Man Utd v Arsenal preview

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Jonny Evans will also miss the game if a charge of spitting at Newcastle’s Papiss Cisse is proven.

Left-back Luke Shaw (hamstring) is a doubt for United.

Arsenal defender Gabriel has been ruled out of Monday’s clash at Old Trafford with a hamstring injury which is expected to sideline him for up to three weeks.

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny faces a fitness test following illness after missing the midweek Barclays Premier League win at QPR, as does defender Nacho Monreal (back) and Mathieu Flamini (hamstring).

Midfielderers Jack Wilshere (ankle), Mikel Arteta (ankle), Abou Diaby (calf) and defender Mathieu Debuchy (shoulder) all continue their recovery.

Man Utd v Arsenal preview

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Darren Fletcher will return to Manchester United’s squad for the game.

The Scotland skipper has struggled to shake off the effects of a virus he was struck down by in March but, after coming through his second 90-minute reserve-team outing on Thursday night against Swansea, has been drafted into manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s plans.

Rio Ferdinand (hamstring) and Antonio Valencia (ankle) have been training, but Nemanja Vidic (calf) and Rafael (shoulder) are definitely out.

Alex Song, Gervinho and Emmanuel Frimpong are suspended for the Gunners.

Jack Wilshere saw a specialist on Friday but the club are still waiting for an update on his ankle injury which is expected to keep him out for three more weeks.

Nicklas Bendtner is sidelined with an ankle problem and Sebastien Squillaci is also out, along with Kieran Gibbs (hamstring) and Abou Diaby (ankle).

Defender Thomas Vermaelen will have a fitness test tomorrow but is expected to be fit and Laurent Koscielny came through a similar check on his back problem on Friday morning.

United (from): De Gea, Lindegaard, Smalling, Ferdinand, Jones, Evra, Evans, Fabio, Nani, Park, Cleverley, Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Giggs, Young, Rooney, Berbatov, Welbeck, Diouf, Owen, Macheda.

Gunners (from): Szczesny, Jenkinson, Djourou, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Sagna, Walcott, Arshavin, Rosicky, Ramsey, Traore, Van Persie, Lansbury, Fabianski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chamakh, Miquel, Miyaichi.

Man Utd v Arsenal preview

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Sir Alex Ferguson has reported a clean bill of health ahead of their top-of-the-table duel.

Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes have returned to training after hamstring and groin problems respectively, while Jonny Evans and Wes Brown have recovered from a virus.

It is United’s first league outing since smashing seven goals past Blackburn and they are bidding to extend a five-match unbeaten run against the Gunners.

Arsenal will leave it as a late as possible to decide on the fitness of captain Cesc Fabregas (hamstring).

Full-back Kieran Gibbs is out after injuring his ankle in the midweek Champions League win over Partizan Belgrade, but both Gael Clichy (virus) and Johan Djourou (thigh) should travel to Old Trafford.

Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (elbow), centre-back Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles) and midfielder Abou Diaby (ankle) remain out.

United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Amos, Rafael, O’Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Smalling, Brown, Evans, Evra, Fabio, Nani, Park, Carrick, Scholes, Anderson, Obertan, Giggs, Rooney, Berbatov, Hernandez, Macheda, Bebe.

Arsenal (from): Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Djourou, Eboue, Arshavin Song, Wilshere, Nasri, van Persie, Chamakh, Szczesny, Denilson, Rosicky, Koscielny, Walcott, Bendtner, Clichy, Fabregas.