Prediction & odds for the game: Arsenal (9/5) v Manchester United (29/20) – ST is backing the home win

When: Saturday, 30th January @ 5.30pm K.O

Where: Emirates Stadium

Old rivals Arsenal and Manchester United will meet at the Emirates this weekend in a vital Premier League game for both sides.

Arsenal

From being on the edge of receiving a new manager to looking like legitimate top six contenders, it’s been quite the rollercoaster ride for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal Football Club across the last few months. They’re one of the most exciting teams to watch in English football when they’re able to hit their top form, but the big issue that they still need to combat is inconsistency. If they don’t fix that soon, the future is still uncertain.

A 4-0 triumph over West Brom set Arsenal up for a tense FA Cup tie against Newcastle which they just about managed to get through, only to be knocked out in the fourth round by Southampton. They proceeded to get revenge on the Saints with a 3-1 win in the league, and in the midst of all that, they also battered Newcastle and drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace.

Manchester United

Manchester United fans wouldn’t have thought that a title race would be realistic at the start of the season but now, they’re in a strong position that should ensure they’re in the mix between now and the end of the campaign. There’s still a long way to go and there are plenty of problems left to fix, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is just about starting to look like the man who belongs at the helm at Old Trafford.

From beating Watford and Liverpool in the FA Cup to edging past Fulham and Burnley, United have certainly shown the heart of champions since the turn of the year. They did play out a 0-0 draw against the Reds in the Premier League but that was still a decent enough result, with the big negative taking place last night when they were humbled in a 2-1 loss to Sheffield United.

Conclusion

We think this is going to be an incredibly tight and tense game, especially given the trajectory of both clubs given how their last few games have gone. The Gunners’ best way forward here is going to be attacking from the word go in an attempt to get the early goal, and from there, we wouldn’t be surprised to see them defend for their lives before trying to hit United on the counter. We actually think that strategy will work, too, which is why we’re backing Arteta’s men to secure the win.

Our official scoreline prediction is going to be 1-0 Arsenal, meaning we stick to the under 2.5 goals marker.

Verdict: Back the home win at odds of 9/5 and the under 2.5 goals scored at odds of 1/1 (All odds are taken from bet365).

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If you want to bet on Arsenal vs Manchester United then head on over to the betting page. Alternatively, you can check out some of the other available fixtures at the soccer predictions page as this season’s Premier League drama continues.