao Cup final in jeopardy. On the other hand, United ended their four-game losing streak with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Liverpool in the Premier League last week.
Despite their recent winless run, Ruben Amorim must be pleased with how his team performed against the current league leaders. Now, both teams are turning their attention to the FA Cup, with United defending their champions title after a shocking upset against Manchester City last season. With Arsenal looking to bounce back from their lackluster performance against Newcastle, there may be some subtle changes in their starting lineup.
One potential change could be the return of Gabriel Jesus to the starting XI after being benched in their previous match. The striker has been in top form, scoring six goals in his last six games. Alongside him, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are expected to flank the attack, while Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri continue to recover from their injuries.
Arsenal will also be hoping for the return of Raheem Sterling, who has been out with a knee injury during the festive period. However, the forward was an unused substitute in their last game, adding to his frustrating spell at the Emirates. As for the defense, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are still unavailable for Arteta, but he may choose to bring back Riccardo Calafiori at left-back instead of youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly.
On the other hand, United seems to have most of their squad fit for Sunday's match and may stick with a settled starting XI after their impressive performance against Liverpool. The only notable absence is Mason Mount, who is still recovering from a thigh injury. Amorim also confirmed that Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelof are close to returning to full fitness.
Although Marcus Rashford missed their last game due to illness, it seems that he is not in Amorim's immediate plans as his future at Old Trafford remains uncertain. As for the predicted lineups, Arsenal could see Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Odegaard, Rice, Trossard, Jesus, and Martinelli taking the field, while United may start with Onana, Yoro, Maguire, Martinez, Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot, Amad, Fernandes, and Hojlund.
For those wondering where to catch the game, it will kick off at 3pm GMT on Sunday, January 12. Viewers in the UK can tune in to BBC One or stream it live on BBC iPlayer, with coverage starting at 2.35pm. It's sure to be an exciting and intense match between two top teams, so make sure not to miss it!
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