Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson picked the same starting XI to play against Arsenal as had beaten Tottenham Hotspur six days earlier, a side that had only seen three changes from their opening-day win at West Bromwich Albion.

Right-back Rafael was a long-term injury concern with a dislocated shoulder,[4] so Chris Smalling continued in his place, while Patrice Evra captained the side from left-back and David de Gea played in goal for the fourth game in a row after signing from Atlético Madrid in the summer.

Darren Fletcher was in contention for a place in the team after a long-term stomach virus infection, but missed out on selection, while Javier Hernández was only picked on the bench for the second game in a row as he continued his recovery from a concussion sustained on the club's pre-season tour of the United States;[4][5] Danny Welbeck started alongside Wayne Rooney in attack.

In the absence of Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby due to injury,[4] manager Arsène Wenger picked a three-man midfield of Aaron Ramsey, Tomáš Rosický and Francis Coquelin, who was making his league debut for the club.

[7] A minute later, Traoré could only clear a cross from Rooney as far as Ashley Young, who controlled the ball, shifted it onto his right foot and curled a shot into the top corner to score his first goal for Manchester United since signing from Aston Villa that summer.

[7] Two minutes later, Jenkinson received a second yellow card and was sent off for a professional foul on Hernández, who was through on goal, meaning Arsenal had had a player dismissed in each of their first three games of the season.

[12] Wenger moved quickly to strengthen his squad, signing South Korean striker Park Chu-young from Monaco,[15] Brazilian André Santos from Fenerbahçe,[16] German defender Per Mertesacker from Werder Bremen,[17] and Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta from Everton,[18] as well as loaning Yossi Benayoun from rivals Chelsea.