Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford provide the goals, while Declan Rice and Bruno Fernandes get the nod in midfield but Erik ten Hag’s new £50m man misses out… so who makes our …

Arsenal and Manchester United will face off in an early season humdinger at the Emirates this Sunday with both sides picking up two wins from their opening three contests in the Premier League.

Both teams have been unconvincing early on despite these wins, with Manchester United narrowly overcoming both Wolves and Nottingham Forest in the league whilst Arsenal had to settle for a point last time out against ten-man Fulham after narrow wins against Crystal Palace and Forest. 

It should be an intriguing match-up so early into the new campaign, Mikel Arteta and Erik Ten Hag still tinkering with personnel ahead of the slog of fixtures to follow.

Manchester United will have new faces in the building for this clash, with Moroccan midfielder Sofyan Amrabat and left-back Sergio Reguilon joining on loan from Fiorentina and Tottenham respectively.

Arsenal, meanwhile, were quiet on deadline day after a busy summer, with Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel both remaining at the club despite being linked with a move away from the Emirates.

Ahead of Sunday afternoon’s kick-off, Mail Sport has named our combined XI from the two big-hitters – but who has made it into our line-up?

Mikel Arteta (left) and Erik ten Hag (right) cross path on Sunday afternoon when Arsenal host Manchester United at the Emirates 

GK – Aaron Ramsdale

Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale gets the nod in goal, beating out Andre Onana who has just signed for Manchester United and has looked nervy early into life in England.

Keeping 37 clean sheets over his Premier League career to date, the 25-year-old has come into his own since joining Arsenal from Sheffield United in the summer of 2021.

Despite the Gunners signing former Brentford goalkeeper David Raya recently to add reinforcements, Ramsdale’s spot in the goal at Mikel Arteta’s men looks ever more solid. Onana still has plenty to prove after coming in to replace David de Gea. 

Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale gets the nod in goal ahead of Andre Onana

CB – Lisandro Martinez

Manchester United’s bullish centre-back Lisandro Martinez occupies the first centre-back spot of this combined eleven, with the former Ajax man starring in spells at Old Trafford.

Beating out the likes of Ben White to stake a claim in his combined line-up, Martinez’s continued energy and aggression in defence has won him praise in a Red Devils shirt to date.

His presence in Sunday’s clash could prove to be crucial, with defensive partner Raphael Varane sidelined through injury.

Lisandro Martinez enjoyed a brilliant debut season at Old Trafford after joining from Ajax

CB – William Saliba

Once considered a player on the periphery at the Emirates, William Saliba is now one of the first names on the teamsheet for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.

Learning from loan experiences out in his native France, Saliba matured as a footballer and a defender.

He hasn’t looked back since coming into the starting line-up at Arsenal during the previous season, even scoring three times overall at the Gunners.

He also has contributed to 12 clean sheets from 30 starts in the top-flight, cementing his spot in the combined eleven.

LB – Oleksandr Zinchenko

Former Manchester City man Zinchenko takes the left-back spot here, the Ukrainian defender will be keen for Arsenal to pick up three points on Sunday against his old arch nemesis.

Zinchenko’s previous pedigree at the Premier League champions rubbed off on the Gunners last season, Mikel Arteta’s men in pole position for the top-flight title before normality resumed at Pep Guardiola’s City.

Arsenal’s number 35, although only coming off the bench this season, continues to be key owing to Kieran Tierney’s departure to Real Sociedad on loan.

RB – Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Formerly Player of the Year at his previous club in Crystal Palace, Aaron Wan-Bissaka slots in at right back in this team.

Winning 74 of the 153 Premier League appearances he’s made to date, the three games he’s played so far this campaign indicate that he’s immensely valued by Dutch head coach Erik Ten Hag at Manchester United.

A threat going forward too as a marauding, quick full-back option, he is also adept at doing the dirty work in defence and stifling opposition attackers trying to get the better of him.

CM – Declan Rice

Arsenal’s brand new £105 million man begins the midfield, slotting in at the centre of the park in a more defensive role.

Beating out Manchester United’s Brazilian anchor in Casemiro, who has looked exposed in the first few weeks of this Premier League season, it will be intriguing to see if Rice can keep up his West Ham best after relocating to North London.

Early indicators would suggest that Rice will continue to grow from strength to strength at the Emirates, starting all three matches for his new employers so far and impressing.

Early indicators would suggest that Declan Rice will continue to grow from strength to strength at the Emirates after joining Arsenal for £105m this summer

CM – Bruno Fernandes

Adding a creative spark to complement Rice’s more dogged approach centrally, Bruno Fernandes is the Red Devils pick in midfield.

Scoring 45 times and assisting 34 goals during his 127-game stay with Manchester United to date, the Portuguese attacking midfielder is always reliable when the clock is ticking and his team need a late goal.

Erik Ten Hag’s men needed some magic from Fernandes against Nottingham Forest recently, the 28-year-old teeing up midfield partner Casemiro to level the scores at 2-2 before a penalty late on coolly tucked away by Fernandes himself won the contest 3-2.

It’s why Fernandes’ position is so secure in the Manchester United starting line-up, three years on from his arrival to English football from Lisbon.

Bruno Fernandes remains one of United’s most crucial players, as demonstrated when he scored the winner against Nottingham Forest last week (above)

CM – Martin Odegaard

Odegaard adds some flair to this combined eleven, Arsenal’s Norwegian maestro living up to his billing as the next best thing he garnered at Real Madrid at the Emirates.

Scoring 15 goals last season for Mikel Arteta’s men, the 24-year-old’s knack of popping up with a sublime strike means he’s as important as the likes of Buyako Saka and Gabriel Martinelli who play further up the field.

His passing range and intricate footwork on the ball is also impressive, notching up 12 assists in an Arsenal shirt overall.

It’s even led to Mikel Arteta giving the young midfielder the captain’s armband, an inspired choice by the Spanish head coach.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard scored 15 goals for the Gunners last season

RW – Bukayo Saka

The first attacking option in this 4-3-3 formation must be Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s golden boy continues to deliver for the club he’s been at since the age of seven.

Notching up double figures two seasons on the trot in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns – scoring a combined 25 goals – Saka already has two to his name from a handful of games this season.

One of those strikes came on the opening day, Saka scoring an early goal of the season contender versus Nottingham Forest.

The 21-year-old hammered home Arsenal’s second of the contest after Eddie Nketiah netted, Saliba gifting the dynamic winger the ball before Saka shrugged off minimal Forest marking to hit a fierce long-range effort past ex Gunners keeper Matt Turner.

Bukayo Saka has already two goals to his name from three Premier League games this season.

LW – Gabriel Martinelli

Saka’s companion down the opposing wing starts in this combined eleven, Gabriel Martinelli another young star at Arsenal that continues to impress.

Both Saka and Martinelli are softening the blow of Gabriel Jesus’ continued injury woes, making up for the goals lost to the ex-Manchester City striker’s absence.

Martinelli managed 15 goals from the wing last season for the Gunners, the 22-year-old goalless however in his first three starts of the new campaign.

Still, he warrants a place in this combined line-up.

ST – Marcus Rashford

Owing to the injury issues suffered by Jesus throughout his time at the Emirates, Rashford slots into a makeshift striker role in this combined eleven – the front three operating as a roaming trio.

Operating usually as a winger under ten Hag, his effectiveness doesn’t lessen when he starts as a more traditional striker.

Starting 133 games as a centre-forward over more than 300 games at Old Trafford, he has managed 50 goals.

Therefore, although Arsenal and Manchester United offer Eddie Nketiah and Anthony Martial as more outright strikers, Rashford gets the nod to complete the combined eleven at striker.

Marcus Rashford scored 30 goals in all competitions last season

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