Arsenal have left Chris Sutton with the BBC pundit’s ‘only question’ ahead of visiting Manchester United amid his brutal prediction for Sunday’s Premier League meeting.
The Gunners go to Old Trafford chasing just their second win on the road to the Red Devils in 18 years. A penalty from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in November 2020 gifted Arsenal their only Premier League win at Manchester United since September 2006 behind closed doors.
Arsenal have won their past two meetings with the Red Devils after securing a 3-2 win and a 3-1 victory at Emirates Stadium. But Manchester United won 3-1 on the Gunners’ last trip to Old Trafford after Paul Tierney and VAR Lee Mason wrongly denied Gabriel Martinelli a goal.
Chris Sutton predicts Arsenal to win 5-1 at Manchester United
The Premier League has appointed Tierney as the referee for Sunday’s meeting, as well, with John Brooks as the VAR. But Sutton does not predict Arsenal will stomach another loss away to Manchester United. Instead, he has now tipped the Gunners to thrash the Red Devils 5-1.
But Arsenal have left Sutton with his ‘only question’ for this weekend’s affair. The Celtic hero is somewhat uncertain if the north London natives will ‘turn up’ at Old Trafford with the Red Devils on a run of two wins in 10 Premier League fixtures after Crystal Palace beat them 4-0.
READ MORE: The 8 worst Arsenal VAR decisions of all time in Premier League games
Losing at Selhurst Park on Monday has also left the Red Devils eighth in the table with three games to play. But given Arsenal must win out to stand a chance of beating Manchester City to the Premier League title, Sutton tips Mikel Arteta to seal a rare win at Manchester United.
Sutton has told BBC Sport: “Their manager Erik ten Hag is off at the end of the season, I’m convinced of that, and Arsenal should wipe the floor with them at Old Trafford.
“The only question is whether the Gunners turn up. But even if they are below their best, this could end up being a cricket score…
“The only way [United] can win is by defending in numbers and taking whatever chances they get on the counter-attack. They will also need Arsenal to not quite be at it. But, with what is at stake, I think the opposite will apply. I am expecting the Gunners to win easily.”
Arsenal must overcome their Old Trafford hoodoo on Sunday
Arteta will expect his Arsenal players to put Sutton’s sole concern to bed early doors away to Manchester United. The Gunners cannot afford to not ‘turn up’ at Old Trafford if they are to have a chance at winning the title with Manchester City a point behind with a game in hand.
READ MORE: How much Arsenal paid to sign every first-team player in the transfer market
Whether or not the north London team can meet Sutton’s prediction of a 5-1 win is another matter, however. Even though Manchester United are not in form and Arsenal have won 14 of their past 16 Premier League games, the Red Devils have found ways of frustrating them.
After Arsenal’s only win at Old Trafford in 18 years in 2020, Manchester United then won 3-2 on the Gunners’ next trip in December 2021 despite them being on a run of one win in eight games. The Red Devils also came out on top after Tierney ruled out Martinelli’s goal in 2022.