Dropping seven points from winning positions in eight days after the international break has left Manchester United virtually chanceless in the Premier League top-five race.
If it’s any satisfaction, the Red Devils dented Liverpool’s title ambitions last weekend, drawing 2-2 at Old Trafford despite holding a narrow lead heading into the last ten minutes.
Erik ten Hag’s only concern for the rest of the campaign is to hold onto sixth place and secure Europa League football next season, now that his team trails fifth-placed Aston Villa by 11 points.
Next on the Man Utd fixture list is a trip to Bournemouth on Saturday, with the 20-time Premier League champions bidding to avenge a dreadful 3-0 defeat in December’s reverse fixture.
While preventing the Cherries from pulling off a first-ever league double over them would unlikely boost United’s top-four hopes, they could still play a significant role in the battle for domestic supremacy.
Arsenal, level on points with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, will visit the Theatre of Dreams on May 12 for a game they’ll probably have to win to end a two-decade title drought.
However, Old Trafford hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Gunners in the 21st century.
In 24 league visits to United since the start of the new millennium, they have only managed three wins, meaning the downtrodden Red Devils will have the upper hand in this contest.
Since a 1-0 loss in November 2020, Man Utd have won back-to-back home matches against Mikel Arteta’s side, netting precisely three goals on both occasions.
That result from four years ago was also Arsenal’s first triumph on this ground since Arsene Wenger’s team, inspired by Emmanuel Adebayor’s strike, toppled United in their backyard in 2006.
Man Utd’s long-standing dominance in this match-up could play into Manchester City or Liverpool’s hands, as the Red Devils seem bound to disrupt the title race again.
