FA Cup: Arsenal vs. Manchester United prediction, head-to-head, team news, possible line-ups, and betting tips

Arsenal come into this one smarting from a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday. 

That loss extended their winless run to two games across all competitions, following a 1-1 draw with Brighton, and Mikel Arteta’s side will be desperate to turn things around to avoid an early exit from the domestic competition.

Manchester United, on the other hand, are aiming to build on the positives from their thrilling 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday. 

Manager Ruben Amorim expressed frustration that his team’s high-level performance against Liverpool has been an exception rather than the norm since he took over. 

The last time these two sides met, on December 4, Arsenal ran out comfortable 2-0 winners at the Emirates, handing Amorim his first defeat as United boss. 

The Red Devils will no doubt be motivated to settle the score and progress in the FA Cup, but consistency remains a question mark for them.

Both teams are set to renew their epic FA Cup rivalry in what will be their 16th clash in the competition (excluding replays). This makes it the second-most contested fixture in FA Cup history, trailing only the Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool (19 meetings). 

Interestingly, this marks their first-ever showdown in the third round.

The Gunners boast a remarkable knack for eliminating reigning FA Cup champions, having done so six consecutive times. The most recent of these was their stunning 2-0 win over Manchester City in the 2019-20 semi-final.

However, the Red Devils have had the upper hand in recent FA Cup meetings with Arsenal, winning three of their last four encounters. This includes a memorable 3-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium back in January 2019—their sole win at this venue in the competition.

Manchester United hold the distinction of eliminating Arsenal from the FA Cup more than any other team, achieving the feat eight times. In turn, Arsenal have knocked United out on seven occasions, making this rivalry one of the fiercest in the tournament’s history.

Both clubs are the FA Cup’s most decorated sides, with United’s triumph at Wembley last May bringing their tally to 13—just one shy of Arsenal’s record of 14 titles.

The Gunners will be without Bukayo Saka, Ben White, Ethan Nwaneri, and Takehiro Tomiyasu for this clash, dealing a significant blow to Arteta's plans.  

Meanwhile, Manchester United are missing Mason Mount and Luke Shaw. 

Marcus Rashford, who sat out the Liverpool game due to illness, is also unlikely to feature as uncertainty continues to swirl around his future at the club.

Arsenal Predicted lineup (4-3-3)

Raya (GK); Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Rice, Merino; Trossard, Havertz, Martinelli

Manchester United Predicted lineup (3-4-3)

Onana (GK); De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot; Diallo, Fernandes; Hojlund

Arsenal failed to take their chances against Newcastle, but Manchester United's inconsistency makes them hard to trust. Given the circumstances, the Gunners edge this one as slight favourites.

Arsenal to win or draw

Both teams to score

Over 8.5 corners