Bailey Keogh - Arsenal fan brands writer
After the impressive away victory at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in midweek, I think every player that started in that match deserves another chance. So I’ll opt for an unchanged team for the match against Manchester United.
I would, however, change the system and make sure that Mikel Arteta sticks with a 4-2-3-1 rather than interchanging with a five defender formation. The Gunners have the home advantage meaning that we need to be on the front foot, and having four defenders instead of five gives Arteta’s side the best chance of dominating the game.
Mohammed Elneny, Rob Holding, and Eddie Nketiah deserve to keep their places in the team, as they were arguably the best players against Chelsea. Having these players in the starting lineup also creates a strong substitutes bench which Arsenal haven’t been accustomed to this season.
Fans have been calling for Takehiro Tomiyasu to come straight back into the starting lineup if he makes the matchday squad. However, we must learn from the Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool in terms of rushing him back into the side, as he had a poor game on that evening and only worsened his injury.
Keogh’s Arsenal XI vs Manchester United: Ramsdale, White, Holding, Gabriel, Tavares; Xhaka, Elneny, Odegaard; Smith Rowe, Saka; Nketiah
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Kaya Kaynak - Arsenal writer
This is probably the toughest one of these reporters' lineups that I've had to do all season, not because of who's available, but because of the bizarreness of Wednesday night.
That hybrid three/four at the back system worked a treat against Chelsea, but I'm not sure I see it having the same effect against Manchester United.
For one, United don't press in the same way, so I think you can risk having defenders who are less proficient with the ball at their feet in the backline. That means I'd look to put Rob Holding in the back four, shifting Ben White to the right in order to allow Nuno Tavares to get forward and help attack Aaron Wan-Bissaka, whose confidence looks shot.
What's also different from the Chelsea game is that I think Arsenal can dominate the game in terms of possession against this weak United midfield. I'd play Mohamed Elneny at the base of a three and allow the two midfield technicians of Martin Odegaard and Granit Xhaka to resume their role as free eights.
Of course, it's Bukayo Saka on the right, and over on the left, it's got to be Emile Smith Rowe after he rediscovered his goal-scoring touch at the Bridge.
If you'd asked me to make this selection this time last week, there's no way I'd have had Eddie Nketiah leading the line, but what a difference a week makes. The 22-year-old is suddenly red hot, and against a weakened United backline I'd start him again in the hope that he can cause some chaos.
Kaynak's Arsenal XI vs Manchester United - Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Tavares; Elneny, Odegaard, Xhaka; Saka, Nketiah, Smith Rowe.
Chris Wheatley - Chief Arsenal correspondent
It's tough to make any changes from that Chelsea win, but I feel the game state against Manchester United demands that Arsenal make a few.
I'm switching to a more orthodox back four for this game that sees Cedric return to the starting lineup in place of Rob Holding. I just feel that Ben White's ability to bring the ball out of defence could really help win the midfield battle in what could be the most important part of the game.
With that in mind, I'm looking to restore Albert Sambi Lokonga to the side. I feel that his progressive passing will serve the game better than Mohamed Elneny's, even if the Egyptian was sublime in midweek.
Up front, I'm sticking with Eddie Nketiah over Alexandre Lacazette as the Gunners need someone who will stress the shakey Manchester United backline out. With Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka on either side of him, I think my Arsenal front line would be able to do just that.
Wheatley's Arsenal XI vs Manchester United - Ramsdale, Cedric, Gabriel, White, Tavares, Xhaka, Lokonga, Ødegaard, Smith Rowe, Saka, Nketiah
