Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be decisive in matches following the release of the 2023/24 Premier League fixtures.
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One of English football’s most iconic fixtures will take place on the eve of the first international break of 2023/24.
Last season’s runners-up Arsenal, host Manchester United in Matchweek 4 in a high-stakes encounter that will provide an early gauge of one another’s title credentials.
Across the last two campaigns, they have served up 18 goals in four exciting encounters and last season’s 3-2 victory for Arsenal was one of the most absorbing matches of 2022/23.
Man Utd's travel sickness
Mikel Arteta’s side scored at least three times in 13 of their 19 league fixtures at Emirates Stadium last season, with their home matches averaging a league-high 4.11 goals.
While Man Utd did not play badly in defeat to Arsenal, they consistently struggled to keep top-quality opponents at bay on their travels.
Remarkably, they lost all six matches away to the top seven, conceding 3.66 goals per away match on average.
The highest-placed side they beat away was 10th-placed Fulham.
Erik ten Hag will be intent on finding ways to solidify his side in these tougher away fixtures, and it will be one of his tactical priorities heading into the new campaign.
How Arsenal beat United
Arsenal struggled to keep clean sheets at home last season (only four), but the fluid way they attacked was a joy to watch.
In their January win against United, Arteta’s side showed very few inhibitions.
Playing through midfield with ease, tucking Oleksandr Zinchenko inside to create 4v3s, their front three wreaked havoc during a second-half onslaught towards David De Gea’s goal.
While Ten Hag may point towards the absence of the suspended Casemiro being pivotal, they failed to contain Arsenal.
The stats suggested it was a match Arsenal should have won by a more comfortable margin.
How the two sides compared in January
| ARS | MUN | |
| Expected goals (xG) | 3.25 | 0.26 |
| Shots | 25 | 6 |
| First-half touches in opp. box | 22 | 5 |
| Second-half touches in opp. box | 41 | 7 |
Marcus Rashford scored home and away against the Gunners last season, including a brilliant solo goal in north London.
Following an excellent piece of pressing from Man Utd, Rashford rifled home a thunderous strike from distance.
His pace and dribbling skills down the left caused plenty of issues, so Arsenal will need to find a more effective way of stifling him this time around.
Bukayo Saka, who will turn 22 a few days after this fixture takes place, is somebody United’s back four must contain better, too.
He scored with a sumptuous curler from outside the box to cap a stellar display, that saw him have five efforts on goal and create four chances.
Luke Shaw handled his international team-mate well at times, but whenever Saka had the opportunity to run at somebody else, he dominated those duels, as Man Utd backed off and allowed him into dangerous areas a little too easily.
Arsenal and Man Utd tend to perform significantly better in this fixture when they are the home side.
Over the course of the last eight seasons the team hosting have lost only twice in 16 matches, winning 10 of them.
Arsenal v Man Utd in last eight seasons
| Arsenal | Man Utd | |
| Home wins | 6 | 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Away wins | 1 | 3 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
Man Utd will hope to make an early statement of their intentions with a positive result.
Indeed, Arsenal who came so close to the title last season, will look to prove their credentials with a repeat of January's thrilling win.
Also in this series
Part 1: Why Man City will provide the perfect test for Burnley
Part 2: Will Pochettino find a winning formula against Liverpool?