Barclays Premier League as it happened: Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal

Manchester United haven't been at their sparkling best in these opening two games of the season but their formidable record against Newcastle United at this ground will have them feeling confident. The Magpies have won just once at Old Trafford in the Premier League era, a 1-0 victory in December 2013 during David Moyes' reign in charge.

Official line ups will be with us in about five minutes.

FULL TIME: Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal

Five minutes of time added on.

United look very nervous at the back at the moment, no one seems prepared to play a forward pass, apart from Valdes, that is. Last change for Arsenal as Flamini replaces Sanchez.

United find a bit of composure and venture forward, finding Valencia down the right. He launches a cross in that Fellaini can nod back across goal with van Persie lurking, but he lashes his effort over the bar.

United have collapsed here and Ramsey is inflicting the damage, lifting another excellent pass into the box for Giroud. The Frenchman has the goal at his mercy, but Smalling his across just in time to apply pressure and eventually wins a goal kick for his side.

Arsenal should have a second! Ozil's neat run around the defence is picked out by Sanchez and the German can cut the ball back to Giroud, but he drills his shot into the side netting.

Arsenal are level! A raking pass from right to left from Ramsey finds Walcott just inside the box. He takes on Blackett and his cross takes a big deflection off the United youngster and loops over Valdes before finding the back of the net.

Goal! Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal (Tyler Blackett OG)

Blackett goes forward, looking for a return pass from Fellaini but the Belgian is dispossessed and Arsenal can take advantage of the space down their right. They think they can, that is, but Young is back to dispossess Ramsey and has shows fine composure to play a simple pass and relieve the pressure on his side. It's been another outstanding performance from the ex-Villa winger, who really should be in contention when Roy Hodgson announces his England squad this Thursday.

Young dances his way past Coquelin and races his way up the byline, looking to cut the ball back to van Persie but Mertesacker reads it and diverts it out.

Giroud flicks the ball into Ramsey who turns a neat ball out to his left for Walcott to run onto. He's gotten inside Blackett, but the Arsenal man is just offside.

Tyler Blackett has also come on for Rojo and there will also be a debut for Victor Valdes. De Gea trots down the tunnel, unable to continue after picking up that knock and the ex-Barcelona star enters the fray.

De Gea brilliantly punches away a Arsenal corner but needs a bit of treatment when the ball goes out of play. It allows the Gunners to make a couple of changes of their own with Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott coming on for Cazorla and Bellerin.

Rojo has been guilty of giving the ball away a couple of times in the last few minutes but he's just saved his side. Ramsey brilliantly controls a ball over the top and clips it over the onrushing De Gea, only for the Argentine to get across and hammer it away in the nick of time.

Smalling is all over Giroud in the resulting corner but nothing is given and De Gea can claim, launching a sublime ball for Young to chase down with just the goal (and Ospina) in front of him. Young's quick, but Bellerin is quicker, tearing back to intercept and keep Arsenal in this.

Arsenal again come close as Sanchez slips a ball through for Ramsey after a driving run from Ozil, but Rojo slides across in the nick of time to put the ball out.

Arsenal are almost in as Giroud brilliantly rolls Rojo inside the six yard area after Ozil's pass, but De Gea is out to block his shot on goal. The Gunners get the corner, but work nothing from it.

First change of the game sees Robin van Persie come onto replace Falcao. The Colombian gives a sad wave to the crowd as he makes his way to the bench. That could be the last time Old Trafford sees him.

Ramsey is able to burst forward down the inside right channel with Blind desperately trying to get back. The Welshman floats a ball over to Ozil but his first time knock down into the path of Giroud is hammered clear by Smalling.

A neat flick from Blind looks to have freed Young down the inside left flank but Koscielny stepped up just in time to rule him offside.

Interesting stat from the first half.

Arsenal win a corner that Valencia and then Mata can only slice clear. the Spaniard gets a better connection the second time around and Falcao is on hand to nod the ball away to relieve a bit of pressure. Much better from the away side.

More intricate build up from United as Valencia and Herrera combine on the right, before shifting the ball inside for Mata. He leaves it for Rojo after hearing the Argentine's shout and he hits a sweet strike on goal, but Ospina follows it all the way and makes the save.

Ramsey 'megs Herrera brilliantly in the middle of the park and tries to slide a ball through for Giroud. There's just too much on it however and De Gea can come out to claim.

Will United pay for these missed chances? They almost did there. Giroud beats Jones on the edge of the area, nodding the ball onto Alexis who has time to pull the trigger, but he lashes a wild shot well over the bar.

Arsenal are finding the groove here. Mata now combines neatly with Herrera and dances his way to the edge of the D before laying the ball off for Fellaini. He shifts the ball wide to Young but his delivery into the box this time is a poor one.

Smalling suddenly finds himself leading a United counter, with only Laurent Koscielny standing in his way to goal. The United centre half is probably one of the quickest players in the United squad, but opts against taking on the Frenchman, playing the ball back to Fellaini and Arsenal are able to get back.

Valencia bursts down the right inside the first minute of the half and only Mertesacker's presence prevents Fellaini from getting a header on goal. Good defending from the Arsenal veteran.

And Arsenal get us back underway for the second half.

HALF TIME: Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal

Coquelin nudges Fellaini off the ball and United have a free kick out on the left. It's one of the training ground as the ball is rolled into the path of Blind who is free on the edge of the box but his first time effort that looks to be curling in is blocked by Smalling!

The Dutchman sees another effort deflected wide a moment later but nothing comes from the resulting corner. And that will be it for the first half.

Herrera majestically shimmies past a couple of challenges and plays an excellent through ball in, but Falcao is not quick enough to get across and get on the end of it.

Giroud is barged over by Jones out on the right wing, sending the Arsenal striker crashing into the advertisement boards and knocking the linesman's flag out of his hand in the process. Very good.

Out on the left, Young curls an excellent ball over for Mata to spring onto with Mertesacker playing him onside. The Spaniard is forced wide however and the chance looks to have gone until he somehow scoops a cross over. Falcao desperately tries to get on the end of it but is judged to have fouled Monreal in the process.

Herrera has another crack at goal, finding a yard of space on the edge of the box just out to the left, but his effort fizzes wide of the far post.

United come again, with Young brilliantly slipping past Koscielny as he comes in down the left but his pull back for Mata is too heavy and the ball slips past the Spaniard.

United have the lead! Out on the left, Fellaini shifts the ball out to Young on the wing and joins a posse of United players in the six yard area. Arsenal are too busy focusing on the big Belgian as Young floats the cross in, allowing Herrera to pop unmarked to hammer a superb volley past Ospina at the near post.

Goal! Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal (Ander Herrera, 29)

Heart in mouth moment for United. De Gea appears to be trotting out to meet a backpass but Jones instead passes back, forcing the Spaniard to sweep the ball clear any way he can.

Moment of the season right there. Phil Jones, under pressure from Olivier Giroud, dives head first into the turf in his efforts to nod the ball out of the Frenchman's path. He manages to knock the ball off him and De Gea can come out to claim.

Now it's Arsenal's turn to press United into a corner, carefully probing on the edge of the box but a stray pass from Cazorla allows United to escape. The ball is moved forward to Falcao but for the third time in less than 20 minutes, the Colombian loses his footing.

United are pushing Arsenal back now, although they are yet to really breach the penalty area.

Falcao is lurking, but Mata takes it, scooping an effort over the ball but straight into the arms of Opsina.

Mata is fouled right on the edge of the box and United have the free kick.

Ozil lets the ball run across him and slides a wonderful pass through for Sanchez, who leaves Blind in his wake as he springs forward. Young gets across from a wide position however and makes a brilliant sliding interception to relieve the pressure.

Arsenal clear the second corner but only as far as Falcao who takes too long on the ball and loses possession.

Falcao threatens to burst in at the near post and wins a corner for his side. It comes across goal where Smalling takes it down on the chest before lashing one on goal, but it deflects for another corner.

Ashley Young cuts in menacingly from the left to shoot with his right foot. The winger has punished Arsenal like this in the past with a couple a wonderful efforts in that famous 8-2 win in 2011, but this one is a bit wild and flies over the bar.

Jones slips and Ramsey clips a ball over the top for Ozil to chase onto, but Smalling reads it well and nods back to De Gea

Mata is robbed of possession by Coquelin and Arsenal spring forward, working the ball through to Sanchez who bursts down the inside left. He has Valencia for company, however, and Jones is quickly across too and between them, rob the Chilean of the ball and clear.

Lots of pressing from both sides in these opening few minutes and as you can probably imagine, no chances to speak of yet.

And we are underway!

We are minutes from kick off as the teams make their way out onto the pitch.

Surprised by van Gaal's decision to name Chris Smalling captain this afternoon? You shouldn't be. Since that sending off against Manchester City in November, the 25-year-old has gone from strength to strength and is now the most commanding presence in the United backline. Speaking to Sky Sports, van Gaal said of the centre half:

He is more the leader of our defence than another player.

Michael Carrick is bossing the Sky Sports studio this afternoon and is full of praise for Louis van Gaal who he describes as "a lot more measured and a lot more calculated" than David Moyes and Sir Alex Ferguson.

It's full time at the Liberty Stadium. Wilfried Bony added a fourth fort City not long after coming off the bench against his former club to ensure a comfortable finale for Manchester City, who relied on a stunning save from Joe Hart to keep them ahead at one point. It moves them six points ahead of Arsenal and strengthens their hold on second place.

Louis van Gaal told reporters on Friday the club have a list of possible replacements for David de Gea should the Spaniard leave this summer. Could this be his last appearance at Old Trafford? There's a lot of love for him around the ground this afternoon.

It's a first for Arsene Wenger this afternoon then, he names the same starting XI for the sixth successive game. That sees Hector Bellerin continue at right back and gives Alexis Sanchez the chance to equal Thierry Henry's record of 17 goals in a debut Premier League campaign.

There are two enforced changes for United as Marcos Rojo and Radamel Falcao come in for Luke Shaw and Wayne Rooney. Angel di Maria and Robin van Persie are fit again on the bench while James Wilson also offers firepower if needed. Speculation this week had suggested that Victor Valdes could be handed his United debut but the immovable figure of David de Gea retains his place, despite the ongoing contract impasse between him and the club.

Meanwhile at the Liberty Stadium, Manchester City have just regained the lead against Swansea City after a strike from Yaya Toure. Lukasz Fabianksi, who was outstanding in denying Arsenal last Monday, has been at fault for two goals. City lead 3-2.

Chris Smalling captains United this afternoon.

BREAKING: Marcos Rojo comes in for injured Luke Shaw while Radamel Falcao comes in for Wayne Rooney. Angel di Maria and Robin van Persie on the bench.

Manchester United team to face Arsenal: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Rojo, Mata, Blind, Herrera, Young, Fellaini, Falcao

Subs: Valdes, Blackett, McNair, Di Maria, Januzaj, van Persie, Wilson

BREAKING: Arsenal unchanged for sixth successive game.

Arsenal team to face Manchester United: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ramsey, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud

Subs: Szczesny, Gibbs, Gabriel, Flamini, Rosicky, Wilshere, Walcott

Interestingly enough for United and Arsenal, Manchester City have thrown away a two goal lead at Swansea City and are currently drawing 2-2 at the Liberty Stadium.

Alexis Sanchez meanwhile needs just one more goal to equal Thierry Henry's haul of 17 goals in his first Premier League season.

Confirmed line ups are due in at 3pm. Last Monday against Swansea City, Arsene Wenger named the same starting XI for the fifth successive game. Will that defeat to Garry Monk's side have acted as reason enough to change that formula?

Manchester United news: Where to start? Wayne Rooney and Luke Shaw, injured in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace last week, join Jonny Evans and Michael Carrick on the sidelines. Marcos Rojo is available once again however as is Angel di Maria, who was sent off in the FA Cup clash between these two sides in March. Robin van Persie is also in contention to lead the line against the club he used to captain.

Arsenal news: Arsene Wenger recently said he hoped for Danny Welbeck to return from his knee injury before the end of the season but that won't be today; the striker remains ruled out. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also remains sidelined, possibly for the FA Cup final too, but there are no other injury concerns for Arsene Wenger ahead of kick off.

Is this the lowest-key instalment of Manchester United v Arsenal in the Premier League era? With the league title currently residing in west London and Champions League qualification sorted for both sides, this afternoon's fixture lacks a bit of the sparkle that it is usually accompanied by.

It's not as if there is nothing to play for, however. Arsenal's defeat to Swansea City last week reignited United's faint hopes of a finish better than fourth place, something that will steer them away from a potentially problematic Champions League playoff qualifier. The Gunners currently hold a two point advantage over their old sparring partners with a game in hand, but victory for Louis van Gaal's side will lift them back into third place.

Arsenal already have a win at Old Trafford this season under their belts, however, courtesy for Danny Welbeck who struck the winner when these sides met in the FA Cup quarter final. The former United striker is unavailable this afternoon but his side will need no further incentive to work their magic again this afternoon.