Everybody for di football? GUNNERS vs ManU

[Karl]

<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14px"><SPAN style="COLOR: #666666">Playing later:</SPAN> </SPAN>
Arsenal v Man Utd 1600 GMT





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It's time for the big one. A win for leaders United would see them open up a nine-point gap over second-placed Chelsea. But which Arsenal will they face today for their first visit to the Emirates Stadium?

1529: Arsenal make three changes with Mathieu Flamini, Emmanuel Adebayor and Emmanuel Eboue coming in for Justin Hoyte, Robin van Persie and the suspended Gilberto Silva. Manchester United make one change, with Ryan Giggs returning to the starting line-up in place of Ji-Sung Park, while Louis Saha, who has been suffering from a groin injury, takes a place on the bench.

[Karl]

RE: Everybody for di football? GUNNERS vs ManU

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>Arsenal v Man Utd </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=200 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV> </DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Emirates Stadium
Sunday, 21 January
Kick-off: 1600 GMT
Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live &amp; highlights on MOTD

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Arsenal have doubts over Robin van Persie who has an ankle problem, while midfielder Gilberto Silva is suspended.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Mathieu Flamini are in line to deputise and Emmanuel Eboue is pressing hard for a recall. Johan Djourou has a hamstring strain.

Manchester United have no fresh injury worries for the trip south and defender Wes Brown is back from a virus.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is pushing for a start but Wayne Rooney and Henrik Larsson look set to lead the line.

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Arsenal (from): Lehmann, Eboue, Toure, Senderos, Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Flamini, Rosicky, Henry, Van Persie, Almunia, Adebayor, Baptista, Diaby, Hoyte, Aliadiere.

Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Larsson, Saha, Solskjaer, Park, Brown, Heinze, O'Shea, Fletcher.

<DIV class=ch1>BIG-MATCH FACTS</DIV>

ARSENAL and Manchester United square up to each other for the 200th time in a competitive contest, in what's been billed many times as a "Battle of the Titans" and a title decider, but not this year. While the Red Devils are going all out for their first Premiership crown in four seasons, the Gunners are lagging some 15 points behind and battling to gain one of the two Champions League qualifying spots. They're yet to lose at the Emirates Stadium, and are vying for a 50th home League victory over their old adversaries.

Victory would give Arsenal exactly 800 Premiership points under Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman takes on Sir Alex Ferguson's charges for the 33rd time. Of the 32 previous encounters United have won 11, Arsenal 12 and nine draws. Of those nine draws, United won the 2003 Community Shield on penalties, and Arsenal the 2005 FA Cup final on penalties.

The Gunners ended their longest winless streak of eight matches against a single opponent under Wenger, when they won 1-0 at Old Trafford in September. But the Londoners have not beaten the Red Devils on home turf since a 3-1 triumph on 25 November 2001, when Thierry Henry got a brace and Fredrik Ljungberg the other. Wenger's side are vying for a third Premiership 'double' over United, and first since 2001-02.

MANCHESTER UNITED travel eager to avenge one of only two League defeats this season. The eight times Premiership champions are experiencing their best ever Premier League points haul. Never before have the Red Devils banked as many as 57 points from 23 games. It exceeds by one, the total at this same stage of the title winning campaign of 1993-94. But by the time this game kicks off, United's six point lead at the top of the table will have been reduced to three, if Chelsea beat Liverpool in the Saturday lunchtime fixture at Anfield.

The Old Trafford club have outshone the Gunners in so many ways this season. They have won 18 Premiership matches to the Londoners' 12, lost two to Arsenal's five, dropped just 12 points to the Gunners' 27. These are the two highest scoring clubs in the top division going into this round of matches, but while United have netted 52 goals, Arsenal have managed 43.

United have won one and drawn three of the last four League visits to Arsenal, but this is their first trip to the Emirates Stadium. They are in anger of being 'doubled' for only th