Barclays Premier League Arsenal v Manchester United

They may not currently occupy the top two positions from which they jointly dominated English football for so many years, but for many this is always the quintessential Premier League fixture. From the long-standing feud of Wenger v Ferguson to the embryonic rivalry of Walcott (if fit) v Rooney – not to mention the preening of Portugal's biggest ego against the chest-beating arrogance of Togo's most famous Emmanuel – this match has it all when it comes to face-offs. Yet it's not often Arsenal are reeling from defensive nightmares against Spurs and Stoke while United are fighting to keep sight of Liverpool: this has become even more of a crunch game for each side's fans for all the wrong reasons. That shouldn't mean a shortage of action in the face of conservative nick-a-goal-and-sit-on-it tactics, though: none of the last four meetings have involved fewer than three goals. So perhaps of all the personalities on display, Arsenal's unassuming Mikhael Silvestre could be the unlikely headline-grabber: facing his old club for the first time, the Frenchman will know a few of his last-ditch tackles might make or break his new team's efforts. Rob Hastings