The Premier League season opens with a heavyweight clash as Manchester United host Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. It is a meeting between two clubs entering the campaign with very different trajectories but equally high expectations.
United’s 2024/25 home record was one of the poorest in their modern history, winning just seven of 19 league matches at Old Trafford. Under Ruben Amorim, they managed only four home victories last season against Ipswich, Southampton, Everton and Aston Villa on the final day. Yet their underlying numbers told a different story with the fifth-best home xPTS (32.10) and a positive xG differential which suggests poor finishing and conversion rates were the main culprits.
Amorim has moved to fix that with a rebuilt attack. Benjamin Sesko arrives from Leipzig after scoring 13 goals in 33 games, joined by Matheus Cunha from Wolves and Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. Marcus Rashford has departed on loan to Barcelona, but the squad is fresher and better balanced.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have reinforced a squad that finished second for a third straight season. Last term they were the league’s second-best away side (W9–D–2L), boasting the best away defensive record with only 17 goals conceded. Their control-first style saw them lead the league in away xGA (0.89) and shots in the box conceded.
Predicted line-ups
Manchester United (3-4-3): Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Dalot, Fernandes, Ugarte, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Sesko, Cunha.
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.
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