Arsenal and Manchester United meet today in the third round of the FA Cup, with both clubs and managers going through difficult periods in their respective seasons.

While Liverpool dominated the Premier League, Mike Arteta’s side struggled to keep up and suffered injuries to key personnel. United have moved from Erik ten Hag to Ruben Amorim, but the Portuguese has had a difficult start at Old Trafford and has recently lost four games in a row.

For Arteta, the cup represents an opportunity to add more silver medals to his 2020 FA Cup win after two runners-up finishes against Manchester City in the league in the last two seasons. Amorim, meanwhile, would like to add a win over Arsenal to his impressive draw at Anfield last weekend.

Here, Manchester United writer Carl Anka and his Arsenal colleague Art de Roche discuss the cup, the managers, tactics and a bit of history.

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What do each club’s fans think about this game and the FA Cup?

Anka: Erik ten Hag spent the first few weeks of this season talking about winning two trophies in two years, and last season’s FA Cup triumph over Manchester City was a highlight in an otherwise dismal season. United define themselves as winners. It’s important to win trophies. And yet… facing a Premier League team as strong as Arsenal so early on presents a complication.

Ruben Amorim has spoken about having limited training time with his squad due to the busy fixture list, and there is a nagging feeling that an early exit from the FA Cup could help United in the long run as head coach more time at Carrington, to to communicate his tactical ideas. Beating Arsenal is always nice and a run is always a good opportunity to build morale. But this is a strange burst of speed for United.

De Roche: There was clear frustration following the 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. Arsenal had a chance to take the lead, but when they failed to do so, their play became predictable, which only increased that feeling the longer the game went on.

Arsenal fans will be reassured by the fact that they have beaten United in their last four visits to the Emirates Stadium, but will want to see more exciting football in the process. When it comes to the FA Cup, they pride themselves on being the competition’s record holders (14 wins). Arteta’s FA Cup win in 2020 will always make it special when he’s in charge, but the fourth round is the furthest they’ve gone since and needs to change soon.

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Is this a bigger game for Arteta or Amorim?

Anka: A decent draw against Liverpool last week helped Amorim, and post-match interviews mentioning how United could or should face Southampton on January 16 suggested where his attention is focused.

From the outside looking in, it looks like Arteta could use a win on Sunday; A victorious FA Cup season could calm the discontent within the Arsenal fan base. Unfortunately, Manchester City stumbled in the same season, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka were injured for extended periods and a Premier League title is now a long way off. Critics will say winning the FA Cup is no longer the success it once was, but a confident cup win could serve as a reminder of the virtues of Arteta’s ‘process’.

De Roche: This is a bigger game for Arteta, especially after the defeat to Newcastle. Amorim has been in charge for two months and while the FA Cup could provide an opportunity to showcase his coaching skills in one-off games, his tenure this year will not depend on their cup progress. As for Arteta, this could potentially be Arsenal’s fifth season without a major trophy since their FA Cup triumph in 2020.

There is already debate about whether consecutive second-place finishes in the league are enough. It is therefore important to have a concrete sign that the squad has developed into one of the best in the country in recent years. Of course, that won’t just be achieved by winning the third round, but a win here could also set the tone for a return to the Premier League and Champions League.

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How big is the rivalry compared to other games?

Anka: I was born in the 1990s and grew up on a steady diet of Arsenal v United games that had Premier League title/championship implications. These games mean a lot to me – if you listen to the Talk of the Devils podcast, my accent will tell you why – and also to a certain micro-generation of football fans who love social media.

The Wenger v Ferguson era is over, but those who grew up with it love these games and love having bragging rights for the other side. I want 90 minutes full of tough tackles, full of emotions and wonderful counter goals.

De Roche: I’m from London, so of course I grew up with a lot of Manchester United fans. For me this game definitely has more meaning than most London derbies. I was born in the late 90s and my experience of it began with the later title battles between the two teams before moving into the years when Arsenal struggled to get ahead of United at Old Trafford.

The improvement against them in recent years has been great to see, but a proper clash seems long overdue. Rather than just being the TL derby (Timeline), it would be more than welcome to see aggression return to the pitch.

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How do you think the game will develop tactically?

Anka: When the two sides met in early December it was largely a grueling affair, resolved by two goals from corners for Arsenal. A little over a month later, we’ll likely see the same thing again. Amorim has had more time to assess his squad (it is becoming increasingly clear that his best central midfield pair are Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte), but there is still a long way to go before United can be called his team. Arsenal aren’t as adept on offense as they were four to eight weeks ago (understandable when you lose a player as talented as Saka), but they have a knack for sorting things out.

It will be interesting to see if either manager decides to change their starting XI for this game, given the Premier League games to follow during the week. Arsenal are stronger in depth and that could influence things.

De Roche: It’s hard to imagine Arsenal playing too much differently than they did in the league game last month. Not much has changed in their games since then, reflecting Arteta’s desire for near-total control. The big thing will be whether they take their chances, as they did against United in December, or as they failed to do against Newcastle in midweek.

Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz could allow them to play a little differently by providing more attacking impetus from midfield. When Havertz has been deployed in tandem recently, he has pushed forward alongside Jesus to create more threat in possession.

That being said, it will be interesting to see who Arteta uses on the wings. He started Leandro Trossard on the right side for the first time since Bukayo Saka’s hamstring injury against Newcastle, while Gabriel Martinelli moved back to the left side. This combination led to Arsenal’s biggest chance of the game, albeit after a loss of possession rather than sustained possession. More spark is needed this time.

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Which opposing player should your team be worried about?

Anka: Oddly enough, it could be Declan Rice. And not just because Saka is injured and is the other corner taker.

The future England captain (believe me) is a combative midfielder adept at stopping/slowing the kind of counter-attacks United often rely on to score goals. Rice isn’t the most advanced passer (which can be a problem for Arsenal when dealing with deep defenses), but he has been a thorn in United’s side in recent games between the two.

Rice was particularly difficult in Arsenal’s 3-1 win at the start of last season (a game Ten Hag brought up repeatedly throughout the season). United’s players struggled to speed up his advances into space to maintain possession before he eventually scored the opening goal in the second half. A player United were once interested in signing is now constantly harassing them.

De Roche: That’s probably the obvious answer, but Amad. I understand that Amorim’s early rotation may have resulted in him not starting in the league game, but within minutes of coming on he was a threat. If Oleksandr Zinchenko is booked for one of his first actions, Arsenal will be in trouble if they allow Amad to dribble or pick up the ball in space, as they did with Alexander Isak during the week.

Given recent performances, 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly feels objectively best suited to deal with this threat. Riccardo Calafiori had a decent debut season at Arsenal, but Lewis-Skelly is a proactive and physical defender who would be more effective.

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What is your prediction?

Anka: Both teams score. The game goes into overtime. A late goal that denied us an entertaining and nerve-wracking penalty shootout.

De Roche: Given the pattern of recent Arsenal games, I think it will be more excitement than fun. United will be confident after the trip to Liverpool, which could benefit Arsenal as it may leave them more space to exploit. In this sense: 2:1 Arsenal.

(Top photos: Getty Images)