Manchester United vs Arsenal: 5 players to watch out for

Manchester United vs Arsenal is obviously no longer the game it once was in the Sir Alex Ferguson - Arsene Wenger era, but the fixture is still a Premier League classic. The stars may not shine as bright now, but the emotion and passion of fans on both sides when it comes to the game remain undiminished.

When Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Mikel Arteta take to the touchline at Old Trafford on Sunday night, they will only battle it out as the respective 11th and 15th-placed sides in the 2020-21 Premier League table.

It's amply clear that it has not been a comfortable start for either side this season. That makes the three points on offer all the more crucial for both Manchester United and Arsenal, who will want their star players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford to continue their fine recent form.

On that note, here are five players to watch out for during this titanic clash:

#5 David de Gea (Manchester United)

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea

Plenty of pundits had written off Manchester United's David de Gea after a couple of seasons where he looked mediocre at best. However, the Spaniard has hit back resoundingly at his critics, doing all of his talking on the pitch as he seems to have got back to his best this season.

The fierce competition provided by Dean Henderson has ensured that the Manchester United number one has been on his toes, with the Spaniard putting in a string of impressive displays of late.

Foremost amongst those was his display against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League, where he was pivotal in Manchester United's 2-1 win at the Parc des Princes. He pulled a string of saves in that game, the pick of them coming against Kylian Mbappe.

It was classic De Gea as he pulled off a near-impossible save just when it seemed that the young Frenchman would curl one into the Manchester United net.

When it comes to Arsenal, De Gea tends to turn into an invincible beast. Who can forget his record-equalling display in 2017, when he denied Arsenal an incredible 14 times to give Gunners fans recurring nightmares?

The fact that De Gea looks like he is back to his best ought to perturb Arsenal fans no end. The Gunners have a terrible recent record at Old Trafford. To make matters worse, they now have to contend with a player who could thwart their misfiring attack, which doesn't augur well for their prospects in the game.

#4 Thomas Partey (Arsenal)

The quality and big-game pedigree of Thomas Partey is in little doubt; the Ghanian has arrived at Arsenal after a bevvy of impressive displays for Atletico Madrid in the biggest of games.

If Arsenal fans had any qualms about their club spending €50 million on Partey, they were swiftly put to rest when the player put on an impressive debut performance against Rapid Wien in the UEFA Europa League.

However, in typical Arsenal fashion, Partey had his critics in the Gunners' loss against Leicester City. But these 'critics' had conveniently ignored the fact that Granit Xhaka and co decided not to pass the ball to the player in the second half, resulting in a visibly frustrated Partey looking rather isolated.

At Old Trafford, the Ghanian will be tasked with shadowing Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba - a tall task for any midfielder. It will be interesting to see how Mikel Arteta uses his undoubtedly talented midfielder, who has the capability to shut down the very best.

#3 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

The beating heart of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United side, Bruno Fernandes has continued his superb form from last season this term as well. Blessed with an eye for a progressive pass, Bruno Fernandes has been critical when Manchester United have come up against low blocks in defence, as they are likely to against Arsenal.

The Portuguese midfielder is a goal threat as well, so Mikel Arteta faces quite a headache in choosing the right tactic and personnel to stop him.

Question marks still exist about his ability to play with Paul Pogba, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's midfield diamond offers a decent opportunity for Bruno Fernandes to make his mark.

It's Old Trafford; it's Manchester United; Arsenal have conceded some memorable penalties in years gone by. The script is all set for Bruno Fernandes to score from the spot. The Gunners have been suitably warned.

#2 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)

It's a testament to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's pedigree that even when he is woefully out of form, the Gabonese striker is still someone who can be disregarded at one's own peril.

He was pivotal in the big games for Arsenal as the Gunners won the FA Cup last season, so he's clearly not gun-shy when the spotlight is on him.

Since signing a new bumper contract with Arsenal, Aubameyang has yet to score a Premier League goal for the Gunners, though. Perhaps it's a fallback of Mikel Arteta deploying Aubameyang wide on either wing that has seen the prolific Gabonese striker donning a peripheral role for Arsenal in recent games.

However, Mikel Arteta dropped hints that he could play Aubameyang as a centre-forward against Manchester United at Old Trafford. If that happens, the Gabonese striker could have an intriguing duel with Harry Maguire, one the former will be keen to win.

Aubameyang is due a goal or two, and Manchester United at Old Trafford could be the best place to start.

#1 Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford MBE.

It's telling that despite all the attention surrounding him for his achievements off the pitch, Marcus Rashford still turned up for the Red Devils against RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League and hammered in a hat-trick, his first for Manchester United.

The striker turned 23 on Halloween, and it's remarkable to see how much he is able to focus on his football while also ensuring that no child goes hungry in the United Kingdom.

Marcus Rashford made a memorable debut against Arsenal, but he's due a few goals against the Gunners. The Englishman is clearly a big-game player, as is evidenced by his stats: