Following a monotonous international break, even a mundane slate of domestic football is enough to get fans of football excited. The games dont have to be good. They just need to be contested by two club sides.But the Premier League fixture computer has thrown us a great, juicy bone upon our latest return from FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying: Manchester United vs. Arsenal. Its a classic matchup, a staple of the season, and this one promises to be no differenteven if half the players are seemingly injured.Arsene Wenger vs. Jose Mourinho is a storied rivalry whether either manager likes it or not. The fact the Frenchman has never beaten his opposite number in the league is a stick often used to beat him with (hes only managed to triumph over him in the Community Shield), while Mourinhos perceived recent demise is a topic of much chatter no matter the week.Many will feel this is Wengers biggest chance ever to finally get one over Mourinho, but given Arsenal have won just three times at Old Trafford since the Premier Leagues inception in 1992, there are others who will fear the bogey ground which never yields joy for the Gunners.Manchester United Team NewsMourinhos in a bit of a bind this week with issues plaguing almost every area of the pitch. Injuries and suspensions have conspired to give him a limited list of players to pick from.Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a big miss due to the accumulation of five yellow cards. He played superbly against Swansea City just before the international break and ended his goal drought. To be without him for this one is rough. Marcus Rashford will probably deputise, though, pleasing the terraces.Wayne Rooney has been passed fit, per Simon Johnson ofThe Evening Standard, and could continue on the left flanka position he played well in against the Swans. Ander Herrera is available again after his red card against Burnley and will likely re-enter the team. Juan Mata's fit, but Mourinho doesn't tend to start him in "big" games.The big issue, though, is the defence. Its an area that has been ransacked by injuries. The back line of Ashley Young, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian held up surprisingly well in South Wales, but youd expect perhaps Daley Blind to come back in on the left and Darmian to move to the right. Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly and Antonio Valencia are all out.Arsenal Team NewsArsene Wenger is missing fewer players en masse than Mourinho, but there are issues with key men all the same.Hector Bellerin will sit out the rest of November due to injurya major blow to Arsenals right sideand it seems as though Carl Jenkinson will step in. That will be the only change to a very sturdy back four (or five, inclusive of Petr Cech).Santi Cazorla will miss the game, per Jim Van Wijk of Press Association Sport viaThe Daily Mail, but Alexis Sanchez could well be fit. The club are set to assess him, but the Chilean has already declared himself able to play, according to SportsMole's Danielle Joynson.He starred for Chile against Uruguay earlier this week and will train and depart for Manchester on Friday with the rest of the squad.Cazorlas absence means Francis Coquelin and Granit Xhaka are highly likely to continue in central midfield as a pairing, but Aaron Ramsey is fit again and will be pushing for one of five midfield spots.Pressure point 1: Unleashing Paul Pogba'Manchester Uniteds victory over Swansea City ahead of the international break could represent a watershed moment in Mourinhos Red Devils career. OK, it wasnt the most thrilling of encounters and the opposition werent great, but there was a notable tactical change that could change the clubs fortunes.For the first time in the league this season, United moved to a 4-1-4-1 (4-3-3) shape, utilising Pogba as a roaming No. 8. With Michael Carrick at the base of midfield, controlling matters, the Frenchman was able to shuttle up and down to great effect.Its about time.Pogbas struggles early on at United have been intrinsically linked to the fact hes been ritually played out position. Playing as a No. 6 just in front of the defence never suited him as hes not defensively strong and wasnt able to push forward (Euro 2016 showed us that). And playing as a No. 10 revealed he struggles in tight spacespartially due to his long, loping legs.But against Swansea he was set free, able to start from deeper but dribble forward and beat players. He worked the channels and the edge of the box brilliantly, scored a cracker and generally tormented Bob Bradleys men.The big question is: Will Mourinho play the same system against Arsenal' Without Zlatans link-up ability at the tip of the formation, the Portuguese manager might legitimately be worried about a disconnect emerging between the striker and the midfield line. If so, Pogba might be moved back into the No. 10 space in an attempt to sew it togethereven though his performances this season suggest hes not capable.It feels as though Mourinhos turning to Carrick has been a little reluctant, and given hes a manager who tends to grind big games out, it might be that hes not willing to play him at the base alone. Theres also the looming spectre of Marouane Fellaini to consider.Mourinho stumbled upon the right formula against Swansea. The shape got the best from Pogba and the others followed suit. Will he be brave enough to replicate this without Zlatan against a much stronger team'Pressure point 2: Walcotts work rate more important than everThe hallmark of Theo Walcotts game throughout his career have been speed: outright, fearsome speed. While hes never been the greatest decision-maker and his finishing blows hot and cold, he has had the ability to burn defenders all his career. Thats been his calling card.But this season, hes developed a new, very welcome hallmark: work rate. Fans who get frustrated with Walcott are often justified, but in 2016-17, hes elicited very few grumbles because hes supplementing attacking play with gritty, determined off-the-ball yards.This new trait will rarely be more key to a game than on Saturday, when a Bellerin-less Gunners side take on United. Its likely to be Jenkinson who sits in for the Spaniard, and hes played very little football of late, making that flank an obvious area to target for Mourinho.While Rooney doesnt strike fear into opponents any longer, his performance from that flank against Swansea was genuinely very good. He was incisive, instinctive, dug out dangerous shots and was heavily involved in the build-up to goals. If Anthony Martial gets the nod instead, or even Ashley Young, their speed and directness will be a nightmare to deal with one-on-one.Whatever help Walcott can offer going backward on that flank, Arsenals stand-in right-back will graciously accept.Follow @stighefootballFacebook.com/SamTigheBR
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