Premier League 2018-19: 3 reasons why Manchester United will not lose to Arsenal at Old Trafford

There have been many football rivalries in English football, but none is greater than the one Manchester United share with Arsenal. On Wednesday, the two clubs lock horns at Old Trafford, and it promises to be another cracker of a contest.

There is a huge contrast between the two sides in terms of form. United have been unable to string together more than a couple of consecutive wins in the league this season. On the other hand, Arsenal have been rejuvenated after a slow start to the campaign.

The Gunners have had an impressive unbeaten run that stretches to 19 games. They are playing some of the most scintillating football in the Premier League, and on paper would seem like the favourites coming into this fixture. They destroyed a strong Spurs side on Sunday in the London derby, and are full of confidence at the moment.

In contrast, since the international break, United have limped to two consecutive draws in the Premier League on top of losing to City in the derby. This match could be a defining moment in Jose Mourinho's job at United, so the team will have to do its best to step up in such a crucial encounter.

Despite the odds being stacked against United though, here are three reasons why I believe they will be able to hold off Arsenal this week:

#3 Pride

Mourinho has a lot of pride as a manager

Poor form, injuries and other factors often do not count when it comes to big clashes.

United were not given any chance against the might of the Blues at Stamford Bridge, but they did get the result. In fact, it was Chelsea that barely survived the match for the point.

At Juventus, United were again at a disadvantage, but the side emerged victorious.

When compared on paper, Arsenal are odds-on favourites to win against United. But Mourinho is a manager who has a lot of pride, and in his great runs he consistently got the better of Arsene Wenger and Arsenal.

Mourinho's self confidence and arrogance can be turned into a motivator for his team. The United pride built by Sir.Alex Ferguson has been seen on several occasions this season, and it could be a huge factor in ensuring the all-out attacking Arsenal do not get a win on Wednesday.

Of all the teams in the league, losing to Arsenal at Old Trafford will be a bitter pill to swallow for the fans, and that will definitely be on the players' minds too.

#2 Arsenal's vulnerability in defense

Arsenal's defense is something United can exploit

Arsenal, like most sides, have their vulnerabilities. In their case, they depend a lot on fluid attacking play, and if that fails, they become susceptible to counter attacks.

This was seen clearly against the Spurs. Defense is an area that Arsenal need to improve on, since it is something that can hurt them.

Mourinho is a tactician and knows Arsenal's weaknesses well. That was why United were able to pull off a win in both fixtures last season.

Mourinho has always been unpredictable in his team selection, and could pull off another masterpiece out of the bag to exploit Arsenal's defense.

#1 Tactics

Mourinho can set his team up to frustrate Arsenal

Mourinho is shrewd enough to come up with tactics that will frustrate Arsenal. He has orchestrated some of the best defensive strategies in world football to prevent losses if the other team is too hot.

You would expect Mourinho to set his team up in a manner that closes the spaces that Arsenal players like to operate on. Underneath his hardcore managerial style, Mourinho knows that a goalless draw against this Arsenal side would be as good a result as any win.

He might bring out his vintage style of play to prevent his side from losing, rather than setting his team to win.

A loss to Arsenal may just be the final straw regarding his job at Manchester United. Therefore, he is likely to focus on avoiding defeat while looking for counter attacks.