Arsenal face one key threat from Amorim’s Manchester United in FA Cup tie which Mikel Arteta is aware of

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Arsenal welcome rivals Manchester United to the Emirates Stadium for a crucial FA Cup Third Round encounter.

Mikel Arteta’s side will be desperate to bounce back from Tuesday night’s disappointing EFL Cup defeat against Newcastle United.

The Gunners lacked sharpness in their performance against Newcastle and will need to bounce back at home. Arsenal are wearing a unique white kit for a special cause, which may give them some much-needed freshness.

Whilst the Gunners will be confident they can get the job done given the Red Devils’ shoddy form, Arteta has one key concern heading into the clash against Ruben Amorim’s side.

Mikel Arteta wary of threat Amorim’s Manchester United pose

Despite Manchester United’s recent struggles under Amorim, the Red Devils have quickly developed a habit of rising to the big occasions.

Arteta is well aware of this threat having witnessed their gritty Premier League performance against Liverpool and their notable victory over rivals Manchester United.

Speaking to reporters in his pre-match press conference, the Arsenal manager highlighted Manchester United’s ability to rise to the occasion in big games under Amorim.

Arteta said: “Well when you look especially about the big teams, how they’ve performed and the results they got, (it’s) very impressive.

“I know him [Ruben Amorim] well. I followed him a lot when he was in Portugal and there’s a big reason why he is where he is at the moment and he fully deserves to be there.”

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Manchester United clash comes at the right time for Arteta

Mikel Arteta’s side have struggled to find their rhythm in 2025. Although they started the year with a win over Brentford, the Gunners have since drawn and lost their following matches against Brighton and Newcastle respectively.

Facing Manchester United, a team Arteta has enjoyed great success against recently, could be the perfect opportunity for Arsenal to get back on track.

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The last time Manchester United defeated Arsenal

While Arteta has been accused of playing ‘boring’ football against Manchester United in the past – the Spaniard simply knows how to get the job done.

Arteta will be looking to make it five wins on the bounce against Manchester United. The last time the Spanish mentor lost against the Red Devils was all the way back in September 2022.

On the day, Erik ten Hag’s side earned a 3-1 Premier League victory thanks to a second-half brace by Marcus Rashford, who Arsenal are reportedly keen on signing. Antony opened the scoring for the hosts before Bukayo Saka equalised for The Gunners.

Rashford then scored twice in the space of nine minutes to seal the victory for United. That however seems like a distant memory with Arsenal now beginning to dominate this fixture. One thing’s for sure when it comes to this rivalry, it’s never short of excitement.