The start of a new Premier League season is always something to relish, but this year the fixture computer has thrown up a doozy as we get 2025/26 underway at Manchester United on Sunday (4.30pm UK).
It’s a fitting occasion as we embark on our 100th consecutive top-flight season against familiar foes, but with both teams ready to unleash their big-name summer arrivals, there is set to be a fresh feel to this famous fixture.
We’ve been handed an away opener for the fifth time in the last seven years, but we’ve won five of those and are currently on a 14-game unbeaten away run in the Premier League, stretching back to last November. With Old Trafford and Anfield our first two away destinations, maintaining that record could be an early-season boost as we aim to hit new heights after three seasons as runners-up.
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Red Devils rebuild
Last season was a nightmare for United. Their 15th-place finish was their lowest since 1989/90, the 42 points amassed were their worst tally since 1974, they didn’t win consecutive top-flight matches, lost more league games than they won at Old Trafford, and to top it off were beaten in the Europa League final by a Tottenham side who finished below them in the table.
The rebuilding work has seen £200 million splashed out on Matheus Cunha from Wolves, Brentford’s Bryan Mbuemo and Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig in an attempt to reignite an attack that scored just 44 times in 38 league games last term, while young left-back Diego Leon has also arrived from Paraguay.
Marcus Rashford has been shipped off to Barcelona on loan, while Christian Eriksen, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof have been released. An unbeaten five-game pre-season has seen wins over Bournemouth and West Ham United as well as draws with Leeds United, Everton and Fiorentina to build a bit of momentum ahead of a crucial campaign for Ruben Amorim.
What the managers say
Arteta: “I’m super excited, I can’t wait. It’s been a really productive pre-season. We’ve made such an evolution in the squad as well and we’re ready to go.
“The mood of the place, the energy around it, the enthusiasm that the boys, the staff came with from day one, now we’re going to do better, to keep improving as a team and to win. That’s what drives my energy and that’s why I’m so excited.
“[United] will be different as well. The manager will have more time with them, they have a pre-season, they make some really good signings as well, like anybody else. I think they strengthened and they will be better than last year, like the rest of the teams.” – read every word from the press conference
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Amorim: “We cannot change everything in four weeks, but we are better. We are training harder and are more prepared to cope with the demands of the game. I’m really more confident, that is clear. Step by step, we will be a better team.
“I learned a lot last season. I don’t need to focus on the future. That doesn’t matter and I don’t care. I need to live day by day. Everything that is noise to our team, I take out of the picture, so I just prepare my team against Arsenal.”
Team news
Leandro Trossard limped off against Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong and missed both of our home friendlies against Villarreal and Athletic Club, but he hopes to join in with training ahead of the game and try to put himself in contention.
Having missed the end of last season, Gabriel, Jurrien Timber and William Saliba have all returned to action during our five summer friendlies, leaving Gabriel Jesus as our only long-term layoff as he continues to rehab from his ACL injury.
Recent recruits Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokores – who enjoyed success under Amorim at Sporting Lisbon – are fit, and could make their Gunners debuts alongside Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard, Cristhian Mosquera and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
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Andre Onana and Joshua Zirkzee have missed all of pre-season with muscle injuries and are doubtful to feature against us, meaning Altay Bayindir is likely to deputise between the posts.
Noussair Mazraoui has a hamstring issue sustained in the summer and is definitely out, as is Lisandro Martinez who continues to recover from a knee injury picked up in February.
Talking tactics
Adrian Clarke: When you come up against a back three, you want to target space down the side of their central defenders. So, with and without the ball, Gyokeres could look to drive down the channels, while isolating Bukayo Saka in 1v1s with early passes also feels like a strong ploy.
A balance will need to be struck between attacking ambition and defensive solidity, as Sesko, Mbeumo and Cunha have outstanding qualities. Our midfield pairing will be interesting as they will be asked to screen service into them, as well as provide valuable cover on transitions. Positional discipline is going to be tremendously important.
During spells where we are pushed back, we cannot afford to let United’s star men shoot from distance. Bruno Fernandes and Cunha both scored five times from outside the box last term, the joint-most in the division, while Sesko and Mbeumo are also effective from range. Closing those players down will be a necessity.
Amorim has had a full pre-season to implement his ideas and United did raise their game against stronger sides last term, but I expect us to play in a positive manner, with a focus on targeting their weaknesses in midfield and at the back.
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Facts and stats
We have lost just two of our last 14 Premier League games against Man Utd (W8 D4), going unbeaten in the last five (W4 D1).
United have won 99 of their 243 meetings with us in all competitions (D55 L89). They’ve only beaten Aston Villa (107) more often, while they would be the first team to beat us 100 times.
This will be the sixth time the two clubs have opened their top-flight campaigns with a game against each other (2 wins each, 1 draw), most recently doing so in 1989/90.
The Red Devils are beginning a Premier League campaign with a home game for the ninth successive season, the longest run of any side in English top-flight history.
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Stats: How successful are we on the opening day?
We have won our opening league game in five of the last six seasons, including each of the last three. We last did so in more consecutive campaigns between 2001/02 and 2005/06 (5).
Since the start of 2022/23, we haven’t lost a single Premier League game in August, winning all four away matches without conceding a single goal during this period.
New Man Utd signings Bryan Mbeumo (+7.74, 20 goals from 12.3 xG) and Matheus Cunha (+6.37, 15 goals from 8.6 xG) ranked first and third respectively in the Premier League last season with regards to outperforming their xG totals.
Viktor Gyokeres has scored on the opening day of the season in each of his last four campaigns. Only two players have scored against United at Old Trafford on their Premier League bow – Mo Johnston for Everton in 1992, and Paulo Wanchope for Derby County in 1997.
Bukayo Saka could become just the second player to score on MD1 in three consecutive Premier League seasons for us after Thierry Henry (2001-2003).
Match officials
Simon Hooper will get our 2025/26 campaign underway at Old Trafford, having overseen us on six occasions last term. We won four and drew one of the league fixtures he refereed, including our final home game against Newcastle United in May, with our League Cup semi-final second leg loss to the Geordies the only time we were beaten under his watch.
His only Man Utd match saw the Magpies beat them 2-0 at home, while last season he was the official who awarded the fewest average fouls per game among the division’s regularly-used referees.
Referee: Simon Hooper
Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Simon Long
Fourth official: Jarred Gillett
VAR: Paul Tierney
Assistant VAR: Steve Meredith
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Recent visits to Old Trafford
Our recent form in the red half of Manchester is pretty good, as we have avoided defeat in five of our last seven trips. We have also scored in each of our last 11 league visits, having previously only netted in 10 of our first 22 in the competition.
Back in March, the sides shared a 1-1 draw thanks to Declan Rice’s wondergoal and some David Raya heroics cancelled out Fernandes’ free-kick, while in May 2024 Trossard grabbed the only goal to clinch a 1-0 success.
Our previous visits ended in 3-1 and 3-2 defeats in September 2022 and December 2021 respectively, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s penalty clinched a win behind closed doors in November 2020. Indeed, all five of our Premier League wins at Old Trafford have come via a 1-0 scoreline.
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Live coverage
Once again this season, Live From N5 is the place to be for live commentary of all our men’s first-team games across 2025/26.
Tune in from just before kick-off on Sunday, when Dan Roebuck and Adrian Clarke will once again be behind the mics to guide you through the on-field action.
You can also find out which broadcasters are showing the action live wherever you are in the world.
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