"It is a big game. Of course every big game boosts your confidence, but for us more than focusing on the fact it is Manchester United, a big club and a big rivalry over the years, what is important is to have the chance to achieve our target. We have no choice, we have to beat them."
Arsene Wenger faces his 58th match against Manchester United on Sunday, the side with which he has the lowest win rate against (29%) and a opposing manager in Jose Mourinho who he has never beaten in the Premier League.
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Arsenal's hopes of securing a top four spot are hanging by a thread and defeat to Mourinho's men at Emirates Stadium would leave them eight points behind fifth-placed United, almost certainly ending their chances of playing in the Champions League next season.
Wenger's fierce rivalry with Mourinho adds another layer of interest to the game and the Portuguese has faced Arsenal without losing more times in the league than he has any other side - a record he'll be confident of maintaining on Sunday even if he's expected to rest a host of first team stars.
ARSENAL INJURIES
Granit Xhaka faces a late fitness test on an ankle injury sustained during the game against Tottenham on Sunday.
Despite returning to full training, Shkodran Mustafi is unlikely to play against United due to his lack of match practie.
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"We still have Granit Xhaka out from the kick he got in the game. Mustafi’s back in normal training. That's basically it," confirmed Wenger in his pre-match press conference.
Wantaway forward Lucas Perez is another player back in contention although Wenger revealed in his press conference that the game will come too soon for the Spaniard.
French youngster Jeff Reine-Adelaide is ruled out until the end of the season with an ankle injury, with Santi Cazorla another long-term absentee.
ARSENAL SUSPENSIONS
Arsenal have no players suspended for this match.
ARSENAL POTENTIAL STARTING LINE-UP
Danny Welbeck could start up front against his former club as Wenger looks to make changes from the 2-0 defeat at White Hart Lane.
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The 3-4-2-1 formation saw Arsenal go on a run of three consecutive victories before the north London derby loss and if Wenger decides to stick with the same tactics, then a return in defence for Rob Holding could shore up that area of the Gunners team.
Xhaka faces a late fitness test on an ankle injury and if he doesn't make it then Mohamed Elneny remains the most likely candidate to partner Aaron Ramsey in central midfield.
MAN UTD DOSSIER
“He doesn’t need to [make peace]. He doesn’t need to because there are no problems,” Mourinho told a pre-match press conference. “In the last match at Old Trafford we shook hands before, after. I remember that I still met him in the corridor for the press conferences, we shook hands again. He doesn’t need to make peace."
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Jose Mourinho knows he can all but end Arsenal's top four hopes with a win on Sunday despite claims that he'll play a weakened team following United's Thursday night Europa League travails in Spain.
David de Gea, Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Anthony Martial are likely to return to the starting line-up, while defender Eric Bailly is expected to be rested after starting 12 straight games since the middle of March.
Axel Tuanzebe, Scott McTominay and Matty Willock could all be in contention for places on the bench but Marcus Rojo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Luke Shaw are ruled out through season-ending injuries.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is their top scorer with 28 goals this season.
BEST OPTA MATCH FACTS
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Arsenal's 3-0 victory over Manchester United at the Emirates last season is their only win in 11 Premier League games against them (D4 L6).
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Manchester United haven't lost consecutive away Premier League games against Arsenal since November 2001.
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Arsene Wenger's only previous win as Arsenal manager against Jose Mourinho came in the 2015 Community Shield - he's never prevously beaten him in the Premier League before (W0 D7 L5).
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Indeed, Jose Mourinho has faced Arsenal without losing more times in the Premier League than he has any other side (12 - W5 D7 L0).
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Alexis Sanchez needs just one goal to register his best-ever return from a single campaign in Europe's big five leagues (currently on 19, tied with 2013/14 for Barcelona).
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Wayne Rooney has scored more Premier League goals against Arsenal than any other player in Premier League history (11).
TV COVERAGE & KICK-OFF TIME
Kick-off is at 16:00 BST on Sunday, 7 May and the match is being broadcast on Sky Sports 1 in the UK.
