• by Sabrina Blanks, writing from Charlotte

Always a big fixture for both clubs, Monday's clash will surely prove to be an entertaining match, with the outcome important to both due to the closeness of the league table standings. Arsenal are currently 1st on the table, with a 10-2-4 record, 32 points, and a goal differential of 16. Manchester United currently sit at 3rd, with a record of 8-7-0, 31 points, a goal differential of 19, and a game in hand.

Manchester United have won 5 of the last 6 league meetings between the two sides, however, Arsenal are on a run of good form, having won 5 of their last 6 league games, losing to Newcastle. United have won 4 and drawn 2 of their last 6 league games, and both clubs had success in the group stage of Champions League, advancing to the round of 16. Arsenal are also still in the running for the Carling Cup, but Manchester United were knocked out in the quarterfinal round by West Ham United.

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Fitness for Match

Arsenal
- Out: Gibbs, Diaby, Vermaelen
- Doubt: Fabregas
- Probable: Djourou, Clichy

United
- Out: Owen, Hargreaves, Fletcher, Gibson
- Probable: Evra, Scholes, Ferdinand

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Key points to consider

• Arsenal strikers are scoring when given the opportunity lately. United's strikers are not scoring as much lately, even when the opportunities come; several recent United goals have come from less traditional scorers, the main exception being Berbatov's 5 goals against Blackburn.
• Injuries to key players/positions could make a difference. Less goals are scored against United when defensive pair Vidic and Ferdinand are together on the field, and Ferdinand only recently passed a fitness test after suffering from a tight hamstring in the December 7th Champions League fixture. Paul Scholes is ready to return after the groin injury he sustained in the November 24th Champions League match, providing some needed midfield creativity for United. Arsenal have just seen Robin van Persie return to fitness, and Cesc Fabregas is likely to still be out for Monday's match. Kieran Gibbs, performing well lately, sustained an ankle injury in Wednesday's Champions League match and the defender is likely to be out for around three weeks.
• Howard Webb is (unsurprisingly) our referee for this big fixture. He tends to let game play continue in many cases, unless frustrations start breaking through and affecting player reactions, in which case, the bookings will likely start and continue.
• Home field advantage? Old Trafford is likely to host many enthusiastic supporters, perhaps a bit intimidating to visiting clubs.
• The element of surprise: think Nasri's physics-defying goal line goal last week or Evra's recent goal after 3 years without scoring. That's just one more reason we all keep watching, the feeling that anything can happen, especially in these fixtures involving "big four" clubs.

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