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EPL 2014 Match Preview: Danny Welbeck and Arsenal aim to gun down Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium

Arsenal and Manchester United lie sixth and seventh in the Premier League table, post a mixed 2014 season.

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Arsenal's Danny Welbeck will face his former club Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
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Arsenal striker, Danny Welbeck, will pit wits against his former employers, as Arsene Wenger's men take on Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, in a high voltage clash.

The winner of the enterprising fixture has a chance to leap frog  Swansea City, into fifth position in the league table, and both arch rivals are separated by a solitary point.

The highlight of the match will of course be as to how Welbeck performs in front of goal, as the English international has scored all together 10 times for club and country in 2014.

Welbeck is fresh off a two-goal haul against Slovenia in a recent Euro 2016 qualifier, and his proficiency in front of goal will be a matter of concern for Louis Van Gaal's struggling United. 

Though Arsenal will miss the services of lightning quick Theo Walcott, courtesy a groin problem, it is United who are seriously hampered of first-team options, with Daley Blind , Marcos Rojo, Jonny Evans, Rafael and Phil Jones, out with various injury concerns.

United's leaky defence has been dealt an extra blow with the absence of first-team regulars, and Van Gaal may have to rely on  new faces to bolster their back-line against the Gunners.

Arsenal meanwhile have an 'unfit' squad of their own, with Mesut Özil, Arteta, Laurent Koscielny, Mathieu Debuchy, Serge Gnabry and Olivier Giroud, not up to match fitness, meaning Wenger may have to deploy the above mentioned players in the substitutes list.

In-form Alexis Sanchez can prove to be the difference against United, as the Chilean hitman has scored seven times in his last six games for the Gunners, and will be relishing to make his mark against the old enemy. 

Though Mesut Ozil is another notable absentee from the Arsenal starting line-up, owing to his knee injury hiatus, midfield general Mikel Arteta may do well to cover up his absence, with a gritty display.

Angel Di Maria, Michael Carrick and Juan Mata will in all probability man United's midfield roles, and the twin strike-force of Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie will try to stretch the Arsenal defence to its limit.

The home side will bank on Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini to be the creative fulcrum in the middle, and the defence also looks solid thanks to the presence of the effervescent Kieron Gibbs and bean-pole Per Mertesacker.

With a host of star-studded players in both teams' starting line-up, the match at the Emirates definitely has promise of recreating a classic United-Arsenal match-up, and may prove to be redemption time for both managers.  

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