1 month ago
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Meet on Sunday
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There was an era of Premier League football defined by the rivalry between Manchester United and Arsenal. Sir Alex Ferguson vs Arsène Wenger. Roy Keane vs Patrick Vieira. Ruud van Nistelrooy vs Martin Keown. The games were fiery. The hostility was intense. Between the years of 1996 and 2004, the Red Devils and the Gunners were the only two teams to win the league. Nowadays, neither side have been able to replicate the success of that era. It's been over 20 years since Arsenal last won the title, whilst last season Man United finished 15th in the Premier League.
The Premier League returns this weekend, and the fixture list has thrown these two giants up against one another on match-day one. Mikel Arteta's team will travel to Old Trafford this Sunday for their Premier League opener. The game has plenty of different narratives to follow. Strikers Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyökeres are likely to make their debuts, with many others also set to don their new shirts in a competitive fixture for the very first time. Arsenal will go into the game as favourites, but have only won twice at Old Trafford in the league since twice since the 2007/08 campaign, but both of those victories did come under Arteta. With anticipation building, Transfermarkt takes a look at the current most valuable combined XI between the two teams, with the Gunners dominating.
Man United vs Arsenal most valuable combined XI
Prepare for an entire Arsenal defensive unit. In between the sticks is Arsenal's David Raya. The Spaniard has a current market value of €40 million, compared to André Onana, who is worth €25m. At right-back it's Dutchman Jurrien Timber with a market value of €55m. The centre-half positions go to William Saliba (€80m), and Gabriel (€75m), with youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly (€45m) taking the left-back spot. In central midfield, Arsenal's dominance continues with Declan Rice, valued at €120m, alongside Gunners skipper Martin Ødegaard (€85m).
Manchester United's first inclusion in the XI comes on the left-wing, with new signing Matheus Cunha getting the nod - the Brazilian has a market value of €60m. On the right-wing it's the most valuable player in the entire XI in Bukayo Saka, worth €150m. Then it's the new boys up top. Gyökeres boasts a market value of €75m, whilst United's new striker Sesko is currently worth €70m. Arsenal take nine of the 11 positions, but will that market value dominance transpire to the pitch on Sunday?
