TEAM NEWS
Manchester United have no fresh injuries following their two matches against Chelsea over the past week. Defender Chris Smalling continues to make good progress in training in his recovery from a broken metatarsal, but the game at Old Trafford will come too soon. Fellow centre-back Phil Jones (knee) is also not quite ready, while another defender, Nemanja Vidic (knee), and midfielder Shinji Kagawa (knee) remain sidelined. Striker Robin van Persie is set to face his old club.
England midfielder Jack Wilshere and full-back Bacary Sagna are both likely to be in contention, but forward Theo Walcott - whose hat-trick helped the Gunners comeback from 4-0 down to win 7-5 - may be back on the bench after playing all 120 minutes at the Madejski Stadium. Midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (hip) faces a fitness test, but winger Gervinho (ankle) will be out for around three weeks, while defender Kieran Gibbs (thigh), first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (ankle), midfielder Abou Diaby (thigh) and Czech winger Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) all continue their rehabilitation.
MANAGER QUOTES
Alex Ferguson: "Chris Smalling is training with the first-team squad on the football side which is good news. He's not ready for us yet but it's still encouraging. We've got options. Chicharito is in terrific form. He is improving all the time. The key to Chicha's form is the decent rest he's had in the summer. Every game against Arsenal is always a big one. It won't be any different tomorrow. They have proved defensively this year that they're a stronger, more physical team. I watched them last week against QPR and it'll be a hard game."
Arsene Wenger: "You want (Robin van Persie) to be respected. We campaign against discrimination … it was still the case last week, so why should it not be the case this week? I think he will get the reception I hope for. There is urgency (regarding Theo Walcott's contract). We want to sort it out before Christmas, one way or the other. I always said it is important that he plays in the right position and that certainly would be through the middle in the future."
MATCH FACTS
Manchester United have won seven and lost none of the last eight matches against Arsenal at Old Trafford in all competitions.
Last season, Manchester United inflicted Arsenal's biggest ever defeat in the Premier League when they won 8-2 at Old Trafford.
Robin van Persie scored in both league meetings last season while playing for Arsenal. He scored 96 Premier League goals for the Gunners before moving north to Man Utd this summer.
Wayne Rooney scored his first Premier League goal, his first in the PL for Man Utd and his 100th Premier League goal against Arsenal.
Rooney's 10 goal haul is the highest by a Premier League player against the Gunners (along with Robbie Fowler) and also his joint-highest versus any opponent in the history of the competition.
There have been nine penalties in the Premier League meetings between Arsenal and Manchester United in the Wenger era (seven for United, two for Arsenal); all at Old Trafford and five have been missed.
Eight of those penalties have come in the last nine meetings between United and Arsenal at Old Trafford.
The Gunners have scored just 10 goals in 20 Premier League visits to Old Trafford, with last season (2-8 defeat) being the only time they have netted two in one game.
Manchester United have won eight and lost just one of their last 10 games against Arsenal in all competitions.
Robin van Persie has seven goals and three assists in nine Premier League appearances for Man Utd.
United have scored in their last 53 Premier League home games, an all-time PL record.
BETTING ODDS
Man Utd 7/10, draw 11/4, Arsenal 4/1
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