6 Players Set to Miss Manchester United vs Arsenal Tie as the Premier League Kickstarts This Weekend
- Six key players from both sides could miss the Premier League opener between Manchester United and Arsenal
- Onana, Martinez, Mazraoui, Zirkzee, Jesus, and Trossard are all facing fitness concerns ahead of the EPL opener
- Both Mikel Arteta and Reuben Amorim will be forced to adjust tactics and line-ups for Sunday’s important game
Manchester United and Arsenal are set to headline the Premier League’s opening weekend with a blockbuster clash at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils will hope to put behind them their dreadful campaign last season, where they had one of their worst campaigns, but they face a Gunners side ranked as one of the favourites for the title.
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Mikel Arteta has slashed the cash on some key signings this summer, including Viktor Gyokeres, while Manchester United also brought in a highly rated centre-forward in Benjamin Sesko.
However, ahead of the Premier League opener, both teams face significant injury concerns, with up to six key players likely to miss the big game, Daily Express reports.
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Six players set to miss Man United vs Arsenal
1. Andre Onana
Andre Onana is facing a tight deadline to recover from a troublesome hamstring injury that ruled him out of the entire pre-season.
The Manchester United goalkeeper has been replaced by Altay Bayindir in recent games, and the Turkish goalie could start again if Onana fails a late fitness test.
2. Lisandro Martinez
Man United’s defensive setup could take a hit with Lisandro Martinez still sidelined due to ongoing injury struggles.
Although the Argentine centre-back travelled with the team for their US tour, there is still no clear timeline for his return.
Amorim may be forced to reshuffle his backline to cover for the absence of his trusted defender.
3. Noussair Mazraoui
Defender Noussair Mazraoui has not been seen in training since his first-half withdrawal in Man United’s pre-season opener.
The Red Devils have not disclosed the nature of his injury, but his extended absence suggests he may be ruled out for the Arsenal clash.
4. Joshua Zirkzee
Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee has been on the sidelines with fitness concerns and is also at the centre of transfer rumours following United’s recruitment of new attacking options.
Although he previously targeted a return for the season opener, there’s still uncertainty about whether he will make the matchday squad.
5. Gabriel Jesus
Arsenal’s forward line will once again miss Brazilian star Gabriel Jesus, who has been out since early 2025 with a severe knee injury.
His absence has forced Mikel Arteta to explore alternatives in attack, including the introduction of new signing Viktor Gyokeres, who is expected to lead the line on Sunday.
6. Leandro Trossard
Leandro Trossard has been a reliable attacking option for the Gunners, but a groin issue kept him out of Arsenal’s final pre-season friendly win over Athletic Bilbao.
While Arteta is optimistic he could be fit for the weekend, his participation will depend on late fitness checks.
Supercomputer predicts Amorim sack
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Manchester United manager Reuben Amorim has been predicted as one of the first five coaches who will get sacked in the Premier League this season.
The Portuguese manager won only nine points from December to May after replacing Erik ten Hag, the worst period in Manchester United’s recent history. He also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham.
Source: Legit.ng
