Manchester United vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League team news and line-up as rivals clash at Old Trafford

And the report from a slightly more drab event at United’s last match…

The report from an astonishing night at Arsenal’s last match…

Boring, boring Arsenal? Not in carnival week in Eindhoven. Many a colourful disguise has been donned in this corner of the Netherlands in the last few days and Mikel Arteta’s roundheads took the guise of cavaliers for an evening of record-breaking, riotous, and at times ridiculous, fun. The team who couldn’t score became the first side in Champions League history to score seven goals in an away knockout match. “A special performance and an unbelievable score,” said Arteta.

After two goals in four games, Arsenal had two in three minutes in the first half, a further two in three at the start of the second. They had five within 50 minutes, a fifth straight Champions League win booked and a quarter-final date in Madrid in their diaries, whether to face Real or Atletico. No other visitor to PSV Eindhoven in Europe had scored more than four goals. Arsenal got seven and had two more disallowed. All, of course, without a specialist striker, though each of Arteta’s front three struck, a midfielder got a brace and full-backs bookended the scoring, both from open play. “That’s the kind of team I want to manage,” grinned Arteta. “For the last three or four years the way we share the goals throughout the squad has been very impressive so we are not depending on one player.”

Manchester United fans have been urged by a supporters’ group to wear black to this weekend’s anti-Glazer protest to symbolise how the club is “slowly dying”.

Sunday’s home Premier League match against Arsenal will be preceded by a supporter march to Old Trafford, starting at 3.15pm from the Tollgate pub.

The 1958 fan group hope it “could be one of the largest-ever protests” at United, whose supporters have expressed opposition and fury since the Glazer family completed a leveraged takeover in 2005.

If Arsenal are a reminder of a rare highlight in Ruben Amorim’s troubled time in charge of Manchester United, they also represent a role model. A giant club headed for a historic low, looking for a new identity after the departure of their greatest manager, turned to an inexperienced figure from the Iberian peninsula, a former midfielder fast-tracked to a prominent position as a coach.

Amorim could be forgiven for looking at Mikel Arteta and seeing similarities; perhaps a blueprint, too, even if United are coming up with ever more plans to win the Premier League – while being ever further away from actually doing it – while Arsenal are on course for a bittersweet hat-trick, a trio of runners-up finishes. As frustrating as that could be, it nevertheless looks like progress from United’s vantage point of 14th.

Ruben Amorim believes he will not get as much time as Mikel Arteta did at Arsenal in his attempts to transform Manchester United’s fortunes.

The Spaniard has been in charge at the Emirates Stadium for more than five years and has only won one major trophy, the 2020 FA Cup.

But he is on course for a third consecutive second-place finish in the Premier League and to take Arsenal to the Champions League quarter-finals for a second year in a row.

By contrast, Amorim’s United are languishing in 14th place in the Premier League ahead of Sunday’s meeting with the Gunners and the Portuguese, who only has a two-and-a-half year contract, believes he needs success quicker.

Martin Odegaard has vowed that Arsenal will fight to the end in the title race as he hopes victory over Manchester United could be the springboard to glory.

Arsenal are 16 points behind league leaders Liverpool but Odegaard remembers his side topping the table for nearly all of the 2022-23 season, only to be overhauled by eventual champions Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta’s team have failed to score in their last two Premier League matches but returned to form by thrashing PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Arsenal finished last season with six straight league victories and Odegaard is eyeing another winning run as he hopes Liverpool slip up.

Manchester Utd XI: Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Lindelof; Mazraoui, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot; Zirkzee, Garnacho; Hojlund

Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard

Myles Lewis-Skelly is available again for the Premier League after his red card against West Ham.

Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus remain out, so Ethan Nwaneri and Mikel Merino are set to continue in attack.

Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte are doubts after missing the Europa League draw at Real Sociedad.

Chido Obi missed that game due to as he was ineligible for Europe but could return. Patrick Dorgu remains suspended, with Amad Diallo, Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount all long-term absentees.

Manchester United host Arsenal on Sunday in a meeting between two Premier League giants who are each having disappointing seasons to varying degrees.

It’s a pivotal clash for both sides: Arsenal sit 13 points behind league leaders Liverpool, and will be 16 points off the pace if the Reds beat bottom side Southampton on Saturday. Victory over United is crucial to keeping their slim title hopes alive, but they’ll be bouncing after a 7-1 thrashing of PSV in the Champions League midweek – despite having no recognised striker.

Meanwhile, Amorim’s side are languishing in 14th, a full 21 points behind the Gunners, and could be 16th in the league if they lose on Sunday and other results don’t go their way.