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Michael Owen has offered his view on Manchester United’s upcoming Premier League clash against leaders Arsenal, backing the Red Devils to employ a counter-attacking approach. United travel to the Emirates on Sunday, January 25, with Michael Carrick’s side buoyed by a 2-0 win over Manchester City in his first game back in charge.

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Carrick’s men impressed against Pep Guardiola’s side, securing victory through goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu. Owen believes United will adopt similar tactics against Arsenal, sitting deep and relying on pace in attack. Speaking to Premier League Productions, Owen said United’s defensive shape suits their current form and allows them to absorb pressure before breaking forward.

He added that United appear more comfortable against stronger opponents, as their style of play is built around countering teams who dominate possession. Owen noted that while United must eventually learn to break down lesser sides, they should not fear facing Arsenal and can play to their strengths.

Arsenal enter the fixture having drawn their last two league matches but remain top of the table with a seven-point cushion over Manchester City. Despite their recent stumbles, Mikel Arteta’s side continue to lead both the Premier League and Champions League standings.

Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney provided a candid response when asked how the iconic Manchester United team of 2007/08 would fare against the current Arsenal squad. Speaking alongside Theo Walcott on punditry duty for Amazon Prime, Rooney insisted that Sir Alex Ferguson’s side would “batter” Arteta’s men.

Rooney’s claim came after Walcott described the 2007/08 United team as the best he had ever faced. That squad, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney himself, Ryan Giggs, and Paul Scholes, won both the Premier League and Champions League in a historic campaign.