Arsenal lead the Premier League table, nine points ahead of Manchester City, who have one game in hand. Multiple reports indicate Arsenal have won four consecutive Premier League games and are targeting an eighth straight home win in all competitions. They are one win away from matching their best Premier League winning streak of the 2025-26 season. Arsenal also won 1-0 against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League first leg, though they face Bournemouth with significant lineup changes. According to other sources, Arsenal are missing Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori due to injury concerns, while Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, and Jurrien Timber are absent from the squad due to injury. Myles Lewis-Skelly is starting as left-back for Arsenal against Bournemouth, and Viktor Gyökeres is starting as striker.
Bournemouth present a formidable challenge, with multiple reports indicating they are unbeaten in 11 Premier League matches. They have won twice against Arsenal since the start of last season, including a 2-1 victory at the Emirates last spring. However, Arsenal won 3-2 at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium in January. Bournemouth have also won two and drawn three of their last five meetings with Manchester United, adding to their recent resilience.
Manchester United have collected 22 points under interim manager Michael Carrick, the most in the Premier League during that period, according to multiple reports. They have won seven, drawn one, and lost one of their nine matches under Carrick and are third in the Premier League table with 54 points. Multiple reports indicate Manchester United are unbeaten in the Premier League since Boxing Day and are on a three-match home winning streak. They are level on points with fourth-placed Aston Villa, per multiple reports.
However, Manchester United's momentum was checked by a 2-1 home loss to Leeds on Monday, though they won 1-0 against Everton, with Benjamin Sesko scoring the winning goal, according to multiple reports. Injury concerns loom, with multiple reports indicating Lisandro Martínez has missed the last three games with a calf problem. Michael Carrick has suggested Lisandro Martínez's injury is not considered serious, but the exact severity and return timeline remain unclear. According to major_media, Lisandro Martínez will be unavailable for Manchester United's match against Crystal Palace. Matthijs de Ligt has not played under Michael Carrick, with his last appearance coming at the end of November, and Patrick Dorgu is recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in January, but when they will return is unknown. Mason Mount returned to training this week and could be fit enough for the bench, per multiple reports. Major_media reports Bryan Mbeumo hobbled off against Everton, though the extent of his injury and his availability for upcoming matches are not confirmed.
Chelsea have managed just one victory from their last seven Premier League games, according to multiple reports. They lost 3-0 at home to Manchester City last weekend and are sixth in the Premier League table, per multiple reports, highlighting their struggles in the league.
Crystal Palace won 3-0 against Fiorentina in the Conference League quarter-final first leg, multiple reports indicate. They are unbeaten in five home games in all competitions and have kept a clean sheet in each, and have won back-to-back games for the first time since December, according to multiple reports, setting up a tough test for Manchester United.
Newcastle United have lost six of their last nine Premier League matches, multiple reports indicate. They lost 2-1 to Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear derby on 22 March, per multiple reports, compounding their poor run.
Arsenal's injury issues could impact their title charge, with the return timelines for Hincapie, Calafiori, Odegaard, Saka, and Timber still uncertain. Whether Benjamin Sesko will start for Manchester United in their next match is also unknown, as the team navigates a packed schedule and fitness concerns.