MANCHESTER UNITED vs. ARSENAL

WHY MAN UNITED WILL WIN

United are not a very good team this year. They have deep problems in the back and their midfield is lethargic. (They’re still relying on Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs for pete’s sake!) What they do have is a knack for grinding out wins – and one of the best attacking tridents in the game. Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Chicharito would give any opponent fits. But the touch of class comes from the man United stole from Arsenal. Robin van Persie is surely eager to show the Gunners what they lost. Expect him to bring the hammer down at Old Trafford.

WHY ARSENAL WILL WIN

Arsenal are a better team than many people expected this season considering they lost two of their top players. They still aren’t great. The defense still looks wobbly on set-pieces, they overpass and they are still searching for a true striker. But Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta have brought some badly needed creativity into the team and Per Mertesacker and Thomas Vermaelen have been better in the back than most thought possible. Arsenal can give anyone a game. But can they beat the very best? That remains an open question.