The undoubted clash of the weekend will see long-time rivals Arsenal square up to Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

With the Gunners sitting in third place and United in second, this promises to be a mouthwatering showing between two of the most successful Premier League sides in its history.

United should go into the game in confident mood after seeing off Manchester City in the Carling Cup semi-final on Wednesday night to ensure their safe passage to meet Aston Villa in the final at Wembley.

The Gunners are unbeaten in their previous ten Premier League games and they have notched seven wins in this sequence scoring an impressive 23 times.

Since their demoralising 3-0 defeat at Fulham in mid-December, they have won four and drew one of their last five.

Arsene Wenger's youthful squad may be lacking as a few injuries are biting into his plans.

Fran Merida (ankle) and Abou Diaby (calf) are both big doubts for the hosts with long-term injury victims Robin Van Persie (ankle), Johan Djourou (knee) and Kieran Gibbs (metatarsal) still some way off figuring for the title pretenders.

Thomas Vermaelen and Eduardo hobbled out of their midweek stalemate at Aston Villa and both are higly unlikely to be ready for the weekend action.

The pitch will be oozing with class and there are many fascinating individual clashes to whet the appetite.

A rusty Sol Campbell may be charged of putting the shackles on 19-goal sharp-shooter Wayne Rooney and an intriguing centre of the park clash between Cesc Fabregas and one of Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher is sure to light the blue touchpaper.

This is the first of three massive games for the Gunners with clashes against Chelsea and Liverpool fast approaching before their Champions League meeting with Porto in the middle of February.