Arsenal predicted starting XI vs Manchester United as £50m man misses out and Gabriel Martinelli decision made

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Arsenal get their 2025/26 Premier League campaign under way with a tantalising trip to Manchester United on Sunday.

Clashes between Arsenal and Manchester United have often been fierce and dramatic affairs, and both sides have strengthened considerably this season.

Arsenal will be eager to get their season off to a flyer, but they must be mindful of a Man United side that will be desperate to make amends for a humiliating 2024/25 campaign.

Arsenal Insider predicts who Mikel Arteta could name in the Gunners’ starting XI for the trip to Old Trafford.

Arsenal team news vs Manchester United

Leandro Trossard is pretty much the only doubt ahead of the Man United match, but Mikel Arteta seemed positive about his availability for Sunday.

“Yeah I think [Trossard is] much better,” Arteta told reporters at his pre-match presser. “I think he will be able to train again tomorrow and if that’s the case, he will be fit.”

As for Manchester United, defenders Noussair Mazraoui and Lisandro Martinez are likely to be the only absentees.

READ MORE: Rob Green backs another Arsenal gem besides Max Dowman to be the Premier League’s best young player this season

Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Martinelli tipped to start ahead of Ben White and Noni Madueke

The majority of Arsenal’s starting XI pretty much picks itself at present.

David Raya is all-but guaranteed to start, while William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are shoo-ins at centre-back, but the full-back positions are not so clear.

Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly are both good shouts for the left-back spot, while Jurrien Timber and Ben White are competing over the right-back berth.

We predict Arteta will go with Calafiori at left-back, as he has shown he’s a “unicorn” when fit.

Meanwhile, we reckon Timber will start ahead of White, as the Dutchman is defensively stronger than the £50million man.

With Man United set to unleash a front line of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha, it makes sense to err towards the side of caution.

Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice were sensational against Athletic Bilbao and both will be expected to start alongside Martin Odegaard against Man United.

Although Noni Madueke could potentially be deployed on the left, we reckon Gabriel Martinelli will get the nod, while Viktor Gyokeres and Bukayo Saka complete the XI.

Arsenal predicted XI vs Manchester United (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli