Manchester United vs Arsenal: Three player battles that will decide the match

Paul Pogba v/s Granit Xhaka

This is another battle between two summer signings, which promises to be a fine one.

Paul Pogba, since joining Manchester United for a world record fee from Italian giants Juventus, has often been mocked by many for his supposed sub-par performances. Two goals and zero assists in 10 league matches might look like a poor return from the world’s most expensive player, but one must note that Pogba’s failures have a lot to do with his misfiring team-mates than it has to do with himself.

You could just look at zero assists and say that the French midfielder isn’t doing enough in his role as a creative player, but since his return to Old Trafford, he has created 19 chances in the league - which is equal to Chelsea’s Eden Hazard.

On the other hand, Granit Xhaka has played just over half the number of minutes compared to Pogba in the league this season but is already creating a healthy impression with the Arsenal faithful. Just like Pogba, the Swiss midfielder is also known for scoring stunning goals - with him already accounting for two screamers in the Arsenal kit this season.

The battle between Pogba and Xhaka will decide which team will control the game and that, as we know, determines the outcome of a match more times than not.