Arsenal vs. Manchester United: Combined XI

This weekend sees a major clash in the Premier League between second-placed Manchester United and Arsenal, who have risen up to 9th thanks to a strong run.

Last time the two faced off, Arsenal edged a 0-1 victory thanks to a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty. Naturally, this weekend will see Manchester United gunning for revenge.

These two big rivals aren’t quite as strong as they were when they dominated the Premier League, but both sides still boast some fantastic talent.

So if we were to put together a combined XI of players from Manchester United and Arsenal, who exactly would get in? It’s a tricky call as both teams are excellent and yet flawed at the same time.

For the purpose of this article, we’ve lined our combined XI up in a 4-3-3 formation, which is the most commonly used by Manchester United and often utilised by Arsenal too.

Goalkeeper: David de Gea (Manchester United)

David De Gea remains Manchester United's #1 despite competition from Dean Henderson

Choosing the goalkeeper for this side is a relatively easy exercise. While his form in recent years hasn’t been as imperious as it once was, David de Gea remains one of the Premier League’s strongest goalkeepers, and he’s done well to largely fend off the challenge of young gun Dean Henderson thus far into 2020-21.

De Gea has conceded a total of 24 goals this season, which doesn’t make for great reading. However, in 2021 he’s let in just three, and has kept clean sheets against Burnley and Liverpool.

Arsenal’s goalkeeper Bernd Leno meanwhile has conceded 20 – less than De Gea. But he also doesn’t command the same level of respect as the Spanish international, and seems more vulnerable to mistakes leading to goals.

Interestingly, based on last season’s form, there could perhaps be an argument for Henderson to be included in this side. But the youngster simply hasn’t played enough first-team football in the Premier League this season to warrant it.

Right-Back: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United)

Aaron Wan-Bissaka edges out Hector Bellerin at right-back

Both Manchester United and Arsenal can call upon an excellent right-back. Manchester United have Aaron Wan-Bissaka, while Arsenal utilise the talents of Hector Bellerin.

It’s tricky to choose between the two, particularly when you consider how different they are. Wan-Bissaka is a highly accomplished defensive full-back, with arguably the best tackling ability in the Premier League.

In fact, Wan-Bissaka outdoes Bellerin in every single defensive statistic, from tackles per game to interceptions per game.

Bellerin is probably better going forward, but it’s closer than you’d think. Wan-Bissaka has registered one goal and one assist, while Bellerin has two assists to his name this season. Surprisingly though, Wan-Bissaka completes more dribbles per game on average.

Overall, Wan-Bissaka simply has more facets to his game, so he gets the nod here.

Central Defence: Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal)

Harry Maguire's form has improved dramatically over the last few weeks

Deciding upon a defensive partnership for a combined XI of Manchester United and Arsenal players is tricky. That’s partly due to the fact that neither team are overly sound in defence, and neither Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Mikel Arteta seem to have settled on a first-choice partnership this season.

However, perhaps the best partnership across the two sides would come from United’s Harry Maguire and Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes.

The world’s most expensive defender after United parted with £80m for his services, Maguire started the current campaign in diabolical fashion, but has improved his performances greatly in recent weeks.

Maguire has scored two goals this season, both powerful headers from set-pieces. He also averages 4.3 aerial wins per game, and scores highly when it comes to passing, with an 86.4% success rate, as well as interceptions and clearances per game.

The England international lacks pace and athleticism, but that’d be provided in this team by Brazil’s Gabriel. Signed by Arsenal in the summer of 2020, he’s made an excellent start to his Gunners career and also has two goals to his name this season.

Like Maguire, Gabriel scores highly in all defensive statistics, from tackles and interceptions to clearances and blocks. And what’s more, he appears to have the pace that would allow him to cover for Maguire at points.

Essentially, these two would probably prove to be an excellent partnership.

Left-Back: Kieran Tierney (Arsenal)

Kieran Tierney edges out Luke Shaw at left-back despite the England man's improved form

Left-back is perhaps the tightest spot to choose in this Manchester United and Arsenal combined XI.

While United’s Alex Telles may prove to be the best of the bunch eventually, and Arsenal’s outstanding Bukayo Saka has played in the position from time to time, it comes down to a straight shootout between United’s Luke Shaw and Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney.

Both men have been impressive as of late, although it’s worth noting that Tierney has been consistently excellent since the beginning of 2020-21 while Shaw has only just begun to recapture his best form.

Shaw and Tierney both have one assist to their name this season, with Arsenal’s Scotland international also having one goal. And the statistics show that it’s a close call to be made between the two in all areas.

However, with this combined side using a more defensive-leaning right-back in the form of Wan-Bissaka, it’d probably be smart to put in a more offensive left-back. So in that case, Tierney – who has better crossing ability and possesses more pace – is probably the better bet.

Midfield: Thomas Partey (Arsenal), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

Bruno Fernandes is an obvious pick for this team

Manchester United and Arsenal both possess some outstanding midfielders, meaning some excellent players – some of whom have impressed massively in 2020-21 – miss out on this side.

In terms of a defensive midfielder, Manchester United possess two potential candidates in the form of Scott McTominay and Fred. Of those two, it’s a close call.

Fred scores more highly in terms of tackles and interceptions per game. This suggests he’s better at breaking up opposition play than McTominay, who is better in the air and has a slightly better passing range. He’s also scored two goals this season to Fred’s none.

However, Arsenal’s Thomas Partey is probably the best choice for this spot. The native of Ghana has only just begun his career with the Gunners with eight appearances to his name thus far, but his previous stint at Atletico Madrid marked him out as one of the world’s best holding midfielders.

And Partey also possesses a range of passing and an ability to bring the ball forward that his two United counterparts don’t. We haven’t seen the best of him at Arsenal yet, but he’s worthy of a spot here.

In the two more advanced midfield spots, United’s duo of Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba get the nod.

It probably would’ve been impossible to exclude Fernandes from this side. The Portuguese has made a massive impact on United’s fortunes since his arrival in January 2020, to the point that he’s been compared with the legendary Eric Cantona.

Fernandes delivered eight goals and seven assists in just 14 matches last season, and has already bettered that in the current campaign with 11 goals and seven assists. The Portuguese is United’s creative hub, and without him, they often look lost.

Emile Smith Rowe has impressed for Arsenal in a similar position, but right now he’s not in Fernandes’ league.

As for Pogba, who is one of the most divisive figures in the Premier League right now, his recent performances speak for themselves.

The Frenchman does have games where he’s less effective, but in a more advanced role, he’s been fantastic this season. His recent goals against Burnley and Fulham won United some absolutely vital points, and when he’s at his best, few players match him for athleticism and skill.

Forwards: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal), Edinson Cavani (Manchester United), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's best position might be as a left-sided forward

Choosing the three forwards for this combined Manchester United and Arsenal side was almost an impossible task. Both sides are blessed with some brilliant and dangerous attacking talent, and unfortunately, a lot of the players regularly switch position or play in multiple areas, making choosing three even trickier.

But with respect to the talents of Alexandre Lacazette, Bukayo Saka, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood, the trio chosen is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford.

Arsenal’s Aubameyang is arguably the most dangerous goalscorer here, as he’s scored a total of 78 goals in 129 appearances since joining the Gunners, and won the Premier League’s Golden Boot in 2018-19.

However, this season we’ve seen Aubameyang struggle a little more, particularly when he’s been played through the centre. In fact, none of Aubameyang’s five Premier League goals in 2020-21 have come as a central striker – they’ve all come when he’s played on the left, as did his lone assist.

Therefore, Aubameyang claims the left forward position in this team.

On the right, Arsenal’s Saka actually has the best goals-to-game ratio, as he’s scored four of his five Premier League goals from that position. However, he’s more naturally a left-sided player, whereas United’s Marcus Rashford is able to score goals from anywhere across the front line.

This season, Rashford has scored fifteen goals and registered five assists. He’s scored five of those goals from the left, but two have also come from the right, where his pace and power make him equally dangerous.

That leaves the centre-forward spot, and with Aubameyang and Rashford already in, it’s a three-way tussle between Anthony Martial, Edinson Cavani and Alexandre Lacazette.

Of the three, Lacazette has the most goals to his name with ten, but he’s also played 24 games – starting in 17 of them – compared to just eight starts for Cavani, who has five goals, as many as Martial’s managed in 32 matches.

Martial is perhaps the best of the trio at linking teammates in – he has four assists thus far.

But in terms of raw finishing ability, as well as top-level experience, Uruguay’s Cavani takes the spot. After all, if you were to put each man in a one-on-one situation with a goalkeeper, you’d probably bet on Cavani. Therefore, he spearheads this team.