It's Manchester v Arsenal Again. Read the Five Key Battle.

As it was wwritten by HITC Sport

Manchester United against Arsenal at Old Trafford is the pick of the weekend’s fixtures.

Here are five key battles ahead of the game.

 Rio Ferdinand v Olivier Giroud

 Rio Ferdinand will have to martial the defence in this game and Olivier Giroud is the player that he’ll have to dominate throughout. Ferdinand is much better equipped to handle the tall Frenchman than Jonny Evans. Ferdinand is good enough in the air and on the ground to try and steal the ball before Giroud has a chance to get it under control. This is a classic battle between defence and attack.

Rafael v Lukas Podolski

Polish striker Lukas Podolski plays in a very similar way to how Thierry Henry used to operate in the Arsenal front line. He drifts out to the left and almost becomes a left winger at times hugging the touch line before cutting inside. This is something he will have to do if Arsenal go with two strikers. If Rafael can keep him quiet and force him down to the corner flag then it will dramatically decrease the influence Podolski has on the game.

Tom Cleverley v Mikel Arteta

There is only one winner here in terms of experience but both players play a similar role for their teams. Cleverly has the edge in terms of speed and being able to adjust and retreat after each attack. He will have to have more of an influence on the game than Arteta who loves nothing more than to sit in the midfield in games like this and pull the strings. If Arteta is allowed to be the focus of every Arsenal attack, they will stand a great chance of winning.

Wayne Rooney v Per Mertesacker

Wayne Rooney will use every bit of his skill to try and pull the big German out of the Arsenal defence. If he manages to do so then it will leave a gaping hole in the Arsenal back line which United can exploit. Mertesacker is perfectly equipped to deal with the physical side that Rooney will bring to this game which will force Rooney to drop deeper into the midfield to find the ball.

Robin Van Persie v Thomas Vermaelen

When Rooney drops if it means Robin Van Persie plays on the shoulder of the defence. Former teammate Thomas Vermaelen will need to stick to him like glue to make sure he has no time on the ball and cannot turn in and around the penalty area. If Van Persie is allowed to make runs as he likes and receive the ball, turn and offload at will then he will score at least once in the game. Vermaelen needs to announce his physical presence even if that means an early yellow card.

Which clash will be most decisive?

Source: HITC Sport