Manchester United and Arsenal are set to lock horns at Old Trafford as they get the ball rolling on their 2025/26 Premier League campaigns on August 17.
United are coming off a truly historic campaign, but for all the wrong reasons.
As if recording their lowest ever top-flight finish in the club’s illustrious history, they spurned a chance to bow out with their heads held high after losing to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
Meanwhile, Arsenal will be wondering what they need to do to finally get their hands on the elusive Premier League title after finishing second for the third consecutive season last term.
Both sides come into the new season with different ambitions.
Despite the club’s reputation, United know it’ll be far-fetched to consider themselves title contenders, but manager Ruben Amorim will be determined to get the club back into the upper echelons of the Premier League.
The pressure on his colleague in North London is a different beast altogether. For Mikel Arteta, the 2025/26 season feels like make or break.
After six years in the dugout, the Spanish head coach has only one major trophy to show for his efforts despite being branded as a ‘world-class’ manager.
If he doesn’t get Arsenal over the line this time around, the club hierarchy will have a huge decision to make at the end of the season.
The stakes are higher than ever for Arsenal, but the game against United could set the tone for the rest of the campaign. Tickets for this clash are already on sale, but they could become hard to come by given what’s at stake.
Fans looking to secure a spot in the stands can find available tickets on Seatsnet with the box office showdown set to keep both supporters and neutrals on the edge of their seats.
Match Preview
United and Arsenal have had very distinct pre-season campaigns thus far. A defiant Amorim addressed the United fans after last season, extending an apology and boldly declaring that the storm is over.
But after their first post-season outing, it seemed like he may have jumped the gun.
The Red Devils were the butt of the joke when they carried their awful 2024/25 form into pre-season and lost 1-0 to ASEAN All-Stars. But they have since turned things around.
Amorim’s troops went unbeaten in their subsequent five pre-season games, beating Hong Kong, West Ham United, and Bournemouth while they shared the spoils with Leeds United and Everton.
The notion heading into the summer transfer window was that the club were financially handicapped and would need a massive clear-out to fund incoming transfers.
However, United have gone about their business quietly and are nearly done plugging the necessary holes in Amorim’s squad.
They have already welcomed Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, but there are more additions in the pipeline.
The Red Devils are looking to bring in Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig and will then turn their attention to a new midfielder and possibly a goalkeeper.
If United get all their targets, it could be a fantastic window that changes the whole dynamics heading into the new season.
So far, they’re heading in the right direction, but it’s still up to Amorim to galvanise the squad and get the best out of all his players.
Squaring off with Arsenal on matchday one could be the pick-me-up United need. It’ll be a massive test of their character and ambition heading into the season.
Arsenal have also been busy this summer. They’ve spent around £200 million to bolster Arteta’s squad and give him all the tools he needs to get over the line.
Their headline acquisition so far is undoubtedly Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres, who will finally address the club’s need for a prolific marksman.
Arteta could yet add a couple more players to his squad, but the backing from the club hierarchy speaks volumes about their ambitions for the new season.
Arsenal’s outlay reinforces the notion that the coming season might be make or break for Arteta. He needs to deliver a major trophy, especially with a marquee striker now leading the line.
The Spaniard is running out of excuses, but if he kicks off the season with a win against United, it could help his side build early momentum and send a statement to the rest of the division.
Head to Head
Old Trafford hasn’t always been a happy hunting ground for Arsenal, but they seem to be changing that narrative over the last few years.
The Gunners have won two of their last five visits to the Theatre of Dreams (D1, L2). But before then, they had failed to win any of their previous 13 visits to Old Trafford (D5, L8).
The last time both sides squared off at Old Trafford, they settled for an entertaining draw with Declan Rice’s second-half strike cancelling out Bruno Fernandes’ opener on the stroke of half-time.
It’ll be interesting to see which way the coming match-up swings, with both sides determined to get a winning start to the new campaign.
It might only be the first game of the season, but both sides have plenty riding on this fixture.
Best highlight
Man United
It remains to be seen if Andre Onana would be fit enough to start between the sticks against Arsenal, but Altay Bayindir will be ready to step in if required.
Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, and Leny Yoro should line up in a back three. Casemiro anchors the midfield while Bruno Fernandes takes on the creative burden with Patrick Dorgu and Amad Diallo as wingbacks.
Mason Mount and Bryan Mbeumo should line up as attacking 10s behind Matheus Cunha.
(3-4-3): Bayindir; Shaw, Maguire, Yoro; Durgu, Fernandes, Change, Dialo; Mount, Mbeumo; Cunha
Arsenal
David Raya will resume his duties as first-choice goalkeeper, with Myles Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, and Jurrien Timber providing cover.
Martin Zubimendi should slot in at defensive midfield, giving Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard the freedom to operate as attacking eights.
Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka should line up on either side of Viktor Gyokeres.
(4-3-3): Raya; Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel, Saliba, Timber; Zubimendi, rice, odegaard; Martinelli, Gyokeres, Saka.
Ticket Information
If you want to experience the thrill of live Premier League football, your best option is to secure your tickets through official club websites.
However, you can also get tickets on several resale platforms and other secondary marketplaces like Seatsnet.com that offer great deals and a wide selection of seats.
You can browse ticket options and explore available seats for every Premier League fixture, including the upcoming showdown between United and Arsenal.
How to Watch in the United Kingdom
Watch all the 2025/26 Premier League games live on Sky Sports, TNT Sports, and Amazon Prime Video.
Sky Sports delivers the most comprehensive coverage with 128 live matches, followed by TNT Sports with 52 games, and Amazon Prime Video with 20 exclusive streams.
