On the back of a 0-4 thumping at the hands of Crystal Palace, Erik ten Hag, fearful of another humiliation, decided to adopt a safety-first approach against the league leaders.

The team player much more compact as compared to recent games but another huge error from Casemiro allowed the Gunners to take the lead in the first half.

And the visitors never looked in danger of relinquishing that lead as the 20-time English league champions were content with keeping the ball and passing it among themselves instead of trying to force the issue with the clock running out.

United have sorely missed Bruno

Rasmus Hojlund once again hardly got any support while his current form just shows he is not ready to lead the line for the Red Devils and needs more help but the manager has no option but to keep playing him.

Alejandro Garnacho spurned a few presentable opportunities while the midfield lacked creativity as the Dutchman opted to minimise damage amid the ongoing injury crisis.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes’ absence has been felt a lot with the Portuguese missing two games in a row now, the first time that has happened since his move to the club.

Mason Mount was tried against the Eagles and he could not provide the cutting-edge that the Portugal international is so good at usually.

Against Mikel Arteta’s side, nobody in midfield had the silk needed to thread passes into the striker or attempt something spectacular.

Fernandes was spotted wearing a protective brace around his right hand which he broke during the FA Cup semi-final tie against Coventry City.

The Portuguese insisted on playing the following games against Sheffield United and Burnley but has now missed the last two. Whether it is because of his hand injury or something else entirely remains unknown.

Ten Hag also told @talkSPORT Bruno Fernandes is likely to miss Wednesday's game v #NUFC.

— Alex Crook (@alex_crook) May 12, 2024

Ten Hag had announced before the Arsenal game that the former Sporting Lisbon star was back in training but Amad Diallo got his first start against the North London side instead as the manager said the club captain could not make it in time.

Now Alex Crook of Talksport has revealed that the 29-year-old is unlikely to be fit for the upcoming Newcastle United encounter in midweek after the journalist had a conversation with the manager .

Bruno to miss Newcastle game

“Ten Hag also told @talkSPORT Bruno Fernandes is likely to miss Wednesday’s game v #NUFC,” Crook wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

United are currently languishing in eighth and are in danger of missing out on Europe altogether. The Magpies are in decent form having lost only once in their last five and are in sixth spot.

This will be another huge blow and Ten Hag is likely to adopt a similar method against Eddie Howe’s team like he did on Sunday to ensure a respectable loss in the end.

Hopefully, Fernandes can play the final league game of the season against Brighton and be fit for the FA Cup final against Manchester City on May 25.

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United will be heading into the game off the back of a devastating 4-0 hammering at the hands of Crystal Palace, which served to pile further pressure and misery on Erik ten Hag and his players.,

The Red Devils have a chance to get back to winning ways and make a huge statement that they’re no pushovers and what better way to do it than against a top rival such as Arsenal?

Here are three storylines to anticipate as the two English giants prepare to lock horns on Sunday.

United can put an end to Arsenal’s title ambitions

Arsenal will undoubtedly turn up at the Theatre of Dreams fully aware that a win guarantees that the Premier League title race will go into the final game of the league season when they face Everton at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners don’t have it in their hands, with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the driving seat. Arsenal are almost certainly relying on a slip-up from the reigning champions in their remaining clashes vs. Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham for the most prestigious trophy in the land to be decorated in red and white ribbons.

Mikel Arteta and his men are firm favourites to emerge victorious, especially considering United’s consistently poor performances and results, yet the Arsenal boss himself will know that Old Trafford has not been happy hunting grounds since he took over the reins at the North London outfit.

Arteta managed to secure Arsenal’s only triumph at Old Trafford in the league since 2006 but has the only one to his name, in a long line of shocking and disappointing results, which if repeated, would be fatal for his side.

Arsenal have lost on their last two trips to Old Trafford and needed two injury-time goals to complete their 3-1 win in the reverse fixture back in September.

This could be just the motivation Ten Hag needs to motivate his players when they step onto the pitch on Sunday. United have the golden opportunity to put a significant dent in Arsenal’s title prospects, almost in the same way they did against Liverpool in the 2-2 draw last month.

It will certainly not be easy for United against an Arsenal side that have smashed in 27 goals and conceded just thrice in three of their last games on the road. City are the only team who have kept them at bay and prevented them from clinching all three points.

Arteta spoke to reporters and was asked about United’s form and Arsenal’s Old Trafford record. The Spaniard said, “I don’t think about it, every game has a different context. We know the difficulty and the history when you look at what we’ve done over there, so we’re going to have to be at our best to earn the right to win the game.”

“We know what we need to do but first of all we have to perform at a really high level to deserve to win the match. That’s what the focus is.”

In a season marked by disappointment, the United players have a chance to reclaim some dignity and bring a glimmer of joy to fans by scuppering Arsenal’s title push. The stage is set and the battle lines drawn.

Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes return from injury

Ten Hag is set to be significantly boosted by the return of Rashford, McTominay and Fernandes.

All three stars have recovered from injury and are in contention to return to United’s starting XI for the game against Arsenal.

Rashford has not featured for the 20-time English champions since the dramatic win on penalties vs. Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-final.

Despite his struggles this season, he’s still a threat to any rival and brings something different to the team. The England international’s outstanding record vs. the traditional “big six” is also well-known and he could have a big say in how events pan out on Sunday.

Rashford has also been linked to Arsenal, with his United future uncertain. He may have returned just in time to haunt the North London club and inflict the ultimate pain on them.

Even more important is that Rashford being back means United can field their most potent front three alongside Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho on the right.

Another big player set to come back into the action is Fernandes. The club captain wasn’t in the matchday squad for the clash at Selhurst Park and was a huge miss.

United lacked the imagination and creativity he often injects into the side. Before he was sidelined, Fernandes was in terrific form and even received a nomination for the Premier League’s April Player of the Month award. This term, he has plundered an impressive 15 goals and 11 assists across all competitions and he could be United’s main point of difference vs. Arsenal.

McTominay is also likely to play from the start and despite obvious reservations about him in the middle of the park, his eye for goal and turning up at the right place and at the right time are undeniable.

The Carrington academy graduate is enjoying the most prolific campaign of his career and very few people would put it past him to once again get on the score sheet this weekend.

United looking to get European aspirations back on track

United’s European aspirations suffered a huge hit following their loss to Palace.

The result left the Reds in eighth position in the Premier League and 13 points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.

Champions League qualification is mathematically impossible for United but the Europa League remains an attainable objective, although there is stiff competition from Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle and Chelsea who are in fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.

A win over Arsenal would go a long way in cementing United’s Europa League credentials and this is something the players will have on the back of their minds as they do battle with Arsenal.

Needless to say, getting into the Europa Conference League would be humiliating for United but they would have no one to blame but themselves.

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