Terrible record at Old Trafford but new kings of the ‘Big six’ - Are Arsenal now big game players?

This Sunday one of the historically biggest Premier League fixtures takes place. Arsenal go to Old Trafford looking to preserve their own title aspirations. In years gone by it’s not been a happy hunting ground for the Gunners - just one Premier League win in 17 years. But this season, it’s also not really been a happy hunting ground for Erik ten Hag's Manchester United either. The Red Devils would be ninth in the table from just home games this season and have already equalled their worst loss tally in a Premier League season and are on course for their worst ever points total and goals conceded record. Going to Old Trafford this season hasn’t quite been the daunting task of old.

Despite Arsenal’s terrible record at Old Trafford in the last decade and half, their more recent record against the Premier League’s ‘Big six’ teams gives plenty of hope that Mikel Arteta’s team are ready to compete on a big occasion like this. Arsenal will probably have to be faultless in their remaining two games to have any chance of wrestling the title away from Manchester City. Man United have already taken a point off Liverpool at Old Trafford in recent weeks to deal a blow to their title bid. However, this Gunners team are no longer folders in the monumental matches - Arteta’s side are now big game players, but they will need to put their horrific record at Old Trafford right this Sunday.

From disasters to big game players - How Arteta’s record against the ’Big six’ improved

For many years before Arteta, and even at the beginning of the Spaniard’s tenure, games against the bigger clubs were surrounded by fear. Not only were Arsenal being beaten, they were being taken apart. A 6-0 defeat to Chelsea. A 5-1 loss to Liverpool. A 5-0 drubbing to Man City. Between 2017 and 2023, Arsenal lost by three or more goals to just Liverpool and Man City nine times in the Premier League alone. Watching pundits criticise Arsenal's lack of a backbone seemed to become a formality that followed the Gunners in big games.

When Arteta took charge, Arsenal hadn’t won at Old Trafford in the league for 13 years. They hadn’t won at Stamford Bridge for eight years. They hadn’t even taken a point at Anfield for three years. They hadn’t beaten Man City in the Premier League home or away for four years, and hadn’t won at the Etihad since 2015. Arteta’s Arsenal have put all those records to bed bar one - they still haven’t won at the Etihad, but did take a point at their title rivals this season. There has been a vast improvement in the big matches under Arteta's stewardship of late. 

As can be seen in the graphic above, Arsenal’s record against the big six teams was pretty poor at the beginning of Arteta’s tenure. In his first three seasons, his best points per game ratio against the ‘Big six’ clubs was 1.3ppg. However last season, Arsenal amassed 1.9ppg against the ‘Big six’ and are now averaging 2.11ppg this season in the same category. Arteta’s Arsenal have transformed into big game players. This season the Gunners have more points than every other 'Big six' rival in games just between those teams.

As you can also see above, even if we take it back to since ten Hag became Man United manager at the start of last season (2022/23) then Arsenal would still be on top of the ‘Big six’ Premier League table, taking just games between those teams into account. Arsenal have a point per game record of 2.0ppg in 1st place, from the last two seasons beating Man City’s 1.74ppg, whilst ten Hag’s Red Devils are fourth in that table with 1.21ppg. However it's never been plane sailing for Arsenal at the 'theatre of dreams'.

Arsenal’s struggles at Old Trafford  

Going to the 'theatre of dreams' has been nothing short of a nightmare for Arsenal in the last 15 years. Their maiden win at Old Trafford in that timeframe came in the 2020/21 season, where the Gunners won 1-0 thank to a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty. During that 17 year period Arsenal have lost 10 games, and drawn five times with Man United. There was a 13 year gap between their 2-1 win at Old Trafford in 2006 (thanks to a late Emmanuel Adebayor winner) and the aforementioned 1-0 win in 2020.

During Arteta's reign he has been to Old Trafford just three times. He won his first ever game there, but has lost at Man United in each of the last two seasons. Shipping a combined six goals in those two matches. Arsenal have a superb defensive record on the road this season, conceding 13 goals in 18 games, and just two goals in their last seven away matches. On form, Arsenal win this match every day of the week. But in rivalries like this form can go out of the window, and the Gunners will need to put their historic Old Trafford struggles to bed.