Arsenal take on Manchester United this weekend in what is already being billed as one of the biggest games of the Premier League season.
Both sides are fighting for fourth spot despite poor results suggesting that neither club actually want to finish in the top four, yet that could all change on Saturday if there is a victor at the Emirates Stadium.
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The home of the Gunners has played host to many incredible fixtures over the years, and matches against United are no different, with Arsenal both coming out on top and being absolutely destroyed by the Red Devils in the N5.
And here, we want to take a look back at the five best fixtures between Arsenal and United at the Emirates, with Saturday already shaping up to be a classic for this Premier League season.
21st January 2007 – Arsenal beat United in Fergie time
It seems only fitting to start with the first-ever clash between these two sides at the Emirates, but what an occasion it was for Arsenal, who managed to pull off an incredible late comeback against the side and the manager who made dramatic wins their trademark.
Heading into the final seven minutes 1-0 down, Robin van Persie equalised the game up for the Gunners before captain Thierry Henry’s stunning header in stoppage time sealed the win for Arsenal in Fergie time, much to the dismay of legendary United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
3rd November 2007 – Gallas’ finest moment for Arsenal
Nine months later, and United were once again in town, and once again, the Red Devils were leading with minutes to go. Yet just like last time, Arsenal managed to salvage something from the tie, but this time from an unlikely source.
William Gallas will never be well-remembered by Arsenal fans, but the Frenchman’s scrappy stoppage-time equaliser just eight minutes after Cristiano Ronaldo looked to have won the game for United will always hold a special place in the hearts of Gooners. Yet two seasons later, the Portuguese striker would have the last laugh.
5th May 2009 – Ronaldo shatters Wenger’s European dream
Ronaldo’s involvement on Saturday could determine the outcome of the result, as the 37-year-old striker has quite the record against Arsenal, yet the attacker’s performance in the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 2009 was something special.
An early assist, an outrageous 40-yard free-kick and a classic United counterattack saw Ronaldo crush Arsenal and Arsene Wenger’s dream of reaching a Champions League final for a second time, though United would fail to win the final in Rome thanks to one Lionel Messi.
4th October 2015 – Arsenal go mental at the Emirates
Between 2009 and 2015, Arsenal would become something of a punching bag for United, with historic 8-2 losses and regular defeats to the Red Devils becoming the norm for the Gunners, until one day in October, when Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez would change everything.
A blitz of three goals in 20 minutes would see Arsenal secure one of their most impressive wins against United in Premier League history. And the result would signal a change in the rivalry, with the Gunners since that win beating United more times than their Manchester opponents in all competitions.
2nd December 2019 – Lingard makes north London his dance floor
United have only won once at the Emirates in the Premier League since 2014, yet that one victory was pretty incredible even for the Red Devils’ standards based on the performance of one man, David De Gea.
The Spanish international produced what could only be described as one of the best goalkeeping displays in recent history, and with Jesse Lingard bagging a brace and famously making the Emirates his dancefloor, United’s 3-1 win that day against Arsenal still lives strong in the minds of supporters.
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