United clash ‘not final now’ says 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.

In and 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 Chelsea and Manchester City widened the race for the Premier League title, while Liverpool, Tottenham and Leicester can also lay claim to being in the title picture in recent years.

That means the meetings between United and Arsenal are no longer pivotal in deciding the destination of the trophy.

“No, not as much,” said Wenger. “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.

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

Olivier Giroud, who scored twice as a substitute in the 5-0 defeat of Huddersfield in midweek could make his first Premier League start of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Phil Jones, Eric Bailly and Marouane Fellaini will miss out for United due to injury. Defenders Jones (thigh) and Bailly have each sat out the last four games, while Fellaini missed Tuesday’s 4-2 win at Watford.