HOPEFUL: Arsenal will be looking to turn around the club’s fortunes as they go to Old Trafford without a win there in seven years. PHOTO: AFP
The two teams have enjoyed many memorable tussles during the Premier League era, but it is usually United who have come out on top, and particularly when playing on home turf.
Arsenal have not won at United in seven years and manager Arsene Wenger has enjoyed victory on only four of the 22 occasions that his side have visited the home of the 20-time English champions.
After beating Liverpool 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium last weekend, Arsenal became the first English team to win at Borussia Dortmund in mid-week and they approach Sunday's game with an eight-point lead over United.
Wenger has characteristically attempted to downplay the expectations surrounding his team, but he says that the trip to Manchester is an opportunity for his players to demonstrate their appetite for a title tilt.
"What is the most important is that we trust our quality and show the resilience and the hunger to achieve what we can achieve," said Wenger.
"We have made a lot of improvements at the back in our defensive game and we have done well in the last two games, but there is a lot to do.
"We have won nothing at all, we have just won two games, and what is important is what we achieve in the future."
Meanwhile, Manchester City will look to boost up their away form when they head to Sunderland today. They head to a ground today where they have not won since 2008.
But Pellegrini has urged his side to improve their away form and capitalise on a possible chance to close the gap on Arsenal with the Gunners.
"I know all the players know it already about not being complacent," he said. "We cannot continue losing points away — that is very important for us.
"We are six points from Arsenal. They play Manchester United, it's a difficult game for both of them. It is the moment for us to recover points, two or three points. We will see what happens."
Sunday’s Fixtures
Tottenham v Newcastle
Sunderland v Man City
Man United v Arsenal
Swansea v Stoke
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