Man, talk about drama before the drama. United vs Arsenal—first weekend, and Old Trafford’s gonna be buzzing, but honestly, half the chatter is just about who’s limping around in the tunnel. Ruben Amorim’s made some flashy moves—Sesko, Cunha, Mbeumo—so United fans have that “maybe this is our year” glimmer. But then, yeah, injuries. Because of course.
For Arsenal, it’s already a headache. Gabriel Jesus—remember him?—still stuck rehabbing his knee. That ACL’s been haunting him since January, so don’t hold your breath seeing him before November. Not ideal if you’re dreaming of that golden boot. And then Trossard, poor guy, scared the life out of Gooners when he hobbled off vs Bilbao. Fitness test roulette, basically. Maybe he plays, maybe not. No one knows, probably not even him.
Arsenal’s walking wounded:
- Gabriel Jesus – knee (ACL), see you in November.
- Trossard – random knock, game-time decision.
United’s not exactly walking on sunshine either. Lisandro Martinez? Knee’s still busted, shooting for October. Onana’s hammy acted up, but he’s back training—so, fingers crossed. Mazraoui? Another hamstring, because apparently those are contagious. Zirkzee? He was out last week, now he’s training, but don’t expect him starting unless United’s feeling wild.
United’s sick bay:
- Lisandro Martinez – knee, out till October.
- Onana – hamstring, maybe fit.
- Mazraoui – hamstring, still iffy.
- Zirkzee – knock, probably bench duty.
What’s it all mean? Look, this isn’t just another first match. Whoever wins gets to strut around acting like they’re here for the trophy, not just the vibes. But with half the squads in physio, it’s anyone’s guess what the line-ups even look like. Expect some weird tactical tweaks and probably a few “who the hell is that?” moments.
Quick FAQ, ’cause who has time:
- United’s confirmed out? Only Martinez, so far.
- Arsenal? Jesus for sure, Trossard’s a coin flip.
- Onana? Looks like he’s good to go, but who knows.
So yeah, get your popcorn. This one’s already spicy and we haven’t even had kickoff.
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