Arsenal v Man Utd

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Emirates Stadium Date: Sunday, 1 May Kick-off: 1405 BST
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2; listen on talkSPORT, BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

TEAM NEWS

Arsenal’s Abou Diaby again misses out with a calf injury, but Tomas Rosicky could be available after illness.

Sunday’s game will come too soon for Thomas Vermaelen, who made his comeback from a long-term Achilles injury in a reserve match on Thursday.

Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov may feature after recovering from a groin problem.

Paul Scholes completes a three-game ban, while fellow midfielder Ryan Giggs will be rested.

Arsenal

Doubtful: Rosicky (illness)

Injured: Bartley (knee), Diaby (calf), Fabianski (shoulder), Mannone (thigh), Vermaelen (Achilles)

Manchester United

Suspended: Scholes (one match)

Injured/unavailable: Fletcher (virus), Hargreaves (shoulder)

MATCH PREVIEW

The rivalry between Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson is the longest running in English football, but there is no mistaking where the balance of power lies right now.

You have to fear the wounded animal. It is all or nothing for Arsenal so that is a danger Man Utd defender Patrice Evra

Ferguson’s Manchester United side are heading for a fourth title in five seasons, while Arsenal have not won silverware since beating the Red Devils in the 2005 FA Cup final.

An away win on Sunday would give United a fifth successive victory against Arsenal in all competitions. The last time either side enjoyed a spell of such dominance in this fixture was 26 years ago, shortly before Ferguson took over at Old Trafford.

Wenger concedes Arsenal’s title chances are “minimal” after a run of one win from seven league games. The remainder of the season is about damage limitation for the Gunners, who must now focus on securing a Champions League spot.

United may have managed just five away wins in the Premier League this term, but confidence will be high after a hugely impressive performance away to Schalke in midweek. The Red Devils will almost certainly return to north London in four weeks time to contest the Champions League final at Wembley.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Manchester United are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Arsenal, winning six (including the last four).

• The last time United won five successive games against the Gunners was between 1983 and 1985. Arsenal’s best run since then was a sequence of four consecutive victories from 1997 to 1998.

• This will be the 45th time Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have faced each other. Ferguson has won 19 times to Wenger’s 14, with 11 draws. Two of those draws were then settled by penalties (Arsenal won the 2005 FA Cup final in a shoot-out, United prevailed in the 2003 Community Shield).

Arsenal

• The Gunners have won only one of their last seven league games (W1, D5, L1).

• Arsenal have drawn their last three games at the Emirates, scoring just once (a Robin van Persie penalty).

• They have conceded seven goals in their last four games.

• Robin van Persie has scored 18 goals in 19 games for Arsenal in 2011.

Manchester United

• United have kept clean sheets in their last three games.

• The Red Devils have won five of 17 away league matches this term (W5, D9, L3). Even if they win their remaining two outings, they will end the campaign with seven wins; the last side to win the title with fewer than eight away victories was Liverpool, who managed five in 1976/77.

• John O’Shea, who turns 30 on Saturday, could make his 300th start for Manchester United.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Arsenal

Van Persie: 19 goals (15 league); Nasri: 15 goals (10 league)

Manchester United

Berbatov: 22 goals (21 league);

Hernandez: 19 goals (12 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Chris Foy

Assistant referees: John Flynn & Andy Garratt

Fourth official: Lee Mason

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Arsenal (L1-2 v Bolton, a): Szczesny, Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy, Song (Chamakh 65), Wilshere (Ramsey 84), Walcott (Arshavin 73), Fabregas, Nasri, van Persie. Subs not used: Lehmann, Squillaci, Eboue, Gibbs.

Man Utd (W1-0 v Everton, h): Van der Sar, O’Shea (Evra 57), Ferdinand, Evans, Fabio, Valencia, Gibson (Giggs 74), Anderson, Nani (Owen 63), Rooney, Hernandez. Subs not used: Kuszczak, Brown, Carrick, Rafael.