Arsenal and United rivalry still vital: Wenger

Arsene Wenger has conceded meetings between Arsenal and Manchester United are no longer the “final of the championship” but believes the fixture is still crucial to the Premier League.

Around the turn of the century, Sir Alex Ferguson’s United and Wenger’s Gunners were the teams to beat in England and took nine consecutive titles between them from 1996 to 2004.

Since then the emergence of teams like Chelsea and Manchester City has seen the two-horse race for the Premier League widen, while Liverpool, Tottenham and Leicester can also lay claim to being in the title picture in recent years.

Wenger admits the clash is no longer decisive as far as the title is concerned, even if he is still keen to get another win over his old foes.

“We are early in the season and during some seasons when I was here it was the final of the championship but that is not the case any more,” he said.

“We have six or seven teams that fight at the top, but it is still a very big game and a very important one.

“It (the history of the fixture) plays a little part because it is two big clubs and that always creates a big game and players know that a lot will be said before and after the game. Of course it has an influence.”

Chelsea are again without defender David Luiz for their clash with Newcastle.

Luiz has a knee injury, while forward Charly Musonda also has a knee problem, so neither are available as Blues boss Antonio Conte prepares to rotate his options once more.

Liverpool are set to be without Joel Matip for their meeting with Brighton today.

The defender suffered a muscle problem at the end of the midweek victory over Stoke but Ragnar Klavan is expected to have recovered from illness and could step in.

Top scorer Mohamed Salah could come back into the starting line-up after scoring twice more as a substitute against the Potters but Adam Lallana (thigh) remains unavailable.

Harry Winks is available for Tottenham’s trip to Watford this afternoon.

Winks missed Tuesday’s defeat to Leicester through illness but has now recovered, while Erik Lamela is in contention again after making his first appearance in more than a year at the King Power Stadium.

Meanwhile, Manchester City winger Leroy Sane is back in the Premier League leaders’ squad for tomorrow’s clash with West Ham.

The German was forced to miss the midweek win over Southampton through illness.