Arsenal stay ahead of Man Utd, City win thriller

Arsenal stayed ahead of Manchester United in the race to qualify directly for next season's Champions League when they drew 1-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday while Manchester City made sure of their place in the group stage with a 4-2 win at Swansea City.

United are now left hoping Arsenal slip up in their last two home games so they can catch them, finish third and avoid a playoff for a place in Europe's top club competition.

With the season ending next weekend and the title already Chelsea's, the three behind them are still jockeying for the final positions.

Chelsea have 84 points with two games to play, City have 76 with one to play, Arsenal have 71 with two matches remaining while United have 69 with one to go.

Chelsea and City have guaranteed their direct qualification to the Champions League group stage, while Arsenal just need a point from their last two games, at home to Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion to make sure they join them.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports after the game: "It was very important today not to let Manchester United get in front of us, even if we have a game in hand."

United manager Louis Van Gaal seemed to accept that United would most probably finish fourth and told Sky: "Then we will have to play a round to qualify because we have not qualified for the Champions League yet.

"What Arsene Wenger has said is right, its always stressful because you can meet an opponent who are halfway though their season already and we are just starting our season, so its not so easy.

"But of course I am satisfied, We set our goal at the beginning of the season and we have reached our goal. The fans seem pleased with us, that's fantastic, but I want more."

United went ahead when Ander Herrera volleyed in a cross from Ashley Young that beat David Ospina.

Arsenal equalised in the 82nd minute when a shot from Theo Walcott took a deflection off Tyler Blackett and flew past Victor Valdes, who had only come on seven minutes earlier to make his United debut.

The former Barcelona keeper, who has been at United since January, replaced the injured David De Gea, who could have made his last appearance at Old Trafford as a United player following widespread conjecture he will join Real Madrid next season.

Earlier Yaya Toure scored twice to lift Manchester City to a 4-2 win at Swansea after the hosts fought back from 2-0 down to level the scores.

Ivorian midfielder Toure struck his 50th league goal for second-placed City to give them a first-half lead and James Milner added a second.

Gylfi Sigurdsson pegged one back for Swansea with an excellent curling effort on the stroke of halftime and Bafetimbi Gomes struck his fifth goal in as many games to level the scores early in the second half.

As the hosts pushed on to complete a remarkable turnaround, Toure squeezed the ball in at the near post to restore the visitors' lead before City keeper Joe Hart made a stunning save to keep out a header from Federico Fernandez.

City's former Swansea striker Wilfried Bony added the fourth in stoppage-time.  

Full-time

United 1 (Herrera 30") Arsenal 1 (Walcott 83)

Substitute Theo Walcott saved Arenal the blushes by equalising in the 83rd minute to keep the Gunners in third position on the Premier League standings after they rallied to hold Manchester United 1-1 at the Old Trafford on Sunday night.

Ander Herrera had given United the lead in the 32nd minute and it looked like Van Gaal's side would overtake Wenger's boys into third place but Walcott kept Arsenal in the hunt for a Champions League spot after Chelsea and Manchester City grabbed the first two spots.

95" YELLOW! First yellow card of the game and that goes to Herrera.

94" Ramsey and Wilshere cover a lot of ground and after a melee the ball is pushed out even as Ramsey appeals for a corner.

92" Arsenal will be content with a draw as it keeps them in third spot.

90" Both teams have five extra minutes added to get a result.

89" Sanchez is replaced.

87" Persie has his first touch and it's with the right foot. He should have done better after Fellaini nodded it down to him in the box but the Dutchman shoots it over.

85" Arsenal have found the momentum here and a second goal looks in the offing.

United 1 (Herrera 30") Arsenal 1 (Walcott 83)

83" GOAL! Theo Walcott equalises to give Arsenal a breather. Wenger's gamble of making two substitute's has paid off. Can't blame Valdes as the ball deflected off Blackett.

74" Young is playing havoc with the Arsenal defence on the left flank beating two of them on the run but his shot is blocked by the third.

71" David de Gea complains of pain, looks like a hamstring and is replaced by Victor Valdes.

71" United make a change with Rojo coming out for Blackett.

70" Arsenal make two changes with Wilshere and Walcott coming in for Bellerin and Cazorla. 

68" Ramsey's ball finds Giroud in the clear and he beats onrushing De Gea but Rojo rushes back in time to clear it.

64" Arsenal are making their presence felt as Rojo makes a desperate clearance before Cazorla can get to it. 

62" Arsenal's best chance as Giroud rounds off a defender but stretches to get his boot to the ball which he does but De Gea is at hand to save it.

60" Van Persie makes his way in for Falcao.

57" Ramsey breaks forward on the right and crosses for Ozil but the German heads into no man's land.

56" Now it's Young on the loose but is off-side. Arsenal's defence was breached again and they will need to keep it tight.

53" A breakaway move from United but Fellaini is pulled up for off-side.

50" Arsenal are not getting anywhere and are looking listless and aimless. Wenger will need to bring about a change before its too late.

49" Sanchez balloons over from inside the box, that was the nearest Arsenal have come so far.

47" Superb move from Mata who finds Fellaini who in turn relays it to Young on the left but Young shot is directed straight at Ospina.

No changes to either side as the second half gets underway.

Half-time

United 1 (Herrera 30") Arsenal 0

Ander Herrera scored in the 30th minute to give Manchester United a 1-0 lead at half-time against Arsenal at the Old Trafford.

It was a move initiated by Marouane Fellaini on the left and the Belgian found Ashley Young who did well to float it across the box to the far post where Herrera was there and connected a half volley past Ospina.

It was United's game throughout the first 45 minutes as Arsenal failed to trouble De Gea even once.

45" One minute added.

42" United certainly have Arsenal against the wall. Mata comes up with another breakaway move but his cross is beyonf Fellaini's reach. 

40" Desperation from Arsenal as Monreal tries a 40-yard shot as if to give De Gea some high-ball collection practice.

38" Falcao makes a desperate effort to score at the far post after Mata beats the off-side trap to cross from the left.

36" Play is stopped momentarily as referee Mike Dean warns Ozil and Blind.

34" Herrera tries to add to his tally with a shot from 20 yards but is way off the mark this time.

32" Young makes another breakthrough and back passes but none of his teammates are around to have a crack at goal.

United 1 (Herrera 30") Arsenal 0

30" GOAL! Ander Herrera has Old Trafford erupting with joy after he applies the finishing touches to a brilliant cross from Young after Young was set up on the left flank by Fellaini.

27" Jones, with pressure from Giroud, almost commits hara-kiri with his back pass but De Gea stretches his right foot and deflects it to safety.

25" After the first quarter both teams are yet to enliven the proceedings.

24" Fellaini and Mertesacker clash in a heading duel and the tall German is on the ground but no cause for concern as he gets back on his feet.

20" Phil Jones scrambles on the ground in a desperate attempt to deprive Giroud from getting a clear chance at scoring.

18" United are doing well thus far not to let Giroud, Sanchez or Ozil breach their defence.

15" Falcao looks like a bunch of nerves, faltering with his trapping and his receiving of the ball.

12" United are totally on the offensive and have an opportunity here but Juan Mata squanders his free-kick with a weak shot into Ospina's gloves.

10" A corner kick beats a lot of heads and lands at the foot of Smalling who has a clear look at goal but his shot deflects off a defender. 

8" Falcao misses from close after Smalling's header is not cleared to safety by Mertesacker.

6" Young tries a long range shot but Ospina is least perturbed under the Arsenal goal.

5" Ramsey tries to find Sanchez but Blind does well to head it back to De Gea.

4" Sanchez makes a threatening long run with the ball but is foiled on top of the box.

2" Sanchez's intended but wayward long ball for his teammates is collected by De Gea.

United get the game underway.

Luis van Gaal and Arsene Wenger share a light moment in the dugout as the players move out into the middle.

We are 15 minutes away from kick-off at the Old Trafford.

Manchester City have struck a blow to Arsenal and Manchester United's top-two hopes after they beat Swansea 4-2 to move to 76 points and retain second place at least till next weekend.

The win means City have guaranteed themselves a Champions League spot in the group stages alongside Chelsea who emerged champions. Only one further place left to contest for now between Arsenal and Manchester United.

Teams News

Defender Chris Smalling will take the captain's armband in the absence of Wayne Rooney for the first time.

Radamel Falcao starts up front, while former Arsenal man Robin van Persie is on the bench. Marcos Rojo comes in at left-back as Luke Shaw is recovering from a head injury.

Midfielder Aaron Ramsey has recovered from a knock to start in an unchanged Arsenal side.

Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck won't face his former club after he was ruled out with a knee injury.

Playing XI

Man Utd: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Jones, Rojo, Blind, Mata, Herrera, Fellaini, Young, Falcao.

Arsenal: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Cazorla, Coquelin, Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud.

Stat Attack

Arsenal have won their last 5 away matches in the Premier League.

Arsenal's last league victory at Old Trafford was in September 2006; however they did win there in the FA Cup earlier this season.

Alexis Sanchez has scored 16 league goals this campaign. Only Thierry Henry (17) in 1999-2000 has scored more goals for Arsenal in his first season with the club.

Manchester United are unbeaten in seven Premier League meetings between these sides (W5, D2) and they have lost just one in 12.

United arrested a run of three straight defeats with an unconvincing win against Palace.

Manchester United have won seven of their last eight league games at Old Trafford.

They have earned 43 points at home this season - only Chelsea have won more, with 46.

Probable formations

Manchester United: 1-4-1-4-1

Arsenal: 1-4-2-3-1

Preview

Manchester United will finish at least fourth in the Premier League, earning a place in next season's Champions League qualifying round, following Liverpool's 3-1 defeat by Crystal Palace on Saturday.

United, who missed out on Europe's elite club competition this season, are fourth in the table, two points behind third-placed Arsenal ahead of their meeting with the Londoners on Sunday.

Arsenal have a game in hand but, if they lose at Old Trafford, United could still finish third or even second if Manchester City are beaten in their last two games of the season.

Champions Chelsea qualify directly for the Champions League group stage along with the teams finishing second and third.  

Manchester United and Arsenal's players will be hoping to avoid the encumbrance of a Champions League play-off tie when they meet at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.

Two points above United in third place (and three points below second-place Manchester City), Arsenal are on course for automatic Champions League qualification, with the team finishing fourth obliged to enter the competition in the play-off round in late August.

But victory for United would take them above Arsenal and although Arsene Wenger's side have a game in hand at home to struggling Sunderland on Wednesday, defeat is a complication they could do without.

Furthermore, with the north London club having lost 1-0 at home to a Swansea City side with nothing to play for on their last outing -- ending a 10-game unbeaten run -- Sunderland's visit no longer seems the formality it perhaps once did.

United are effectively guaranteed to finish no lower than fourth, having opened up a six-point gap over fifth-place Liverpool with a significantly better goal difference.

Manager Louis van Gaal has therefore achieved his minimum objective for the campaign, but he also knows that snatching a podium place from Arsenal's grasp would give his team a psychological edge going into next season.

"I think it (finishing fourth) was a big challenge," said the Dutchman, whose side halted a run of three straight defeats with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Crystal Palace last weekend.

"So, I think we did very good, but it is not good enough because at the end, we want to be champions.

"Now, at the end, we want to be third because that is still possible. We can put pressure on Arsenal and that is what we want to do on Sunday."

The two sides have claimed a 2-1 away victory apiece in their encounters to date this season, with United winning at the Emirates Stadium in the league in November and Arsenal prevailing in the FA Cup in March.

Welbeck and Rooney out

It is nine years since Arsenal last tasted success at Old Trafford in the league -- a run of seven matches, which included an 8-2 humbling in August 2011 in which Wayne Rooney plundered a hat-trick.

But the FA Cup quarter-final success will give Arsenal confidence about returning to a stadium where they have struggled in recent years.

"It was a very important win there," said Wenger, whose side will defend the FA Cup in the final against Aston Villa on May 30.

"It was a very positive factor for the development of the team to go there and win. We knew that if we went through, we could get to the final and have a chance to win the FA Cup.

"That was very positive because we knew it was a tricky draw. We can be inspired by that because a repeat of that kind of performance could give us some very important points."

United old boy Danny Welbeck returned to haunt Old Trafford by claiming the winner in March -- capitalising on an error from Antonio Valencia to score -- but he will miss Sunday's game with a knee injury.

Wenger has named an unchanged team in his last five matches, for the first time in his 19-year tenure, but with Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs all fully fit again, he may opt to rotate.

Welbeck's former strike partner Rooney, who has a dead leg, is one of several players set to miss out for United, along with key midfielder Michael Carrick (calf) and left-back Luke Shaw (head).

But defender Marcos Rojo, striker Robin van Persie and record signing Angel di Maria are all in contention following spells on the sidelines.

Goal-shy striker Radamel Falcao will hope to feature on what will be the last home appearance of his disappointing loan spell from Monaco.

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